In 1858 the Common Council appointed a select committee to examine and report on the expediency of founding such an Institution. The committee carefully examined the subject, conferred with eminent physicians, collected statistics, and reported in favor of such a Hospital. Their report showed that in one week, out of 503 deaths, no less than 107, or thirty-five per cent., were under one year of age, 54 being returned as still or premature births. But these published bills of mortality could not guess at the hundreds and thousands of cases known only to certain women and their physicians.

The annual report of the Police Department, the observations of thoughtful medical advisers, and others, proved that infanticide had become a widespread and appalling crime in American cities, and extended from the marble palace of Fifth avenue to the dingiest hovel on the island. It was believed that the establishment of foundling hospitals in the principal cities of Europe had prevented the extensive practice of child-murder in those countries. As early as 1670, Louis XIV. placed the Foundling Hospital of Paris on a common footing with the other hospitals of the city; and in 1778 a lying-in asylum was established by Marie Antoinette. In 1739 Thomas Coram founded the London Foundling Hospital, which has since been recognized as one of the most useful charities of England. In our country villages and towns, where every one is known, infanticide is believed to be rare; hence, many indiscreet girls and women, on pretence of a visit or an offered situation, have in the seclusion of a great city sought concealment, and there blackened their souls with infanticide. The statistics gathered in one instance showed that, out of 195 cases, only 37 belonged to the city. Many young girls are annually thrust from the homes of their parents on the discovery of their sad condition, some of whom enter as a last resort dens of infamy to run a brief career of crime, which terminates in an awful death; while others, whose desire for concealment is stronger than for life, are drawn from the water by our policemen, and described by the coroner. Through the unceasing exertions of Mrs. Du Bois, aided by the Common Council, a foundling hospital or "Infant Home was erected in 1861.

It was a model building of its kind, constructed of brick and freestone, with three stories above a high basement, fronting on Lexington avenue, at the corner of Fifty-first street, and a little removed from the original Nursery and Hospital. About the time of its completion, yielding to the pressing demands of the hour, it was surrendered to the sick and disabled soldiers, who occupied it four years, but at the return of peace it was restored to its founders, and appropriated to the uses for which it had been erected. In October, 1865, it was formally opened for the reception of inmates.

Great inconvenience was experienced still for want of sufficient room, and from the separation of the two buildings. This led the enterprising managers, in 1868, to erect, at an expense of over thirty-one thousand dollars, a third building, covering the vacant space between the two former, the basement of which contains a play-room for the children, the rest being largely appropriated to a lying-in asylum. The buildings are now entirely completed and paid for. They contain fourteen wards, besides suitable school, dining, and play rooms, and other needful apartments. The aim of the society is not to encourage vice, but to prevent it. Hence females seeking admission are required to furnish certificates from responsible parties, stating that until recently they have sustained virtuous characters. It opens its doors for the relief and recovery of unfortunates who have no other refuge in the wide world. Each woman admitted is required to nurse and care for one child besides her own, and if her child dies, to nurse two during her stay. On leaving she receives a certificate of recommendation from the managers and house physician, which usually secures her a good situation. Children under six years of age are received, for which the parent is expected to pay ten dollars per month for an infant, seven dollars for a child who can walk, and nine dollars for a hospital or sick child. The great majority, however, pay nothing. The city authorities now pay five dollars per week for every indigent lying-in woman, and five dollars per month for each child when nothing can be obtained from the parent.

During the year closing with March, 1870, 108 infants were born in the Hospital, and the inmates averaged about three hundred and fifty, two-thirds of whom were children. The expenditures of the Institution during the same time amounted to $55,241. During the last year 116 infants were born in the Institution, 1,083 persons cared for, and 43 wet nurses provided with situations. The servants sometimes find an infant placed at the door of the Institution in the early hours of the morning, and others are left by heartless mothers who never call for them. These are kept and instructed until they are eight or ten years of age, when they are adopted into good families. The infants are fed condensed milk, preparations of barley, etc., and as they advance eggs and other solid articles of diet are added. An able board of physicians give much time to the care of the sick, and the Institution is watched over night and day by an experienced matron, Mrs. Polman, who possesses rare fitness for the critical position. An annual ball is held in behalf of the Institution. This questionable method of sustaining a worthy charity has nevertheless proved eminently successful, as the managers have realized $10,000 or $15,000 from each, thus drawing large sums from the voluptuous public, which lacks the principle to give until entertained with some frivolous amusement. On the 4th of July, 1870, the Society opened on Staten Island a country nursery, for the benefit of the sickly children of the Institution, at an expense of $50,000. The Legislature of 1870 gave $25,000, and in 1871 added the other $25,000, thus fully equipping this country retreat for these infant sufferers. The society is now thoroughly furnished for its undertaking, and will doubtless run a long and useful career. The Institution is Protestant, but not denominational.