ORTH SHORE BREEZE 
AND REMINDER 
—— 
Manchester, Mass., Friday, May 14 No. 20 
The North Shore Babies Hospital. 
: 
THE annual ‘Tag Day to raise money for the North 
~ Shore Babies’ Hospital at Salem is set for Saturday 
the fifth day of June and plans are underway to make it 
‘a notable occasion, for the past year has been the most 
“important one in the history of this worthy institution 
‘and what is accomplished for the stricken mothers in the 
great Salem fire has established it in warm public esteem. 
Last Monday the directors of the hospital held a meeting 
and transacted some few items of business and received 
the reports of the year from the hands of the printers. 
The report of the executive committee was of unusual in- 
terest for the work of the year was one of opportunity 
which was embraced to its fullest extent, and consequent- 
_ ly the summer was one of unusual strain on the treasury. 
The story of the work of the hospital when the great 
fire of last June made demands upon it, is graphically 
) given by Mrs. Margaret L. Ropes, secretary. She says: 
“As June was a comparatively cool month we had 
only about 15 babies up to the time of the fire. About 
three o’clock in the afternoon the hospital, was offered to 
the city officials and the Salem Hospital for fire refugee 
service. At five o’clock the first case was received com- 
ing from the Salem Hospital. All that night the hospital 
staff prepared modified milk for the burned out babies all 
over the city. This work, averaging 500 feedings daily, 
was continued until the regular station was established 
several days later. It was accomplished late at night, 
after our own feedings had been prepared, and working 
under difficulties as the regular supply of light and water 
was cut off. 
| “The day following the fire automobiles came bring- 
ing the little helpless victims. Our superintendent rose to 
the emergency and, when asked the limit of the hospital, 
replied, “the sky is the limit.” Just think what the hos- 
A i i ii ll ial i i ia i ie i i te i dl hE i i ee, | > | 
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pital meant at this time to the stricken parents: a haven 
of rest for the most dependent. Situated outside the city, 
surrounded on two sides by water, it stood with open 
doors ready to receive ‘the weary little travellers who 
could not understand. 
“The days following were busy days for everybody. 
From a quiet road, Dearborn street, which leads to the 
hospital, was turned into an active thoroughfare,—new 
cases coming in, others departing, families and friends of 
the children coming to visit. People of all walks of life 
interested in the babies visited the hospital. The list in- 
cludes the governor of New Hampshire and many officers 
of the militia throughout the country. 
“A complete outdoor ward, necessitating additional 
nurses, lighting, and food supplies, was immediately set 
up in twenty tents. Seventeen of the tents were used for 
the babies, one for the commissary, one for service and 
one for headquarters. very race and creed was repre- 
sented. As a general thing two babies occupied each tent. 
In the outdoor ward the well babies were cared for until 
their parents found new homes. © Later babies came with 
various conditions due to the housing and living of the 
refugees. . The effect of the fire was felt in our work 
the entire season. Fortunately the summer was a cool 
one or the proposition of caring for all the sick babies 
would have been very serious. 
“Tt was a-happy sight to see the little refugees sit- 
ting out in the sun at meal times or rolling upon blankets 
spread upon the grass. ‘The smallest refugees spent their 
time in baby carriages under the trees. The volunteer 
workers were a great help to the regular nurses with the 
well babies. All through the summer the joy of service 
could be felt in and about the North Shore Babies’ Hos- 
pital.” 
