Insufficientfoodandunwholesomelivingarethemaincausesofdiseaseamongthesesmallpatients。Sonourishment，cleanliness，andventilationarethemainremedies。Dischargedpatientsarelookedafter，andinvitedtocomeanddinenowandthen；soarecertainfamishingcreatureswhowereneverpatients。Boththeladyandthegentlemanarewellacquainted，notonlywiththehistoriesofthepatientsandtheirfamilies，butwiththecharactersandcircumstancesofgreatnumbersoftheirneighbours-ofthesetheykeeparegister。Itistheircommonexperience，thatpeople，sinkingdownbyinchesintodeeperanddeeperpoverty，willconcealit，evenfromthem，ifpossible，untotheverylastextremity。
Thenursesofthishospitalareallyoung，-ranging，say，fromnineteentofourandtwenty。Theyhaveevenwithinthesenarrowlimits，whatmanywell-endowedhospitalswouldnotgivethem，acomfortableroomoftheirowninwhichtotaketheirmeals。Itisabeautifultruth，thatinterestinthechildrenandsympathywiththeirsorrowsbindtheseyoungwomentotheirplacesfarmorestronglythananyotherconsiderationcould。Thebestskilledofthenursescameoriginallyfromakindredneighbourhood，almostaspoor；andsheknewhowmuchtheworkwasneeded。Sheisafairdressmaker。Thehospitalcannotpayherasmanypoundsintheyearastherearemonthsinit；andonedaytheladyregardeditasadutytospeaktoheraboutherimprovingherprospectsandfollowinghertrade。’No，’shesaid:shecouldneverbesousefulorsohappyelsewhereanymore；shemuststayamongthechildren。
Andshestays。Oneofthenurses，asIpassedher，waswashingababy-boy。Likingherpleasantface，Istoppedtospeaktohercharge，-acommon，bullet-headed，frowningchargeenough，layingholdofhisownnosewithaslipperygrasp，andstaringverysolemnlyoutofablanket。Themeltingofthepleasantfaceintodelightedsmiles，asthisyounggentlemangaveanunexpectedkick，andlaughedatme，wasalmostworthmypreviouspain。
AnaffectingplaywasactedinParisyearsago，called’TheChildren’sDoctor。’AsIpartedfrommychildren’sdoctor，nowinquestion，Isawinhiseasyblacknecktie，inhisloosebuttonedblackfrock-coat，inhispensiveface，intheflowofhisdarkhair，inhiseyelashes，intheveryturnofhismoustache，theexactrealisationoftheParisartist’sidealasitwaspresentedonthestage。ButnoromancerthatIknowofhashadtheboldnesstoprefigurethelifeandhomeofthisyounghusbandandyoungwifeintheChildren’sHospitalintheeastofLondon。
IcameawayfromRatcliffbytheStepneyrailwaystationtotheterminusatFenchurchStreet。Anyonewhowillreversethatroutemayretracemysteps。