Evening star., 1944-03-19
Caesarean Operation
Follows Dramatic
Search for Incubator
Navy Comes Through as
CIimux to Excitement
At Bethesda Hospitol

A healthy 5-pound 14-ounce baby
boy was born by caesarean operation
at the Suburban Hospital at Be-
thesda yesterday afternoon through
the courtesy of the Navy, two Fed
eral agencies, New York indus
trialist, local businessman and the
Maryland State Police.
1t was the first caesarean opera
ton performed at the new hospital
and the event caused more excite
ment along the Eastern Seaboard
than a deadlock in a political con-
vention.
The baby was born to Mrs. Charles
F. Kelly, wife of an Army lieutenant,
who lives at 1882 Garfield street,
Bethesda, Md. 1t became apparent
yesterday morning that an operation
would have to be performed for the
premature birth and that an incu-
bator would probably be needed.
No Incubator at Hospital.
That's when everything began.
The hospital had no incubator. 1t
had ordered couple some time ago,
but wartime deliveries being what
they are, the shipment hadn't yet
arrived.
Dewey Lutes, superintendent oil
the hospital. called Robert Mars
owner of r. Mars, the Contract Co.
40 First street Sc, from whom thu
lincubators had been ordered M
Mars md his business associatel
were in the middle of an important
conference on company policy. Wher
Ithey heard the hospitals story they
Idropped everything and got busy or
the problem. M
They first got in touch with the
Davidson Gas Therapy CO. in New
York, manufacturers of the equip.
ment. The New York firm said the
incubators had been loaded into q
truck last Wednesday or Thursday
The truck had other cities to visit
and it was believed 1t was in Mary
land somewhere on its way to the
District yesterday afternoon.
So Maryland State police were in
formed and a message was sent out
to all State troopers to be on the
lookout for the truck and speed il
to Bethesda.
Health Service Called.
Meanwhile the United States Pub
lie Health Service was called, and
officials there began a search for
incubators in nearby hospitals
just for good measure, Mr.. Mars
got in touch with the public build
ings administration of the Federal
Works Agency, and executives there
began calling people and seeing
what could be done.
Alfred E. Davidson, head of the
New York manufacturing concern
returned to. his Office from Boston
and learned of the excitement. He
began Immediately to search for
the incubators and found they
hadn't been shipped after all-that
they were Grated and ready to be
loaded by the trucking firm.
Recognizing the emergency, Mr.
Davidson had the two incubators
packed into his own car and late
| yesterday afternoon started out
from New York to make a personal
delivery.
Navy Supplies Incubator.
In light of this new development
Maryland police were asked to dis
regard their previous instructions
to look for the truck and were
ordered instead to scour nearby
hospitals in an attempt to find an
unused incubator. The operation, it
appeared, couldn't wait.
At about the same time somebody
else called Capt. John Harper, COM
mandant of the Naval Medical
Center in Bethesda and the Navy
went into action. An incubator was
rushed to the Suburban Hospital
and everybody relaxed.
The baby was born at 4:45 pm.
Mother and child were doing we'll.
And at last reports Mr.. Davidson
was still rushing toward Washington
with two incubators in his car.