Friday, April 23, 2021

N.C. Orthopaedic Hospital for Crippled and Deformed Children to Open, 1921

R.B. Babington, President, North Carolina Orthopaedic Hospital

The North Carolina Orthopaedic Hospital for Crippled and Deformed Children, of sound mind, if nothing happens will throw its doors open to the “Tiny Tims” of the state about June 15th. The number of the patients that can be received at that time will be a limited number, owing to the fact that the state’s appropriation had not as yet been available.

A large number of applications from children from many counties all over the state have been received, however, our facilities at first will be limited, but we desire to get the applications on file and handle them as rapidly as circumstances will permit.

It is our purpose and desire to accept the younger children, and also the children with the lesser deformities first, especially the unfortunate, neglected, poor and orphan boy or girl who has a bright mind, but has not a ghost of a show in the world. Because of their deformities they cannot work or get into schools, and are shut up all their lives; grow up in ignorance, and become a burden to the county and state, and live a life of misery and suffering, with a mind yearning for freedom and usefulness to man. Hundreds of these slightly crippled children can be put on their feet quickly, and returned home ready for school, to develop into useful intelligent citizenship.

OUR DESIRE—To help any crippled child that can be benefitted.

OUR REQUIREMENTS—Possibility of improvement—a sound mind.

OUR NON-ESSENTIALS—Religious creed—fraternal affiliations—social standing—financial connections.

OUR OBJECT—To benefit helpless humanity—To prevent possible pauperism—To turn wealth consumers into wealth producers.

We request the press of the state, to whom we accord much credit in making this great Institution possible, to continue with us and help us in taking every little cripple child in our state by the hand and tenderly placing them within this institution and giving them a chance to make good.

We also ask all physicians, surgeons, public welfare superintendents, school teachers, pastors, and others who love their fellowmen, to write us for an application blank for the crippled child they have in mind. The blank will e mailed promptly, and the application numbered and filed and handled according to the provision that is made for the work.

From The Charlotte News, Saturday, April 23, 1921. Photos from Gastonia Gazette. To read about the property, see https://www.gastongazette.com/news/20171007/debate-over-future-use-of-old-hospital-campus-breeds-disagreement

2 comments:

  1. I was at bastions crippled children's hospital in 1955 to 1958 . I am trying to locate any records from the hospital and where they maybe be stored. I am desperately trying to find my two sisters. I have very poor health and would like to find them before I go tovthe LORD. My records from the hospital showed is how I found them. Those records were lost long ago. The girls were listed in my records. There were no names. No one is left in my family. If anyone has any information on how I might find records or even others who were working at the hospital. I truly want to meet my sisters before I meet my lord . You can reach me at my email at cdeans100@gmail.com thank you so so much. God bless carol

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    1. Bastions Crippled Children’s Hospital, later known as Children’s Hospital of Richmond, was begun as a response to the polio epidemic of 1917. The Virginia General Assembly funded two wards at the Medical College of Virginia. Then in 1928 the Crippled Children’s Hospital opened on Brook Road with 50 beds. The hospital also established an affiliation with Orthopedic Department at MCV/Bastions Crippled Children’s Hospital, which was later known as the Children’s Hospital of Richmond. If this is the correct hospital, you are looking for the hospital’s archives. Some of the archives are located at
      Special Collections and Archives
      509 N 12th St
      Box 980582
      Richmond Virginia 23298

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