CHAPTER XII.

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CHURCHES, RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES, HOSPITALS AND CHARITIES

HOSPITALS

MERCY HOSPITAL.

    The stately structure standing on the corner of 15th and Howard street is one of Bay City's best testimonials that its citizens in the hurry and bustle of the complex life of the present day, have not forgotten that "sweet quality of mercy" which finds expression in tender, solicitous care for the weak, sick and helpless.
    Mercy Hospital had its beginning five years ago, being established first in the old Nathan B. Bradley private residence, on the present site.   It is entirely under the management of that noble body of Christian woman known as the Sisters of Mercy, Sister Hilda being then, as now, the superior.  Michigan from
1668 when Father Marquette, that great Catholic missionary, founded the first settlement, has been indebted to the same religious body for much of its educational and religious development as well as for the carrying on of some of its greatest charities.   With the zeal which has always characterized the pioneers in establishing their schools and benevolent institutions, Sister Hilda, ably seconded by her assistants, so presented the claims of the proposed hospital to the business men of Bay City, that a fund of $7,500 was rapidly raised and the present property was purchased, so that when the hospital was opened, on September 26, 1900, it was entirely free from indebtedness.
    In 1905 an annex was added to the original structure, a brick building, three stories and basement, making the accommodations larger and of more benefit to the public.   Through private contributions and the interest taken in the work of the hospital by many citizens of various denominations, as well as the income derived from those patients able to remunerate generously for their care, the whole building has been thoroughly equipped with every modern convenience and appliance and is recognized as the leading private hospital in the city.  Many of its 20 private rooms have been furnished by private individuals or societies.   It is, however just what its name implies, a refuge for the sick who have no means to procure medical attention.  These are never turned away, but the good Sisters take them in, shelter and cure them and let them pass out again healed in body and refreshed in spirit.   The charity patients average about 10 a year, the accommodations being for 35 patients.   The hospital has a private ambulance.   Mercy Hospital keeps to nurses for its work and from its training school has graduated 12 nurses, making no charge for tuition.  Another admirable department of its work is the finding of homes for waifs.   These are placed where conditions promise that they will be carefully reared in Christian households.
    While this hospital is under the care of the Sisters of Mercy, it has the full sympathy and support of all the religious creeds of the city, for its work is entirely unsectarian and of so beneficent a character that its great usefulness can not be ranked too high.

LEWIS HOSPITAL.

    Dr. LeRoy Lewis, while looking for a suitable location for a hospital, came in the latter "eighties" to Bay City, and there being at that time no hospital in either of the cities, he was encouraged by a number of leading citizens to decide upon Bay City as the scene of his future labors.   He returned to his home in New York State to close up his business affairs there.  This required a little longer time than he had anticipated, and when, in September, 1900, he arrived in Bay City, he discovered that Mercy Hospital had been established.   He was not discouraged by this, however, as he felt there was room here for two such institutions, and it was his hope in time to make his hospital a public, if not a municipal institution.   He secured what was at that time one of the most pretentious private dwellings in Bay City, erected by the late George Lewis at a cost of many thousands of dollars.   Dr. Lewis furnished this home with every necessary appliance of the most modern and approved type for performing surgical operations and every convenience for the care of the sick, and convalescent, and on November 16, 1900, the institution, which had cost Dr. Lewis $10,000, was formally opened to the public.
    The building is situated on a beautiful corner lot, with ample grounds and an abundance of sunlight and air.   Had the structure been erected especially for a hospital, it would not be more appropriate.  The building contains spacious halls, drawing rooms and library, all elegantly furnished, and these cheerful places are at the disposal of convalescents.   The dining room, kitchen, pantry and other domestic appointments are those of an elegant home.   On the second floor are two wards, rooms for private patients, bathrooms and operating rooms.   The third floor has a ward sufficiently large to accommodate 25 beds, and there is a maternity department which is complete in every detail.   The building is heated by steam, and lighted by its own electric light plant.  Dr. Lewis brought the first ambulance to Bay City, and this is at the disposal of any physician.
    At the time the hospital was established, there were scarcely any trained nurses in Bay City, and it became apparent at once that in order to meet the demand for skilled nurses for the hospital and for the public, it would be necessary to establish a school.   Accordingly, on July 25, 1901, the auxiliary board of the Nurse Association of Lewis Hospital was incorporated.   In addition to furnishing training for nurses, the association was formed for charitable work in furnishing attendance for and in nursing persons, ill or helpless from accidents, who are unable to provide the heavy costs entailed by such services.   This association controls the charity ward of the hospital and all funds given for the care of free patients.   Below we give a list of the persons composing the board of directors, its officers of which constitute the board of trustees of the institution.  Officers' and trustees - president, Mrs. May Stocking Knaggs; 1st vice president, Mrs. Minnie E. Ruelle; 2nd vice president, Mrs. W. J. Daniels; secretary, Mrs. Fred Asman, treasurer, Mrs. Mae Kenney Lewis.  Directors: Mrs. E. B. Foss, Mrs. Theodore F. Shepard, Mrs. Mae Kenney Lewis, Mrs. Robert Beutel, Mrs. S. A. Baldwin, Mrs. M. S. Bird, Mrs. Anna Foote, DeVere Hall, LeRoy Lewis, John Daniels, George N. Ewell, Frank Walter, A. W. Herrick, Arthur Boynton and Arthur Strong.  At the beginning of each year a medical staff is formed, comprising four physicians and four surgeons, each of whom serves three months of the ensuing year.   Besides giving lecture to nurses, this staff cares for the patients in the charity ward.
    Up to this time, all the profit from the care of private patients has been expended in maintaining the public or free ward.   Of the money spent in this way, Dr. Lewis has given $4,921.96 and the ladies of the directorate have provided $1,258.38.  This department has cared for 114 patients, many of them remaining for long periods of time - one patient has been under treatment for a year.   This charity work had grown to a point where Dr. Lewis felt he could no longer assume the financial burden bearing nearly four-fifths of the expense it involved from his private purse, so early in 1905 he made an appeal to the public spirited citizens of Bay City to maintain the free ward as a public philanthropy, to be owned and supported by the general public, thus making the Lewis Hospital in the strict sense of the term, the only pubic hospital in Bay City.