~ THE BEGINNING ~ The Marlborough City Hospital was incorporated Feb. 2 7, 1890, by Miss Hannah E. Bigelow, Hon. S. H. Howe, Edward L. Bigelow, Henry O. Russell, James T. Murphy, Dr. James Campbell, Timothy A. Coolidge, W. H. Fay, Hon. J. W. McDonald, W. S. Frost, Hon. W. N. Davenport, Onestime Lavasseur, Francis C. Curtis, Hon. John O'Connell, Winslow M. Warren, and John E. Curtis.
In Sept. 1891 the house of Sylvester Bucklin was purchased and preparations made for occupancy. The Institution was opened to the public in 1891, and remained so until Aug. 1894, When on account of non-support the doors were closed for ten years, when there was a revival of interest, and the board of trustees by hard and faithful work secured the necessary amount of funds to place the Hospital in such a financial condition as would allow it to start on a firm foundation. Today (1910) the success attending our Hospital has been due to the present able management, and the harmonious co-operation of the large numbers who have generously responded whenever called upon. The financial burden resting on the trustees has been very materially lightened by the work of the Ladies' Board. We cannot speak too highly of their service, and the City of Marlborough, and many citizens have been generous with their Hospital. While many individuals and various Clubs and Societies have generously- contributed, mention may be given only of a few who have donated one hundred dollars and more, towards the support of this much needed institution, the management of which is harmoniously successful, leading to that result which should be accomplished in the near future, a modern and up to date new Hospital building where all necessary requirements may be met.
Contributors to the Hospital
Hannah Bigelow $5,000.00
S.H. Howe 1,000.00
Corey Heirs 500.00
Henry K. Winchester 500.00
Messrs. Rice & Hutchins 500.00
Samule Boyd 300.00
Mrs. John A. Frye 250.00
Mrs Ellen Lane 200.00
D. W. Hitchcock 150.00
Holy Trinity Church 120.00
Mssrs. Morse & Bigelow 100.00
William Fay 100.00
George A. Howe 100.00
E. F. Longley 100.00
John A. Frye donated the X-ray MachineIt was in the Autumn of 1889, in the home of one of Marlborough's most prominent families, that of Dr. Eugene Hoitt, that the dream of Marlborough Hospital was .born: During a quiet social gathering that evening, Dr. Hoitt told Mrs. Samuel Boyd "there is a need in Marlborough for a hospital, I believe a hospital would be financially supported by
the community."The message was quickly carried to Dr. Hannah Bigelow. Her response to organize and support was immediate. On Monday evening, December 2, 1889, the committee of five held a meeting at Dr. Hoitt's' home on, Howe Street. The situation was, discussed in an informal way and the members of the committee were very harmonious in their methods of procedure. A general committee was selected and empowered to elect sub-committees for soliciting funds, and they were also authorized to incorporate the hospital.
Dr. Bigelow and The Honorable S. Herbert Howe filed for incorporation on February 21, 1890 and received approval on March 11, 1890. The first step was an easy one, the next raising the needed funds was more difficult. Hannah Bigelow made the first and most significant gift of $5000 and a parcel of land on Lincoln Street valued at $1500. It was over a year before enough money was raised for the committee to move forward. On September 1, 1891, the Trustees purchased the Reverend Sylvester Bucklin home on Hildreth Street.
The Ladies Board of Marlborough Hospital was organized on May 26, 1892 by a board of women who pledged themselves to help the Trustees in maintaining the new hospital.. The Board met every month and did a vast amount of sewing and other work which saved the hospital much money and added greatly to the comfort of the patients. Attendance at ,meetings was compulsory, sickness-alone being accepted as an excuse. Members failing to attend were fined, and those fines were paid!
The main support of the Trustees has always been the never-failing encouragement and financial help of the Ladies Board.
It would be another 8 months before the first two patients were admitted to Marlborough Hospital. On January 5, 1893 Frank Johnston; a 37 year old carpenter from Marlborough was admitted for surgery and on to same day, James Kingston, a 21 year old was treated for a strangulated hernia and released.
It should be noted that Mr. Johnston entered the hospital with a temperature of 99.2+/- degrees, and a pulse rate of 101 beats per minute. By the second day his temperature had dropped to normal and his pulse dropped to 81 beats per minute. His stay lasted four days and he was released on January 8, 1893.
Web Master's Note: Info based his medical chart
There were only 101 patients admitted between 1893 and the summer of 1894. In January 6, 1895 the Trustees had to issue a statement statement saying that Marlborough Hospital would be closed due to lack of funds. Money was not the only issue.. Accounts by both the Chairman of the Trustees and the Marlborough Daily enterprise said that the public was not educated to the idea of health care in a hospital. It was thought that families who sent their sick ones to a hospital were shirking their responsibility.
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