The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-05-01
TOpeka's Part in Nationwide
Baby Week Clinic.
MORE THAN 400 REGISTERED
Kansas Out Again to Capture
Union HOnOrS.
Every Characteristic and Part
Is Gone Over.
BY- BERTHA Hampstead.

Long rows of polished tables with
doctors and nurses in white gowns
grouped around them, and in the CEN
ter of the table, playing, gazing or
bowling according to varying DISPOSE
tions, are pink-skinned, unclothed
babies. This is the situation to be
found in the great baby drive at the
Pelletier store on the fourth floof-
This is all a part of the NATIONWIDE
baby week conducted in the interests
of child conservation. Last year Kan
sas had the greatest number of babies
entered in the baby week clinic of any
state in the Union in proportion to the
population, and the fact that more
than 400 babies are registered for the
Topeka clinic alone looks as tho TINS
state would stand first again
Upon entering the headquarters
ROOM one finds the space reserved for
the clinic. all roped off with thick,
white strands and the draperies are
all white At the first table are Wo-
men registering the children. It's just
like going to vote. You give your
name. and the registrar hunts you up
in a big book. If you are registered,
you are given slip of paper, which is
not a ballot but an examination list.
Then the mothers carry their children
into the undressing room. This infant
humanity. having no acquaintance
with Eden's tree of knowledge, have
no objections to be stripped. Each
baby's clothing is put into paper
sack and carried to the end of the
room, where the dressing room is To-
Gated. Then the little ones are taken
to the dental examination. which this
morning, is in charge of DR.. C. b.
Reed But first. before the undress-
ing process begins. the little ones are
given a mental test, varying according
to age, of course. Some wise woman
writes down whether the child sits
alone or not, how he balances him
self. and then she flourishes in front
of him brick colOred ball. If he
looks at it he is a smart child. If not
well he will never set the Kaw Attire.
Then she offers him something to grab
probably flag. Most likely he des-
ecrates it by sucking out the red
stripes or soldering over it or throw
ing it down. He also has to have
pair of hands clapped close to ears to
see if he notices sounds.
Then the Doctors.
After his brilliancy in the mental
field is established and his sprouting
teeth looked over. the eye doctor takes
him in hand. DR.. r. S. Magee and
DR.. c. l.. Williams are looking after
the eyes, ears, noses and threats of
these budding flowers of Kansas life.
Then they get a breathing and lung
test. Little Marguerite Schonberger.
who was on the table for while this
morning. had the biggest frolic of her
days chewing and gurgling over the
stethescope pressed against her small
chest. After that the baby gets
weighed and measured. Tape lines,
yard sticks and scales are the equip
ment for that work.
After all that the babies are ready to
be dressed again. Usually the measur-
ing table can be counted on as the
Waterloo of the best natured and most
rollicking of the line of infants exam
ined. Most of them break down and
weep Iong before they arrive at that
vanquishing nuisance.
The list of people who will be regis
trars for Wednesday is as follows:
Registrars Mrs. Alice Love. Mrs.
Emma Sells Marshall, Mrs Claude
Neil and Mrs. o. E. Walker.
Assisting with the mental examina-
tons. Mrs. c. A. Scott, Mrs. A.
Floersch.
Dressing room workers: Mrs Pope
Allen, Mrs. Charles Stewart, Mrs. c. H.
Bunger and Mrs. w. E. Culver.
Undressing room workers: Mrs
Frank Thomas. Mrs. Thomas Creary,
West
Dentist assistants: Mrs. E. D Nc
Keever and Mrs. Miller.
Eye examiners assistants: Mrs. w.
E. Atchison and Mrs Oscar Bonnet
Weights and measure assistants:
Mrs. J. E. Cation and Mrs. Robert
Merrick.
Assisting at physical examinations:
Mrs. Neiswanger. Mrs. Roy Johnson
and Miss Marguerite Kiene.
The first baby examined this morn
ing was Jack Bennett, whose mother
was formerly Miss Florence Guild. The