Evening star., 1925-09-24
PROBE TWO DEATHS
IN INFANTS HOME
Malady at Crittenton Refuge
Like Dysentery, Health
Officer Informed.

District Health Department officials
today launched an intensive ii.vesti-
cation of an undiagnosed malady that
SO far has cost the lives of two infant
wards of the Florence Crittenton
Home and affected a number Of
others to varying degrees of serious.
ness.
The ailment, according to a prelimi-
nary report made to DIR. William c.
Fowler District health officer. by DR..
James G. Cummings, head of the Bu-
reau of Contagious Diseases of the
Health Department, appears to be
akin to dysentery, a communicab BILE
disease OF the intestines.
Since DIR. Cummings reported that
about II Of the babies were ailing
when he visited the home yesterday,
DR. Fowler decided today to conduct a
thorough probe. He announced that
the investigation, which is in charge
OF DR.. Cummings, will cover 'all
phases of the situation. including
care and handling of the food. sani-
tation. ETC.
Call Reports Exaggerated.
Officials Of the home, which is To-
while registering great concern over
the death of the babies, characterized
published reports of the outbreak as
greatly exaggerated" Miss Jean
Cole. superintendent Of the home, de-
clared that "only a few. possibly half
a Dozen" of the youngsters are ILL.,,
and that the condition of each today
was encouraging.
Everything is being done that is
humanity possible to take care of the
situation Miss Cole stated. I'VE
have called in extra trained nurses
and arc bending every effort to care
panic here, nor has any been report
ed We are griefstricken, however,
that two babies should have died here
when we usually only have perhaps
one q year
Two Of the babies were taken yes
terday to the Children's Hospital,
where 1t was said today that their
condition was about the same" One
Is in a serious condition, DIR. Fowler
was informed.
Pure Milk and Water.
DR.. Fowler said today he is con-
vinced that neither the milk nor the
water served at the home is respon-
Side, SOfIl6 VI the DdDiCS al Z
breast fed, he pointed out, while the
water is from the city supply, known
to be pure.
Miss Cole declared that the Health
Department had given the home "A
clean bill Of health" DR.. Fowler re-
fused to confirm this, however.
Attention Of the health officer' first
was called to the outbreak by the
deputy coroner, DIR. Herbert Martyn,
who performed an autopsy on the
bodies of the dead babies in an enort
to determine the cause OF death. one
of the children, boy, died Monday
evening and the other, girl, several
hours later. The names OF both were
withheld by the authorities.
DR.. Martyrs examination disclosed
an infected condition of the intestines
that suggested such diseases as
diarrhea, cholera infantum. etc. The
sudden course of the infection, with
it's fatal results, was puzzling to DR..
P. 4. McI.endon. staff physician of
the home, however.
Intestines Examined.
Medical experts of the Health De-
partment were examining specimens
of the intestines today for clues that
might lead to a satisfactory diagnosis
of the cases, DIR. Fowler said. The
examination so far has shown that
the intestines were highly inf1amed,
as is the case with dysentery, he
asserted. Miss Cole expressed the
opinion that the illness was merely
."climatic" and that it would soon
disappear.
The home is one of Washington s
leading charitable institutions. har-
boring erring young girls and their
babies. There have been about 80
children at the home during the past
Summer.