The story of Pittsburgh: Hospitals

Bibliographic data

Multivolume work

Identifikator:: 1831622599

Document type:: Multivolume work

Title:: The story of Pittsburgh

Place of publication:: Pittsburgh

Publisher:: First National Bank

Year of publication:: 1919-1930

Collection:: Economics Books

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Volume

Identifikator:: 1831623870

URN:: urn:nbn:de:zbw-retromon-241156

Document type:: Volume

Title:: Hospitals

Volume count:: Vol. 1, nr. 16

Place of publication:: Pittsburgh

Publisher:: First National Bank

Year of publication:: 1928

Scope:: [ca. 100] Seiten

Digitisation:: 2022

Collection:: Economics Books

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Chapter

Document type:: Multivolume work

Structure type:: Chapter

Title:: Mercy hospital

Collection:: Economics Books

MERCY HOSPITAL Viewing the Mercy Hospital as it stands on Pride and Stevenson streets, a beacon of light, as it were, to the sick and suffering, it is difficult to picture it as ever being located in a rural district, in the midst of fields and trees. Yet, this was a reality, when in 1847 this noble work was begun by the Sisters of Mercy. The labor was begun in temporary quar- ters, for the sisters, realizing the need of a hospital in the city felt that they could not wait for the new building which was being erected. Scarcely were they established in 1848 in their present site, when an epidemic of typhus broke out in the city. Many of the victims were cared for by the sisters, and we have statements showing that eight of the sisters suc- cumbed to the disease. The original Mercy Hospital building, which was opened in 1848 involved a cost of $15,000. It rose three stories and had a capacity of sixty patients. In 1849, smallpox became prevalent in the city. It seem- ed providential that this institution should have been found- ed just in time to meet the needs of the people. Once more the sisters were called upon to give relief, and as before, they were not found wanting. At this time, Pittsburgh had no municipal hospital, but the sisters met the situation and handled it with admirable dexterity. When in 1854, cholera visited the city, they had profited by their former experience and were prepared. For weeks the sisters toiled for the sufferers taking rest only when nature de- manded it. Only one male attendant remained to bury the dead, the rest having fled, panic stricken. At this period, it is true that advances were being made by science, but to no effect, for in 1872 came another epidemic of smallpox. During the Civil War, the sisters took charge of the work in the West Penn as well as in the Mercy. A detachment of sisters from Pittsburgh also took charge of Stanton Military Hospital, Washington, D. C., from 1862-65. Sister Made- leine is the sole surviving member of that group. In 1882 with the assistance of many generous friends, plans were made for enlarging the Mercy Hospital. It in- creased its capacity to 150, having added 4 general wards, 15

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