The Jewish World Cot

Reported in the Morning Advertiser, 2 June 1909.

There was an interesting little function at the Queen's Hospital for Children, in the Hackney-road, E, yesterday, when a new child's cot, subscribed for mostly by Jewish children through the pleading of the Jewish World, was dedicated to the use of the sick children of the poor. The Chief Rabbi (Dr. Adler) was to have performed the ceremony , but by over-work, he was temporarily laid aside, and the duty was charmingly discharged by his daughter, Miss Nettie Adler, who was accompanied by Miss Woolf, by whose exertions largely the cot had been endowed.

The Queen's Hospital for Children, formerly known as the North-Eastern Hospital, is situation in a very crowded and poor district in the East-end of London, and unfortunately it is in great need of funds. It is interesting to note that it was established by two Quaker ladies, Miss Mary E. Phillips and her sister, the late Mrs. Alexander Fox, who at the time were devoting their lives to the nursing of the sick poor. They took a small house in Virginia-row, Bethnal-green, and commenced in July, 1867, with the help of the last-named lady's husband (the late Dr. Alexander Fox) to provide advice and medicine to the children and women of the poorest classes. The institution had its hands full from the first. Every day the number patients grew, and it was soon found necessary to restrict the ministrations to children, the need being greatest in this direction.

It was explained yesterday at the function that the condition of things, notwithstanding the extension of the institution still pertains. The hospital, in fact, is full to overcrowding, and it cannot pay its way. Of the £300 required for the cot, £234 has been given in small sums by the young readers of the Jewish World, and the balance of £66 has been generously provided by Mr Meyer Spielmann in order that the dedication might take place on the third anniversary of the opening of the fund.

Miss Adler, in dedicating the cot, expressed the grief of her father at not being able to attend. He and she deeply deplored the financial condition of the hospital, whilst rejoicing at the efforts of those who had added another children's cot to the "Little Folks Ward." Unless subscriptions were forthcoming from voluntary sources, she believed, as a result of the educational medical inspection enforced in our schools, the work of maintaining such children's hospitals would before long have to undertaken by the education authorities.

She dedicated the cot to "the glory of God and the relief of the sick poor".

Members of the committee of the institution in subsequently thanking Miss Adler, Miss Woolf, and the children subscribers, pointed out that the institution was carrying on its work with a declining revenue and an increasing demand. They were relying, said one member, Mr Miller, on an ultimate appreciation of their work. But unless the heart of London was stirred to assist them they would have to close many of their already overcrowded wards, for the expenditure was exceeding the receipts at a rate of £1,000 a year.