The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-25

home for the sale of it's property and the application of the proceeds, with such further public money as may be necessary to the acquisition of suitable premises near the county farm, or other suitable
 place. This would permit the saving of two rents and expenditures for up-keep at Rising and the Childrens Aid society premises, and would give the children
 much better accommodations and open country with healthy and pleasant sur roundings, thus centralzng into one three separate maintenance accounts now rest ing either on public funds or private gen. erosity The adoption of this course would obtain more efficiency under an advisory board of ladies of the Mercy home and the Children's Aid society, but at the expense of the taxpayers at large thus relieving these ladies of a constant finan- cia1 strain.
 Amongst the youngest children and in- fants we find, in the first place, the Holy Innocents hospital, equipped to give both medical and surgical treatment. The in stitution is up to date in it's methods and it's work is increasing. On the occasion of our first visit we found six or seven infants under care. on our last visit about IA. In our opinion the nursing staff attached to this hospital is larger than is demanded by the present scope of it's
 work, and we believe that a part of this
 trained skill might be with great advan- tage diverted.
 'An application has been made to us to indorse an application to the city com mission for the establishment of another
 'tag day to raise funds for new so- ciety for the promotion of infant welfare; this society desiring to keep a nursing staff in the field visiting and supervising the care of all babies and seeing that their mothers are informed as to proper meth
 lE 4fs.r. of general hygiene We could not endorse the application for two reasons: First, that the fcity commission has already passed an ordinance restricting tag day" to one for the benefit of the Boys club; second, that we do not think infant well fare will be promoted by the establish ment of an additional society. A large amount of money Is already being con tributed by the citizens of Birmingham through the charity ball for the mainte- nance of the district nursing. When say a large amount of money, we in clude not simply the net results to the district nursing. but the gross expendi- ture by the contributors in preparing for and carrying out the charity ball, which must amount to several times the net amount contributed to this charity
 Organization Should Federate
 We can see no reason why there should not De IedefdtlOn or the Holy lnnocentS hospital and the District Nursing associa- tion, and the Society for the Promotion of Infant Welfare. Their objects are the same substantially. although the District Nursing association takes in also the care of adults, 1t necessarily embraces the care of newly born babes To this extent at least its object is identical with the In- fant Welfare association, and the success full accomplishment of their purposes would directly diminish the amount of sickness brought to the Holy Innocents' hospital for reatment. We believe that the infant welfare of the community might be well administered from the Holy In- nocents hospital as headuuarters and that the task of raising funds might be greatly simplified by uniting forces of all three institutions for one canvass and that by handling the affairs of all three with one set of officers and from one headquarters, much time Hould be saved to those good men and women who are at present devoting it to the furtherance of these societies.
 A desirable work Is being conducted at Neighborhood House in the nature of a social settlement work which embraces the care of young children during the day While their mothers are at work and also the maintenance of a playground under supervision in the afternoon We are, in- formed that the association formed d year or two ago Tor the supply of modified milk for babies had been merged into this settlement work, but so far we could learn this branch of effort has been dis continued, and as adequate provision ex- ists at the Holy Innocents' hospital for sterilizing milk. we think if this branch is resumed it should be conducted from that point.
 ''The largest children's work in the district is that handled at East Lake. known as the Orphans Home. The or de1 and cleanliness and system of this lareel gathering is praiseworthy and highly commendable and we are pleased with the conditions. It is proper, how ever, to point out matter which we do not feel comes within our jurisdic- ton, namely, that this is a denomina- tional institution and that children at- tending are required, without excep- titn, to attend religious service and the separate school of the church so conducting it. This is the only case within our knowledge of denominations al effort receiving the public funds within the county.
 Children's Ward at Hillman
 Before passing away from the sub Ject of childrens work, it Is impos- sitle to avoid the consideration of the r'aintenance of children's ward in the IIiilman hospital instead of main