The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-25
I'm p o ssible To Mix Hospital
 B a b ie s

Nowadays, when most everybody, il seems, is born at hospital. tn, query Do hospital babies never get 'mixed'y' assumes wide interest.
 Whereas it once agitated nervous mothers exclusively, it might, it would seem, at some time cause concern to grown-up babies themselves.
 Am I who I amor do really belong to Mrs. Goldenstein, who had the bed next to my mother in the ma | ternity ward?" one can fancy some future Larry O'Donovan morbia.J ask | ing. This, if there were any reason able ground for fear of the confusion of hospital babies, might become the new conjecture of disgruntled offspring, corresponding to that earlier sad sur mise of the child who thought his par ents unkind II must have been adopt ed." According to authorities of the Wom- ans hospital, however, the question 1: Whose child am I?' need rever se- riously agitate the hospital-born child. According to those in charge of the maternity work at this institution and they ought to know, for they have been responsible for 1,067 newborn infants within the past year-methods of identification of hospital babies have been perfected to such a nicety that there really is no danger whatsoever of the infants becoming confused.
 The moment a baby is born, before ever it is removed from the delivery room-just as quickly, indeed, as it is laid in the nurses arms, incased in eiderdown-a necklace of small blue and white beads is placed about its neck. The white beads, which form the front of the necklace, are flat and each is plainly lettered in black. The letters spell out the child's name, or as much name as it has in advance, which is usually only a last one. The preparation of the necklace before the child's birth is part of the delivery room technique. In ease there is a duplication of names among maternity cases the parents first names or ini- tials are added to the surname spelled out with the beads.
 The beads, which are strung on a waxed cord and sealed with a lead seal, do not leave the child's neck un- til he or she is ready to take the neck lace home as a souvenir. As conven- ient and lasting idnetification this method is regarded by doctors and nurses as 100 per cent dependable.
 The lettered bead method, according to James U. Norris, superintendent of the Woman's hospital, is a great i'm provement over the old system of hay ing the baby's name printed on a piece of adhesive tape and attached to his wrist.
 That method was safe enough" says Mir. Norris. except in the im- probable event that the tape should become loosened, fall off on the floor and get mixed up with another name slip similarly accidentally discarded. never knew such a thing to happen, but the tape was not the most com fortable thing in the world for the baby to wear, and was not overly hygienic." '"
 In addition to this feature of the identification, the baby's crib number must always correspond to the mothers bed number. There is not the slight est danger that any nurse in her senses will bring in the wrong child to his mother at feeding time. AS each crib bears the child's name, his par ents' names, the date and hour of birth, his weight at birth and other impor- tant data, even temporary mistakes in identification are exceedingly i'm probable.-New York Evening World.