The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-03-06
RY DIR. ALLAN R. DAFOE The Dionne Quintuplets' Doctor


 Details of the birth of the Dionne quintuplets and their immediate care have already been recorded. To that report I would Mke to add some further history nf the care and feeding up to the age of 10 months.
 Shortly after birth the babies were wrapped in the only cover ines available, placed on the bed, and covered with Q heated blanket. Soon after this they were care fully tucked in laundry basket and kept warm by blankets. heated in the oven. Later in the day fhe nurse brought with her the first hot water bottle we used.
 On the third day an incubator was presented to us, and the three smallest infants were transferred to this. Within 8 week, second incubator was obtained and then Ehree more so @ separate one was available for each child.
 The temperature of the mcu- bators was kept between 87 and % degrees P. for the first few days, but this was gradually low cred and maintained at 84 de- erees. Humidity within the in- Cubators was measured and kept between 50 and 55 degrees with sponges soaked in hot water.
 CLEAR ROOM FOR NURSERY
 A room next to the mothers bedroom was cleared and made Into a nursery. By the end of the fifth day we had three gradu- ate nurses, cook-general, and an orderly, and for the first time we had breathing spell.
 The babies were born about two months before full term and pre- scented the typical appearance of premature infants, being bluish black in color, with bulging fore- heads, small faces, wrinkled skin, enlarged soft tummies," flaccid muscles, and spider-like limbs.
 For days it seemed impossible khat the tiny spark of life in each of their bodies would prove sufii- cient to produce continuous func- tioning of the body machine. The babies had to be watched every minute and stimulated frequently. Within the first week, cylinders Containing oxygen 95 per cent, carbon dioxide 6 per cent, and fitted with reducing valve and ordinary inhalator were obtained.
 We used the gas mixture until khe babies were 3 months old, and altogether depleted IA cylin- ders, each one of which contained 30 gallons.
 REMOVED FROM INCUBATORS
 The babies were kept in the in- cubators until all reached the weight of six pounds. For the first two months they were re- moved once Q day only, to be oiled. At the end of this time, the oil bath was changed to soap and water one.
 In the early fall of 1884 each baby in turn developed g severe type of intestinal toxemia as shown by high temperature, rapid pulse, abdominal distension and diarrhea, and they gave me many anxious moments. Investigation showed that the most probable source of this infection was the dia- pers, which were improperly ster- 1lized)
 Opening of the hospital on Sept. p, 1894, marked one of the most important events in the history of the babies. It gave me the first opportunity for unre- stricted medical control.
 The Dionne house was a rep- resentative home of the back woods, and offered the usual lim- tied facilities of that country. The routine of family life was shattered by the various duties carried out by the three nurses, orderly and cook, which were nec- essary for the welfare of the ba- bies.
 ISOLATION IMPOSSIBLE
 Furthermore, we found that proper isolation measures were impossible to carry out in the home, and black flies, mosquitoes and other insect visitors evaded our vigilance.
 All these troubles ended, how ever. when the babies were trans gerred to their new residence. about 100 yards across the road 3roca their house of birth. It con- tsins a large. bright. well-