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the age of children at the time of reception to 6 years. Foundlings left in baskets on the doorstep or elsewhere, or found by the police and brought to St. Ann's Infant Asylum, are received. After the boys reach the age of 6 years a majority of them are sent to farms in the country, and the girls are taught trades.

The number of inmates on January 1, 1897, was 125, of whom 110 were admitted during the year 1896. The number of children placed in free homes during the year was 11, and the number restored to parents and relatives, 50; the number of deaths was 64. All but 8 of the children were residents of the District of Columbia. The income from Congressional appropriations during 1896 was $5,400, and from private gifts $1,749.29. There was also a legacy of $3,398.71 received. The institution receives colored as well as white children. In 1877 the institution received its first appropriation from the Government, and from that year to the present time it has been receiving an appropriation from Congress. From 1877 to 1887 the appropriation was $5,000, after which it received $6,000 until 1891, when the amount was raised to $6,500. In 1872 it received $7,079; in 1893, $6,500; in 1894, $3,840; in 1895, $5,400. The annual expenses are from $12,000 to $15,000.

There is a medical staff connected with the institution, the medical board filling vacancies as they occur. In case homes have not been found for children who have arrived at the age of 6 years, they are sent to St. Joseph's or St. Vincent's Orphan Asylum, where they continue until the age of 15 years. They are then sent to homes in the country, if such homes can be found. If the girls show an aptitude for needlework, they are sent to St. Rose's Industrial School. The president of the institution is Sister Elizabeth Relihan.

II.

The Washington Hospital for Foundlings exists by virtue of the act of April 22, 1870, the incorporators being G. W. Samson, Gen. O. O. Howard, Z. D. Gilman, William Stickney, A. C. Richards, B. Sunderland, A. N. Zevely, Wright Rives, Dr. James C. Hall, David K. Cartter, William B. Todd, jr., D. W. Middleton, George L. Sheriff, B. B. French, Joseph S. Stettinius, and John R. Arison. The control of the hospital was intrusted to a board of ten directors, to be made up of the first seven above-mentioned incorporators and three others, to be selected by the corporation. The object, as stated, was to found in the city of Washington a hospital for the reception and support of destitute and friendless children. The foundlings received were to be wholly under the guardianship, care, and control of the institution, to be educated, apprenticed, and otherwise disposed of until they reached the age of 18 years, when the care and control was to cease. The property, both real and personal, of the hospital was made exempt from taxation, and Congress reserved the right to alter, amend, or repeal the act.

The hospital was founded to carry into effect the bequest contained

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JOSHUA PIERCE.

in the will of Joshua Peirce, who died at Linnæan Hill, near Washington, April 11, 1869, the bequest being as follows:

I give, devise, and bequeath all those fourteen certain lots or pieces of ground, part of square number two hundred and seven, situate between R and S streets north and Fourteenth and Fifteenth streets west, in the said city of Washington, in the District of Columbia, which lots are numbered from number twenty-four to number thirty-seven, inclusive, on a certain plan of subdivision of the said square, registered and recorded in the surveyor's office for the said city, in Liber W. F., folio 211, and are situated on the east side of the said Fifteenth street, at the distance of one hundred and sixty feet northward from the north side of the said R street north, containing together in front on the said Fifteenth street west one hundred and thirty feet, and in depth eastward, between parallel lines, two hundred and ninetyfour feet and a half inch, more or less, to Johnson avenue (including in the said depth a twenty-feet-wide alley, laid out through the middle of the said lots), to my friends William M. Shuster and William II. Claggett, both of the said city of Washington, and the survivor of them, and the heirs, executors, administrators, and assigns of such survivor, in trust. Nevertheless, and to, for and upon the uses, intents, and purposes following, that is to say: In trust to hold the said fourteen lots of ground, with the appurtenances, as and for a site for the erection of a hospital for foundlings, to be built and erected by any association, society, or institution that may hereafter be incorporated by act of Congress, as and for such hospital, and upon such incorporation, upon further trust, to grant and convey the said lots of ground and trust estate to the corporation or institution so incorporated for the said purpose of the erection of a hospital, which conveyance shall be absolute and in fee: Provided, nevertheless, That such corporation shall be approved by my said trustees, or the survivor of them, or their successors in the trust, and, if not so approved, then upon further trust to hold the said lots and trust estate, for the same purpose, until a corporation shall be so created by act of Congress, which shall meet the approval of the said trustees, or the survivor or successor of them, to whom full discretion is given in this behalf, and, upon such approval, in trust to convey as aforesaid. And I recommend to my said trustees to select an institution which shall not be under the control of any one religious sect or persuasion, and until such conveyance I direct the taxes, charges, and assessments, and all necessary expenses of, for, and upon the said lots, and every of them, to be paid by my executors, as they shall from time to time accrue and become due and payable, out of the residue of my estate.

The hospital, although chartered in 1870, did not begin operations until 1887. It is located on Fifteenth street NW., between R and S streets, on a half square (38,000 feet) given by Mr. Peirce, and now valued at $95,550. The delay in starting the institution was due to the difficulty in raising money to erect the necessary building. The sum of $31,500 having been secured, Congress appropriated $3,500, necessary to complete the building, the designs for which were prepared under the direction of John S. Billings, surgeon U. S. A.

Since its opening the hospital has cared for, up to 1897, 538 children, 108 of whom have been adopted, 34 being retained in the institution, and the remainder having died. Excepting in one instance, no child has been retained beyond the age of 6 years, the majority being adopted between the ages of 2 and 3 years. The capacity of the hospital being limited to 50, only white children are admitted.

The by-laws of the institution, adopted March 17, 1887, provide that

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whenever the number of incorporators shall from any cause become less than 100, the remaining members shall, at an annual or special meeting, elect so many new members as shall be necessary to increase the total number of members to 100. It is provided that no officer, director, or visitor shall receive any compensation whatever for his or her services, but the matron, nurses, and servants are paid regular salaries. Each incorporator pays annually $5 in dues.

The Government makes an appropriation of $6,000 for maintenance, and from private sources in 1896 $1,923.43 was obtained, being the proceeds of dues, donations, and entertainments. Two directors, 1 male ..and 1 female, are elected each year to serve for five years, and until

their successors are chosen. Fifty ladies make up the board of lady visitors, whose duty it is to visit the hospital and to unite with the finance committee of the board of directors in efforts to raise money for its needs.

Applications for admission are made to the matron, and children are received by her, subject to the approval of the executive committee. Children are received into the hospital upon personal application of the mothers, or of some responsible citizen who has personal knowledge of the case, no application being received after the child is 3 years old. The rules provide that in passing upon applications the present necessities of the mother, if living, the fact that she is not an habitual offender against chastity, that the father of the child has deserted it and the mother, and that the reception of the child would probably be the means of restoring the mother into the course of virtue and in the way of an honest livelihood, shall be considered.

No money is received for the admission of children, and no infant having infectious, incurable, or contagious diseases is admitted. The medical staff consists of a chief, elected by the directors, and two or more assistant physicians appointed by the chief of the staff, subject to the approval of the board of directors. The medical staff serve without compensation, and is subject to removal by the board of directors. At the time the hospital began operations, the directors were Dr. Z. T. Sowers, W. F. Mattingly, J. P. Klingle, M. M. Parker, Thomas J. Fisher, Miss H. Williamson, Mrs. Francis Colton, Mrs. W. H. Lamon, Mrs. H. M. Hutchinson, and Mrs. Frank B. Conger.

On the day the hospital was opened for the reception of children there were three admissions, and within three weeks the first child, a little over 2 years old, was adopted, and during the year two more were placed in homes. In 1888 eleven adoptions were made; in 1889, eight; in 1890, twelve; in 1891, sixteen; in 1892, seven; in 1893, thirteen; in 1894, nine; in 1895, five; and in 1896, seventeen; making a total of 101. The Peirce Guild have taken the responsibility of supplying the furnishings of the children's wards, including clothing. The board of lady visitors takes charge of the bed and table linen, and everything that relates to the domestic part of the asylum. During the continuance of