This is the third in a series of historical excerpts from the Archives of the RIHS
Ms. Agatha Zeh interview Continued
In yesterday’s edition we recounted an interview with Ms. Agatha Zeh, a nurse who served on Blackwell’s Island in 1920. During that time, Ms. Zeh recalled that there was a female physician at City Hospital — a rare thing for that period. Coincidentally, we remembered that in 2017 the RIHS acquired a Certificate from City Hospital for Edith L. Swartwout, MD for her completion of a one year residency at Metropolitan Hospital in August of 1924. Was Dr. Swartwout the person Ms. Zeh remembered? Coincidence or true story?
Long Career and Life of HOPE CLARK REID, MD
A few years ago, Mrs. Paula Timmerman found the RIHS was the perfect place to share her mother’s story. She has donated her mother’s professional papers to the RIHS, including her nursing cap, photos, elevator pass for Queensboro Bridge and other memorabilia.
Mrs. Timmerman remembers a child visiting her mother on the island (Hope Clark Reid) in the summer and living off island during the school year. Hope Clark Reid came to the Welfare Island in 1926 to study nursing at the City Hospital School of Nursing, graduating in 1929.
Over the years she earned a Certificate of Teaching Home Nursing from NYU, worked in Personnel Administration at NYU, received her Certificate in Midwifery for Registered Nurses and earned her Bachelors degree in Science in Nursing Education from Hunter College.
For eight years, she worked at City Hospital as a staff nurse, head nurse, Supervision and Assistant Superintendent of Nurses.
In 1952 she was appointed the Superintendent of Nurses at the new Bird S. Coler Hospital. During those 5 years, she was also Chief Civil Defense Nurse for the City of New York. Fascinatingly, she was also trained in the event of Atomic Disaster.
She retired from Coler in 1957 after seeing the opening of the hospital with a capacity of over 1,800 residents. From the information I received, it was clear Dr. Reid lived in the City Hospital Nurses residence. When the Central Nurses Residence opened, she lived there until retirement.
In 2000, Mrs. Timmerman visited the island and Coler. Most of her memories are faded but her joy of visiting the site where her mother spent her entire career was rewarding and allowed the RIHS to record and share another fascinating career medical professional’s life and story.
Judith Berdy
Excerpt from the New York Times (c): FEB. 29, 1929 “MISS EARHART TALKS TO ISLAND PRISONERS”
Amelia Earhart, first woman to fly across the Atlantic became yesterday the first woman to address the Sunday afternoon lecture at the workhouse on Welfare Island. Her listeners deluged her with the greatest number of questions yet asked in a series of talks that began last November.
Miss Earhart was obliged to tell among other things whether gliders and autogiros were practical, why airplane radios seem to go out of commission more than others, what air pockets were, whether a huge parachute attached to a plane would guarantee the safety of the occupants and what was the “safest” plane made.
In her first answer Miss Earhart explained that gliders were practical in “pointing” the way to make airplanes more efficient and that the autogiros would undoubtedly be more practical when their speed and carrying capacity were increased. The plane parachute was not yet a workable device. The “more interesting” possibility she thought was that the pilot sliding away the bottom of the plane, which overcame the difficulty of getting persons equipped with parachutes to jump by merely “bouncing them out.”
As for the “safest” plane, Miss Earhart said “I might get into difficulties with the manufacturers if I mentioned names , but the safest of all planes is undoubtedly the one that will crash and let you get out and walk away from it.”
Everyone seemed to agree.
At the close of the forum the speaker and her husband, George Palmer Putnam were conducted around the island.
Emma Goldman was an activist who spent a year at the Penitentiary on Blackwell’s Island. Click here to read on about a chapter of her life on the Island from her autobiography, “Living My Life.”
Editorial
In this time of crisis and illness, my heart is torn by the conditions we are being put through. I have lived on the island for 42 years. In the 1960’s, I was a dental assisting student and was sent to Goldwater Hospital to have chairside experience. From that time, the island fascinated me. The first persons I met here were the residents of Goldwater. Coler and Goldwater have always had a soft spot in my heart.
We live in a wonderful community with a history, no matter how sad and tragic, that has sheltered those in need.
Let us keep our hearts and home open to all in need and thank every medical worker weather doctor, nurse, aide, housekeeper or custodian in our thoughts.
Coler will welcome 350 new “islanders” this week. Let’s welcome them and those who tend to them in our best way. Judith Berdy, Editor
Special thanks to Melanie Colter for her skills and helping publish this daily. She will teach me all of Mailchimp one day.
This is the second in a series of historical excerpts from the Archives of the RIHS
The image above is Metropolitan Hospital in the early 20th century. Now known as the Octagon, Metropolitan Hospital housed over 1,000 patients from its opening as a homeopathic hospital in the 1890’s until it closed in 1955. (The building had previously housed the notorious Lunatic Asylum.) The Hospital still exists as a municipal hospital on 97th Street and First Avenue.
In our archives are the collections of Reverend Oliver Chapin. One of the multitude of documents is a five-page, handwritten interview with Agatha Zeh, R.N., Metroplitan Hospital School of Nursing Class of 1920.This is part of her handwritten account of working at Metropolitan Hospital in that year.
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“The Woman Doctor” I’ve forgotten her name but as I remember the other interns treated her with respect. I think she was a little older than the other interns. I don’t know anything about her after she left the hospital.
“Drugs” We had a Pharmacist and Pharmacy in the basement. We did have drug addicted who were trying to be cured of the habit by each week having the dosage reduced unit they were supposedly cured. They were mostly males and females from the prison and workhouse. They were counted each night and each morning. I do not remember any incident where anyone was injured from any one of them trying to steal a drug. Apparently what dose they were given satisfied their desire for the drug.
(Image Above: Metropolitan Hospital Nurses’ Home)
For rubbing backs and cleaning wounds our alcohol was 95% alcohol. I do remember one occasion when one of the ambulatory patients was feeling pretty gay and not walking very steadily. Upon questioning he admitted to drinking a good bit a bottle of rubbing alcohol which he swiped from the medicine closet which someone neglected to lock. There were probably incidents of the same kind.
The answer to the next question will answer how some problems were handled. We had police officer on duty in the rotunda 24 hours a day and he was called if necessary. He also checked people entering the hospital. There was also an emergency room at the dock on 86th Street (Manhattan) and a police officer stationed there and since everyone had to come to the island by ferry there wasn’t that many people around who didn’t belong.
“Offices” There were offices around about 1/2 of the rotunda-I remember of course the Superintendent of Nurse’s office and her secretary’s office and slightly remember a business office and I think a Paycheck office.
Image Above: Metropolitan Hospital Floor Plan Sketch and Description
There was a basement that contained the Admitting Ward, the Pharmacy and storage supply rooms and maybe others I do not remember
“Light in Lighthouse” I don’t think so. I don’t remember one. Maybe The Blackwell’s did at one time.
I don’t remember ever seeing anyone swimming or fishing off the island-maybe a prisoner tried to escape by swimming but not any other person of the Hospital. For one thing the water was too deep, to try it and I think not too clean for I looked out of your living room window I was disappointed not to see more ships . I seem to think there was more traffic in the river in the twenties.
The Metropolitan Hospital at that time was a Homeopathic Institution (a system of medical treatment based on the theory that certain diseases can be cured by giving small doses of drugs which in a healthy person and in large doses would produce symptoms like those of the disease). A few drops of medicine would be added to a glass of water and the patient receive a teaspoon or two every hour. With some of the patients the glass of medicine would be left on the bedside table and taken by the patient. But homeopathy went our shortly after the First World War – and I do not remember it being used afterwards. The only drugs that come to mind are Iodine and Belladonna and I’m not sure of them. ..Of course insulin he yet to be discovered then and diabetics died as also many pneumonia and strep and TB and other infected cases for there were no antibiotics and few vaccines.
The was a Polio epidemic the year before I went to training and the older nurses told us it was worse than the Flu epidemic. I don’t remember as many cancer cases and maybe fewer heart cases.
We did have morphine to alleviate pain.
Operations – appendectomy – many of who died from infections (I had my appendix remove in 1930 and I was very sick. I was 88lbs. when I got out of bed, but I was one of the lucky ones for I recovered).
Gall bladders removed -many bone operations due to Tuberculosis and streptococcus infections. These would drain for months and perhaps some never entirely healed – abscesses opened – amputations caused by infections – Lung abscesses after Pneumonia – Abdominal tumors and of course fractures set and casts applied.
Many died, who would not have died in the same conditions today. Curing patients has improved so tremendously in 50 years (1970), it is hard to believe there was a time when so little could be done for the sick. What a blessing new discoveries have been. I think the history of medicine over 50-50 years is fascinating- I’m looking forward to your finishing your book*, so I can read it for at 78 years old time runs short.
Best wishes, Agatha Zeh
Reverend Chapin passed away in 1999 and never completed his book. Most of his archives were donated to the RIHS.
UPDATE
Coler Long Term Care and Rehabilitation Named Site of Expanded Hospital Beds
Since 1952 Coler Hospital has served the City of New York. At its peak, Coler had over 750 patients and long term care residents. In recent years Coler specialized in long term care and many of its units were closed. In this time of health crisis the City will re-activate over 300 beds for acute medical cases. Per a teleconference with the administration, two aspects of care and safety were emphasized:
The current residents of Coler are being cared for by the Coler staff and extreme measures are being taken as to preventing the Coronavirus from entering the facility. All staff are monitored upon entering the building. No visitors are permitted. All activities that involve congregating residents are canceled.
THE SAFETY OF THE STAFF, RESIDENTS, COMMUNITY AND ALL OF ROOSEVELT ISLAND IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE TO THE CITY, STATE AND HEALTH+HOSPITALS.
The new units which are not near current patient areas are being prepared to be acute hospital areas. Acute care staffing will be provided for these patients. The type of patients being admitted to Coler is not known yet. The units are being prepared by contractors and emergency preparedness personnel who can do the work with sped and have vast knowledge in emergency preparedness.
Reminder: Coler was flooded by Hurricane Sandy in 2012 and most of the residents were safe and sheltered in place. The City of New York has spent about $93,000,000 to upgrade and improve the building.
Personally, I have been a member of the Coler Community Advisory Board for over 15 years and am currently the President of the Coler Auxiliary.
There are many islanders who are on Coler committees such as OPEN-DOOR, volunteers, Advisory Board, Auxiliary and in many departments and we miss serving our neighbors and hope to be back soon.
Judith Berdy, President Roosevelt Island Historical Society
There is much news to report: Blackwell House is complete and waiting for the last permit to have a grand re-opening.
The Transit Authority has come up with an acceptable architectural plan for a platform adjacent to the Strecker Laboratory.
Image of City Hospital located at the north end of the now Southpoint Park. Closed in 1955 when hospital was reloated to Elmhurst, Queens. Demolished in 1992. The serpentine fence encircling parts of Southpoint Park is made from the walls of the hospital. The stone was quarried on the Island by the Penitentiary inmates at the quarry located where 465 Main Street is located. The iron columns at Southpoint Park entrance are from the interior of City Hospital.
This is first in a series of historical excerpts from the Archives of the RIHS. This biographical story is of a person who was hospitalized at City Hospital on our Island in 1901. It is signed “A GRATEFUL PATIENT”
If you have a New York Times subscription go to Times Machine for Aug. 4, 1901 “Life at the City Hospital”
UPDATE
Coler Long Term Care and Rehabilitation Named Site of Expanded Hospital Beds
Since 1952 Coler Hospital has served the City of New York. At its peak, Coler had over 750 patients and long term care residents. In recent years Coler specialized in long term care and many of its units were closed. In this time of health crisis the City will re-activate over 300 beds for acute medical cases. Per a teleconference with the administration, two aspects of care and safety were emphasized:
The current residents of Coler are being cared for by the Coler staff and extreme measures are being taken as to preventing the Coronovirus from entering the facility. All staff are monitored upon entering the building. No visitors are permitted. All activities that involve congregating residents are canceled.
THE SAFETY OF THE STAFF, RESIDENTS, COMMUNITY AND ALL OF ROOSEVELT ISLAND IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE TO THE CITY, STATE AND HEALTH+HOSPITALS.
The new units which are not near current patient areas are being prepared to be acute hospital areas. Acute care staffing will be provided for these patients. The type of patients being admitted to Coler is not known yet. The units are being prepared by contractors and emergency preparedness personnel who can do the work with sped and have vast knowledge in emergency preparedness.
Reminder: Coler was flooded by Hurricane Sandy in 2012 and most of the residents were safe and sheltered in place. The City of New York has spent about $93,000,000 to upgrade and improve the building.
Personally, I have been a member of the Coler Community Advisory Board for over 15 years and am currently the President of the Coler Auxiliary.
There are many islanders who are on Coler committees such as OPEN-DOOR, volunteers, Advisotyr Board, Auxiliary and in many departments and we miss serving our neighbors and hope to be back soon.
Judith Berdy, President Roosevelt Island Historical Society
Mitch Waxman, artist, Newtown Creek historian, and Steering Committee member of the Working Harbor Committee, started the Newtown Pentacle website in 2009 to document his adventures along the Creek. He regularly offers walking, bus, and boat tours of the Newtown Creek Watershed. Waxman will discuss the history of Newtown Creek and his on-going work in a lecture presented by the Roosevelt Island Historical Society at the New York Public Library Branch on Roosevelt Island, on Thursday, November 14, 2019 at 6:30p.m.
The event is FREE and open to the public. It is the first in the Society’s annual series of Fall lectures, which is supported by Amalgamated Bank, Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation’s Public Purpose Fund and New York City Council Member Ben Kallos, with funding from the New York CityDepartment of Youth and Community Development.
DIRECTIONS: Take the Tram at 59th Street and Second Avenue or the F train to Roosevelt Island. Take the red bus (no charge) or walk eight minutes north to 524 Main Street.
Scott Warnasch has been a forensic anthropologist/archaeologist for the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner, director of the Human Remains Recovery excavations at the World Trade Center site, consultant to the NYPD and FBI on crime scene search and recovery operations, and has recently opened his own consulting business. He will discuss several forensic search and recovery excavation projects, including the mysterious woman in the iron coffin.
