The Washington times., 1917-08-06

been turned down in the last few
weeks. For hundreds of others who
need treatment no application 10
made The place Is always "Sull up"
How many OF these have died Is not
matter OF record. But DR.. French
declares that at least one out 81 every
1--WE of the babies afflicted with any OF
the numerous summer ailments dies
unless 1t Is removed from the city.
Out OF fifty babies treated at the
camp, but two have died. and those
were practically in a moribund con-
dftion on their arrival
To Ask Appropriation.
And, as usual in AFFAIRS and needs
Of WashinEtonians, who have no city
government. no State patronage. and
no representation in the National Gov
eminent. Il is to a Congressman from
constituency thousands Of miles
away that poor. dying babies OF
Washington must look for relief.
Tomorrow morning Congressman
Charles o. Lobeck OF Nebraska, whose
attention was called to the matter
only yesterday, will Introduce n bill
asking for an appropriation Of not
less than 100000 for a p-rma nent
outdoor camp for Washington babies.
A similar bill will also be pushed
through the Senate In the hope that
the matter can be put before the Dis
trict Committee so that building can
be commenced in the spring
And all this unfortunate condition
exists probably because most OF the
people In Washington don't know
about II. In the first place. the baby
camp IL Invariably confused with
Camp Good VIII, which is also in
Rock Creek Park, and which il a
vacation camp for mothers and chill
dren. The baby camp is a hospital
exclusively and Is for very young
babies. 1t shares in an appropriation
Of $4,000 from the Associated CharI-
tea This IL all the money provided
camp. and Mt. Pleasant. the recrea-
ton camp for colored children.
A LSaE - MOsey Lasts-
The hospital camp is run as long
a. the money lasts. II the money
gives out In August, back to the city
the babies must 60. Mrs.. L. A. Simon,
whose Inspiration and energy started
the camp six years ago, f. partIcu-
larry anxious to secure enough money
to have the camp continue through
the month OF September. Not one
penny 70 spent for officials DR..
French and Mrs. Simon are volunteer
workers. The nurses are loaned by
Washington sanItarium and sibley
Hospital
Already the general manager Of
moving picture company has become
l. the baby camp and plans
to bring its needs before the Wash
ington public with a moving picture
TO be shown in all the movie houses.
entitled Health Wanted" II will
show the episodes in the life of
tenement baby from the moment II Is
picked out OF the alley mud and
taken to the camp until II Is sent
back a livelier and happier youngster.
A visit to the camp Is q revelation.
Can you imagine a baby four months
old that weighs only four pounds aad
ten ounces? Can you imagine one FIVE
weeks old that weighs but six pounds
and eleven ouncesf II you have q
tender heart and q sensitive soul. such
imagining or such a sight will not
be very pleasant. And each one of
these emaciated babies is a perfectly
normal baby with all its fingers and
toes and all its faculties. especially
lusty lungs, who is in this condition
from improper or insufficient feeding.
Feed Babies Everything.
The human animal seems to have
lost It's Instinct for caring for its
young" declared DR.. French. as he
explained how many poor tenement
mothers can't understand why pot
liquor and cabbage isn't just the rignt
sort Of food for q new born infant.
One woman proudly related that her
six weeks old baby ate every thing
the family did Naturally after that
heroic diet, Il took rather heroic eff
forts on the part OF DR.. French TO
save the youngster from a very pre-
The lay person viewing these
scrawny, undersIzed little mites might
easily give up hope OF ever curing
them or bringing them TO a state
where they will grow into husky
but when DR.. French eX
plains some OF the things he's done.
points to fresher. rosler child in the
next crib, and insists that not so
very long ago II was in just such an
condition, one comes TO
belieye that maybe the age of