The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1918-03-01


/ Our turn next, as soon IS the moro
limportant Monsieur Pierre vas ush-
lered out; and We were privileged to
shake hands with an Inspiration. We
shah always remember that doctor as
lone OF the most helpful persons We
Ihave ever met. one who has made the
world better for having been born In
lit. one whose life has been Lived to
splendid purpose.
A woman. strong. capable. mag
Inetic, one able to handle mothers as
well as babies, and TO inspire conf
denee IN them both.
She is one OF those women Of
France who has made herself part Of
tie nation. part Of its tremendous en-
ldurance, part Of its stupendous sac
rifce. part Of its unyielding deter
uinatioD.
At the outbreak Of the war. she
was in the enjoyment OF large and
lucrative practice. She gave 1t up
INN ediately. and has ever since de-
voted her entire attention to the up
building OF future France through
the babies of the poor: one day a
week in each OF seven dispensaries.
land. after the Office hours are over.
might visits to tiny patients who can
mot be brought to the clinic.
There is 4 big passion in her for
the work sn4e is doing. almost snarl
in her determination that not one Of
1.-THE babies who come under her
icharSe but shall develop into hne.
sturdy, well-balanced men and wo-
tmenI not that she talks about it
much. Her statement of her purposes
land discussion of her work was nee
essarilv hasty. for her visitors were
perfectly well. and full grown and
had no need for her. while outside
j'Ions strings of babies were waiting.
IN with the next one. a big. roly-
poly. white-haired fellow who had to
be awakened to be weighed and prod
ided and everything; awakened. when
he was so healthy. and always had
been, that the only result of any
weekly examination could be but a
compliment to his mother.
A Joking remark from the doctor.
and all her white teeth flashed in a
friendly smile, to which the mother
instantly responded.
Out quickly with him. Oh! A
sickly baby this time, poor, scrawny
little one. who breathed heavily and
LAY supinely. Deep worry on the face
of the mother. a tired-looking wo-
Iran. An instant change in the face
of the doctor. a great tenderness in
her. a great sympathy. and great
purpose.
She asked for the baby's card. and
examined it mintuely. entry by entry.
then she took the baby in her hands;
!such strong hands they we're. hands
with the healing touch, hands which
would make anybody feel better
merely from the contact with them:
The mother watched her breath
lesslE as she took the child. and when
the doctors face was frightened of
its heavy concern, the mothers face
frightened.
Malnutritions that was the trou-
bic:
A minute inquiry into the food and
habits of the mother; an earnest
talk: a bottle of medicine, accompan-
lied by carefully written page of
directions, and an order for precious
milk; BIT the look OF concern was
still on the doctors face when the
door had closed behind this patient.
There went a child whom France
would need, whom France must have;
ard IL human skill, and human de-
termination, and something more
than a mere human gift of healing
could save, it would be saved! She
wrote the name of this baby in her
own personal charity book.
Hello! Here comes something start
ling. something certainly, if expert
enced observation amounts to any
thing. from southern cline "a wo-
man with hair and eyes black as coal,
her cheeks flaming like poppy.
The nurses and visitors alike
frightened as If something electrical
had come into the room. She must
have been stunning when she was a
girl!
!. If ever there vas woman who had
been the undisputed belle Of the vii
lage. some place where skies were
blue and trees were green and grapes
were red, this was she! Something
rough about her, too. something of a
swager in her shoulders. left over
from that long ago. perhaps. when
the world belonged to her, something
sturdy in her facing of the world.
something fierce and something gen
tie. A tightly swathed bundle in her
arms. which. on opening. proved to
contain Baby jeanette. Instantly
Baby jeanette. with coal black hair
and eyes, sat up and waved her arms,
and sI--iled on all the company. re-
vealing full row Of little white
teeth.
The doctor greeted jeanette with a
smile and the mother with half-re-
proving glance: then she ierked the
shawl from the lower part Of Jean
! cite, and displayed two little habitu-
ally red legs. two little habitually
red feet. jeanette was treated at
once to the process Of being striped,
and having her stomach laid across
a broad hand. while an ear was ap-
Piled to her spine.
Un-hunh! A trace OF bronchitis!