Orphanages revisited

Article Abstract:

American society must address the needs of poor children without blaming or punishing the poor. Recently, Newt Gingrich has proposed reviving orphanages, paying for them with the funds that would have been given to welfare parents. While this has met with controversy, it should be recognized that orphanages were legitimate solution to the social changes that created large numbers of mostly urban poor in the 1800s. Some orphanages undoubtedly were abusive to their charges, but many were staffed by caring professionals and provided shelter, care, and education. The orphanage system was replaced by the foster care system partly because by the 1970s, childrearing philosophy stressed the importance of a homelike environment but primarily because orphanages were expensive to maintain. Foster care has not succeeded, needy children are still with us in large numbers, and new solutions are needed. Pediatricians can contribute by donating their services, carrying out research, and speaking out on behalf of poor children.

Social aspects, Editorial, Analysis, Welfare reform, Poor children, Orphanages

---

Henry Koplik, MD, the Good Samaritan Dispensary of New York City, and the description of Koplik's spots

Article Abstract:

Henry Koplik, MD, is the namesake of the characteristic spots in the cheeks and lips that occur in patients with measles called Koplik's spots. Henry Koplik was a pediatrician instrumental in promoting well-baby examinations and in distributing clean and safe milk to infants through the Good Samaritan Dispensary-Milk Depot. He studied infectious diseases at the laboratory level and published many articles about the relationships between bacteria and infectious diseases. Koplik published three articles that described the characteristic measles spots, the course of the disease, and how early identification of this disease can prevent its spread. He served as attending pediatrician at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York for 25 years. Students and colleagues of his have described him as being instructive, harsh, and generous with advice. Koplik was born in 1859 and died of heart disease in 1927.

Diagnosis, Biography, Pediatrics, Measles, Koplik, Henry E.

---

Caring for the foreign born: the health of immigrant children in the United States, 1890-1925

Article Abstract:

The care of immigrant children in the US between 1890 and 1925 offers lessons for pediatricians who want to improve the care of immigrant children in the 1990s. Great advances in public health were made in the early 20th Century. Neighborhood health centers, school clinics and dispensaries provided health care and nutrition to millions of poor immigrant children. Physicians inspected public schools and many philanthropic societies became involved in helping immigrant children. As a result, infant mortality rates dropped significantly.

Care and treatment, Children, Public health, Immigrants, Children of immigrants

Similar abstracts:

• Abstracts: Crossing 'line on the map' in search of hope. HOPE springs eternal for medical and health volunteers in 29 countries on 5 continents
• Abstracts: Synovial hyaluronate in rheumatoid arthritis binds C1q and covalently bound to antibodies: a model for chronicity
• Abstracts: Recent trends in suicide and homicide among blacks. Television and violence: the scale of the problem and where to go from here
• Abstracts: Clinical supervision in nursing homes. Continence problems: How to tackle reticence of patients. Value for money: a recent survey highlighted the work continence advisers need to do inproving their worth to purchasers
• Abstracts: Identifying a neurobiologic basis for drug therapy in TMDs. Diagnosing depression in patients with chronic face pain

This website is not affiliated with document authors or copyright owners. This page is provided for informational purposes only. Unintentional errors are possible.