Evening star., 1938-12-30
DC Premature Birth
Station Dedicated by
Mrs. Roosevelt
Variety Club Louded
For Gift Promising
Life to Many Babies

The first premature birth station
In Washington and the third of its
kind in the United States was dedi-
Gated by Mrs. Franklin D. Roose-
welt yesterday at Sibley Memorial
Hospital.
After cutting the red ribbon tied
around one of the incubators, Mrs.
Roosevelt attended the luncheon
where she thanked the Variety Club,
donors of the incubators and other
premature birth equipment, for
their forward looking" contribution
to the health of the city.
IT am not surprised" she said,
that show people have done this.
They are the most generous people
I know. They're always doing things
for others
United States Surgeon General
Thomas Parran, who served his
internship at Sibley, was also a
guest speaker at the luncheon.
Cites Need in Washington.
Emphasizing the seriousness of
the need met by the Variety Club
gift, DR.. Parran pointed out that
290 premature infants died in Wash
ington last year. Sixty per cent of
infant deaths in the first month of
life, he said, are among premature
babies.
He termed the premature birth
station real step in the evolution
Of public health service in the Dis
trict.
DR.. Jacob Kotz, resident physician
at the hospital, was introduced by
A. Julian BrylaWski. chief barker of
the club. as the motivating force
behind the establishment of the new
unit Of obstetrical care.
''As an obstetrician," DR.. Kotz
said, lit has frequently been my duty
to assist in the arrival of infants
who must live independently too
soon. struggling for survival against
terrific odds. Their best chance for
life is meticulously controlled care.
Although all parents feel deeply
the loss of an infant in its first
month, he said, some mothers are
especially affected. He cited as an
instance mother in her late 30s
giving birth to her first and prob
ably her last child. To such a
mother the loss of her child be-
cause of premature birth was espe-
cially tragic.
Hopes Example Will Be Followed.
IT hope" he said, that the
establishment of this ward for pre-
maturely born infants will lead to
the establishment of others through
out the country"
The only two others are in Chi
cago, at Michael Reese and Cook
County Hospitals.
DR.. Lewis Taylor, who accepted
the clubs gift in the name of the
hospital, said he understood Sibley
was simply custodian for the equip
R1ent and promised to stand ready
to send the portable incubator to
other hospitals and homes through
cut the city to transport prema-
turely born infants to Sibley for
treatment in the stationary equip
ment.
You have literally brought life
to children who would otherwise
Gle" he told the 60 members of the
club attending the luncheon. This
generous act will mean the differ
ence between life and death to
infants and bring untold joy to the
mothers who make use of It,"
Mrs. Roosevelt was shown through
the new ward built especially for
the new equipment. She held an
infant which had spent it's first
month Of life in one of the incu-
bators, sent to the hospital for ap-
proval.
AS she posed for photographers
With the infant in her arms. she
laughed, MY grandson is months
old and its mother won't allow any
one to get near it,"
Sees Mechanics of Incubator.
She was shown how the baby is
Sed through an opening in the top
of the incubator, how air comes
into the sealed crib through an
oxygen tube at the side and how
neaClng ana VapOrlZlng units below
the incubator control temperature
and humidity.
Ten incubators, heated table for
warming the infants clothes, an
ultraviolet lamp and the portable
incubator were included in the clubs
$4,000 gift, which may be used by
all hospitals and practicing ply
sicians in the city.
The portable incubator can be
plugged into a wall socket in a
home.
Mr.. BrylaWski, who presided at
the luncheon, introduced Rudy
Berger. chairman of the Welfare
Committee of the club. through
whose efforts DR.. Kotz's proposal
was fulfilled.
During the luncheon. brief period
Of silence marked the death of Dr.
Abram Simon, chaplain of the club,
who was to have offered the invoca-
ton at the meeting.