The Washington herald., 1917-07-23

Way out at the far end of Rock
Creek Park, even farther than Camp
Good Will. twenty-five sick little
babies, all under years Of age, are
drinking in fresh air and sunshine in
an effort to coax the blessing of rest
and health into their tired, pain-rid-
den little bodies.
Day in and day out they lie there on
their little cots, thin. emaciated, few
cred and sore, slowly recovering from
the effect of i'll treatment, too much
treatment or Grass neglect.
Time OF recovery isn't measured at
the Baby Hospital, in the old Jett
mansion in the park. The little pa
tents stay there eating good food,
resting BEAUTIFULLY in the warm sum-
mer sun for days and weeks. II neces-
sary, until DR.. W. ]. French and the
staff of nurses in charge of the home
are sure thatSfor this year at least,
the little one has a fair chance for
happiness and health.
school for Mothers.
And the Baby Hospital out there
is different" the medical stan wants
it known. Not only is 1t q rest home
lOE DdDlGSt OuI II 10 u IOiIlS lOT the
mothers, also. There they, too, may
rest, eat healthful food, care for their
many times half-starved bodies ema-
ciated from want OF food because
the baby needed 1t more than I did"
And there they may learn how to
care properly for their little ones.
There are eight white babies and
fourteen pickanlnnies at the fresh
IL Il
races, but the same care Is lavished
on each. Color makes no difference
to the stan. They're all babies, and
the nurses say.
other colored baby are expected at
the places of three babies who are
to be discharged. fully cured. The
beds are never empty. Always" DR..
French says, 1.-The cribs are kept run
ming at their full capacity. We could
have twice the number OF cots and
yet have no room for all the babies
we would like to take care Of"
The Jett mansion, formerly a ten
room house, has been remodeled to
suit the needs of the infants. Two
home. Both have two stories. In
quarters of the babies under treat
ment. In the other are places for
the mothers of the children and for
the nurses.
Patients Sleep Outdoors.
No one sleeps indoors at the Baby
Hospital Fresh aid and plenty OF It
is the first thing that is prescribed for
a. new admission. No matter how Sc
we're the sickness, no matter in how
delicate a condition the baby is, 1t
sleeps, eats and lives outdoors. Screen
ed carefully from flies and other In
sects, which DR.. French says are the
chief causes of disease dissemination,
the babies simply can't help getting
fresh air.
And the treatment is bringing re-
suits. In the center of the colored
ward Pearl is rapidly gaining the
strength she needs to run around and
play with other little pickaninnies of
her age. Two years and four months
old, Pearl weighed but nine pounds
and six ounces when she entered ten
days ago.
Together with two other colored
children, Ruby --, aged months,
and Howard, -, l year old. both
lying in adjoining cots. Pearl was
found at a baby farm" in charge OF
an old negro nanny. Her parents
had deserted her. and she was all
alone in the world. For two years and
more she had been in the world amid
all the squalor and filth that the mind
can conceive. Dirty. ragged. terribly
thin, she had never known kind and
humane treatment. She could not sit
erect, much less walk.
Treatment shows Results.
She had been fed on condensed milk
bread and butter, pot liquor" table
scrapings, Stops" as DR.. French
called them. and all the time her I'M
derfed little body had been crying
for good. wholesome food and for
cleanliness and rest.
Some one found her, they didn't say
who at the hospital. but she was
taken TO the fresh air farm as soon
as 1t opened. Kindly treatment, good
healthy living conditions and a food
made up to suit her own particular
little need have worked miracles in
the dark little baby. In ten days she