Throwback photo: Fire forces hospital to move to riverboat

A river paddle steamer called Medoc had been transformed into a floating hospital


An 1906 earthquake in San Francisco touched off fires that wiped out part of the city and forced the evacuation of St. Mary’s Hospital to a river paddle steamer called Medoc that had been transformed into a floating hospital, according to a "Throwback Thursday" article on the Health and Hospital Networks website.

“Surgical dressings, trolleys, instruments, [and drugs] were dumped into laundry boxes, loaded onto trucks and rushed to the Pacific Mail dock,” wrote Gordon Thomas and Max Morgan Witts in their book, The San Francisco Earthquake.

Rows of mattresses stretched across the deck for about 150 patients. Those who died were laid inside a lifeboat. The Sisters of St. Mary’s later set up a tent hospital near Golden Gate Park.

Read the article.

 

 



August 20, 2015


Topic Area: Industry News


Recent Posts

Respecting EVS Workers: 19 Minutes Is Not Enough

The infection control problem is time, and it's up to facility managers, EVS directors and infection preventionists to address the problem.


Where are the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Hotspots in Healthcare?

First-year findings from Boston Medical Center show medical waste generates a disproportionate amount of healthcare emissions.


Caravel Autism Health Opens Clinic in Lake Zurich, Illinois

The clinic features colorful, sensory-friendly spaces where children work one-on-one with therapists.


The Future of Healthcare Facility Construction Projects

Brian Cowperthwaite highlights the invisible work that impacts everyone who walks through a healthcare facility.


Ground Broken on Jupiter Medical Center's Second Hospital

The 53,000-square-foot hospital will include 29 inpatient beds, four operating rooms, 24-hour emergency services, a diagnostic laboratory and imaging services.


 
 


FREE Newsletter Signup Form

News & Updates | Webcast Alerts
Building Technologies | & More!

 
 
 


All fields are required. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.