Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-06-04
IMPORTED INFANTS-By Frederic: ]. .iaskin

life, more important even than food and Sleep
was mothers love. He found that you could
take an ailing infant and feed it the most
nutritious food in the most scientific quanti-
ties, see that it got pleny of fresh air and
sound sleep, and that for short time-us-
ually a month-it would thrive. Then, sud
denly, it would start to lose weight and fade
away. Why? Because it was not receiv-
ing the necessary amount of cuddles and en-
dearments and it's terrific little ego simply
dropped and wilted.
Babies Need Attention
The doctor was SO convinced of this that he
could no longer bear to see babies sent away
to institutions. Instead he secured permits
sion from the hospital and took them home
to his wife, who fitted nursery up for them
on the top floor of her house, and proceeded
to lavish affection upon them until they once
more showed an interest in life.
From this informal beginning the present
Alice Chaplin Nursery, at 200 Lexington ave-
nue. here, grew. 1t consists of eleven rooms,
with roof garden, fitted up scientifically for
the care of eight babies, but carefully avoid
ing the atmosphere of an institution. AS far
as possible, the baby is treated as an individ-
ual. He has his own playthings; he gets his
share of caresses from his nurse, and he is
flattered and amused.
There are only two nurses for the eight ba-
bies however, which Mrs Chaplin considers
a handicap. She thinks it would be better if
there were only four babies to each nursery
unit.
"For we have found" says Mrs. Chaplin,
that even with nurse to every four babies
they begin to pine and their progress is slow
er after they have been g month more
What each baby needs is a home, and fire.
quently the >aby has just as much influence
for better health and happiness upon adopted
parents as they have upon him. The baby is
grateful for his good care, and repays in hap
piness. Frequently one of these adopted ba-
bies will save neurotic woman from illness
by giving her an interest in life.
The Chaplin Nursery is clearing house for
babies 1t rescues them from various quar-
ters and keeps them until good homes for
them are found. often, as is usually the case
with foundlings, very little concerning the
infant is known. 1t may have been dropped
on doorstep. found ma river-bank, taken
from dying mother who left no record of
her identity. However, the Chapins guaran-
tee their babies. If they fail to please, the
adopters may return them within year-a
possibility so rare that it has occurred only
once or twice in over 800 cases. On the other
hand, the Chapins do not Immediately lose
sight of their babies. They manage to keep
in touch with them in their new homes for a
certain length of time until they are con-
WINGED that conditions are favorable.
Many of the babies taken from the Chaplin
Nursery during the past two years have been
adopted by unmarried women. According to
DR.. Chaplin, the maternal instinct is often
very highly developed in some of these I'M
married applicants, whereas, he says, it is
often only slightly developed in married
women who are mothers of children. Many
of the scores of requests received for the new
British infants have come from successful
business and professional women who though
avoiding matrimony, are not averse to rails
ing a family.