Old Missoula

The following article appeared in the Missoulian Centennial issue.

 

Three Modern Hospitals Make Missoula Medical Center*

By Judy McVey

 

A building was completed in 1952 which was constructed to alleviate pain, suffering and sorrow.

This building was the $3,000,000 St. Patrick Hospital. It is a six-story stone, steel and masonry building with a bed capacity of 225.

But the story begins much earlier. In 1873 Sister Mary Victor and Sister Mary Edward of the Sisters of Charity of Providence traveled 45 miles in a horse-drawn wagon to the struggling village of Missoula from St. Ignatius Mission. They took possession of a ramshackle building that had been used as a chicken coop.

 

Only Hospital

Private patients were cared for until February 1874 when the sisters began caring for county patients. The first to be admitted were an aged man and two insane patients. For 16 years the frame structure was the only hospital in this district.

During this 16-year period the sisters admitted a total of 5,000 patients and in 1889 the old section of the present structure was completed. The first addition to St. Patrick Hospital was built in 1893. In 1901 a building was completed which in 1926 was converted to a nurses’ home.

 

Sun Parlor Finished

A sun parlor connecting the two additions was finished in 1906 and in 1924 a major portion was constructed for which Missoula citizens contributed $50,000. By 1926 the hospital had a 90-bed capacity. The added work made it possible to train more nurses.

The present nurses’ home was completed in 1946 at a cost of about $307,000. Since the first graduation of St. Patrick School of Nursing in 1901 more than 700 nurses have received diplomas. The school is accredited by the National League of Nursing. At present 95 nurses are in training. St. Patrick School of Nursing is affiliated with the College of Great Falls.

 

Honored in 1955

St. Patrick Hospital was honored in 1955 when Sister Barbara Clare, M.T. (ASCP), laboratory supervisor, was selected as the outstanding technologist of the Northwest by the Pacific Northwest Society of Pathologists. St. Patrick Hospital in addition to Missoula’s other two hospitals has been approved by the American College of Surgeons and since 1954 has been given full accreditation by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals.

The hospital employs three radiologists and a full-time pathologist. Oakley Coffee is chairman of the Board of Trustees and Dr. B. D. Colwell presides over the medical staff of 68 doctors. Hospital administrator is Sister Amedel Marie.

 

NPBA Hospital

The second hospital in the Garden City, the Northern Pacific Beneficial Hospital, opened March 1, 1884, in a frame building. The hospital was dedicated primarily to the care of Northern Pacific employes.

Dr. J. J. Buckley, Missoula pioneer physician and surgeon, was chosen chief surgeon of the institution of the association in 1888 and remained in charge until 1903.

Dr. Buckley was sent to Missoula by the NPBA to build a hospital. The Missoula hospital was the second built by the association. The first was built in Brainerd, Minn., in 1882. Both were destroyed by fire.

In 1890 a new frame building was erected which was razed in 1917 to make way for the present building in the block bounded by North 2nd street, Rose avenue, Urlin and North 3rd streets.

 

Medical Discoveries

It was at the NPBA Hospital in Missoula that Dr. Sippy developed the Sippy diet used in the treatment of stomach ulcers. Later Dr. Sippy perfected his diet in Chicago.

It was at this same hospital that the original work of Western physicians and government experts in the search for the facts regarding the Rocky Mountain spotted fever was started by Dr. C. Ricketts. He isolated the organism which caused spotted fever. His experiments determined that the mode of transmission was the tick.

The second great advance in the study of spotted fever was made by the experiments and conclusions of Dr. A. R. Foss, chief surgeon from 1940 – 48, and Dr. H. Noguchi. Dr. Noguchi, a Japanese bacteriologist, made use of a serum in human inoculation at the NPBA Hospital and achieved successful results in this district.

 

Incorporation

In 1955 the NPBA became incorporated extending its facilities to the general public. Since its beginning hospital revenue was derived chiefly from a monthly sum paid by each railway employee.

In 1956 the hospital launched a $60,000 modernization program which provided for landscaping, redecorating and new equipment in addition to a new elevator. Reorganization of the kitchen will be completed in the near future.

The 85-bed hospital is under the administration of Richard C. Atkins. T. O. Peterson is president of the 24-member board of directors of which 15 are elected from railway employees and 9 are appointed. Chief surgeon is Dr. J. A. Evert.

 

Community Hospital

Missoula’s third hospital has been known variously as the Thornton Hospital, the Memorial Hospital and presently the Missoula Community Hospital.

When the Thornton Hospital was first opened in Missoula on the South Side, Dr. C. R. Thornton and Dr. Will Thornton, brothers, constituted the staff of physicians and cared for 3,371 patients. Dr. Will was in charge of all the surgical work.

In April 1923, the brothers moved to the new building erected on the C. H. McLeod property on East Front street. The hospital had a capacity of 42 beds when the third floor was completed in 1926.

In 1947 a group of local doctors induced a number of citizens to spearhead the purchase of the Thornton Hospital with the objective of improving medical and surgical services for the community. A campaign with a goal of $450,000 was conducted, but because only $225,000 was raised it was possible only to purchase the property and contents at a price of $185,000.

With the transfer of ownership in 1947 the name Thornton was changed to Memorial. The hospital was incorporated as a nonprofit institution.

In 1953 the hospital had unpaid bills totaling $103,000. In spite of efforts to make the hospital support itself, the institution was about to close in 1956.

 

Struggle in 1953

With the help of Missoula physicians, citizens and the newly organized Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, the hospital was able to get back on its feet.

The name was changed to Missoula Community Hospital in 1959. Hospital administrator is V. R. Powers. Dr. H. R. Chrisman is president of the medical staff, and H. R. Dix is president of the Board of Trustees.

*The National Register of Historic Places – University Area Historic District, lists what could probably be considered a 4th Missoula Hospital – Elmore Maternal Hospital, between 1927 and 1947. Many local children were born in this hospital, including my brother, Charles, in 1934, as well as a couple of my friends. It would be interesting to know how many children were born there. The Register states that this hospital operated for about 20 years.

“The Cunningham House at 125 South 4th Street East is one of the area’s earlier 2 story Colonial Revival homes. It is a brick home with hipped roof and includes two prominent bays on the front with a porch in between them. Two large hipped roof dormers are located on the front of the house. The Cunningham House was originally built around 1908 as an apartment complex, serving among others, local railroad employees of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad, which entered the Missoula valley during that time period. In 1927, W.C. and Evelyn Elmore bought the house and Evelyn ran the Elmore Maternity Hospital in this building until 1947.”