I did some following up and found the whole story of Coney Island infant incubators to be absolutely fascinating. It's a tremendous story -- and was rather a shock to realise, that for so many years, hospitals didn't think premature infants were worth saving.

My father was born very prematurely in 1929 - and ended up in the warming tray of the oven to keep him alive because no facilities existed in the local hospitals - I suppose I rather think he was worth saving!

I'd assumed incubators hadn't been invented... but they'd actually been available for years.

There is a little more (actually a lot more) information here if anyone is interested.

http://www.neonatology.org/pinups/coneyislandnurses.html

Boy, Coney Island had everything back then! Been needing an incubator for your infant? After you take in the Submarine Boat, step right down and grab one for your ride home.

Funny, I think the guy behind the counter of the ice cream stand with the tray on the counter is the best part of the picture. Just a workaday guy getting ready for business. You don't usually see something like that in old pictures.

I'm not sure I really want to know.

[Quite interesting. More here. - Dave]

"Under and Over the Sea," the park's showstopper,. was located on the west promenade near Beacon Tower. The building was constructed along the lines of a Man-of-War with turrets, protruding guns, lifeboats and a deck. E.C. Boyce's attraction offered the public a simulated submarine ride under the Atlantic, where viewing the action through portholes, they experienced a confrontation with a giant squid, sharks and other strange inhabitants of the deep. It was reminiscent of the adventure scenes in Jules Verne's exciting novels which boys read enthusiastically at the turn of the century. Those waiting in line for the ride on a miniature island could trace the submarine's path via a little flag remaining above the surface.

["The Submarine Boat" and "Under and Over the Sea" were two different rides. More on the various Dreamland attractions here. - Dave]

At 15 cents a pop, this was the E-ticket attraction of its day.

We can get an infant incubator over by the submarine boat.

In any case the price was right, 15¢ for Adults, 10¢ for Children. I guess it was affordable. What does that Capt Nemo Submarine Ride at Disneyland (or is it Disney World) cost?

Let's go see the Baby Incubators!

Now that's something not even Disney has in its parks.

Total kitsch! The lifeboats, smokestack, boiler room ventilators, even a pretty good imitation of a torpedo at the foot of the steps.

Hundreds of people on the boardwalk, and not one wants any ice cream.