The city of Detroit, Michigan, 1701-1922; / Clarence M. Burton, editor-in-chief, William Stocking, associate editor, Gordon K. Miller, associated editor. [Vol. 2]

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CITY OF DETROIT

during the war and made probably as great a sacrifice as any other organization
in the city. Nearly four hundred of the Detroit profession served in uniform
either at home or overseas. Two medical units were organized under the leadership, respectively, of Dr. Angus McLean and Dr. B. R. Shurly. A number
enlisted and served with the Canadian or British forces before the United States
had actually gone into the war. A large tablet containing approximately
three hundred and sixty-five names was unveiled at the Wayne County Medical
Society with appropriate ceremony during the spring of 1920. The call to
military service of so many of Detroit's medical profession left an added burden
upon those who remained at home, who worked assiduously on draft boards
besides taking care of the civic population during one of the worst epidemic
periods in the history of the locality. The fatalities among the medical profession represented in France consisted of Doctor Post, killed in actual service;
Dr. V. C. Vaughan, Jr., who was drowned.
Since the close of the war the medical profession of Wayne County has
shown a greater enthusiasm than ever in its history. The auditorium on nights
of meetings is frequently taxed to its utmost capacity to accommodate its members. So much interest has been manifested that the time is not far distant
when the medical society must look for new and more commodious quarters.
HOSPITALS
The first hospital in the City of Detroit was St. Mary's, established by four
Sisters of Charity, in an old log building on the southwest corner of Randolph
and Lamed streets. It was opened for patients June 9, 1845, under the name
of St. Vincent's. After about five years of service in the first location the
Sisters erected a building on Clinton Street near St. Antoine, and the name
was then changed to St. Mary's. This building was first opened November 6,
1850. On November 21, 1879, a new structure facing St. Antoine Street was
formally opened.
The Harper Hospital was established through the beneficence of Walter
Harper, a wealthy resident of Philadelphia, who came to Detroit about 1832
and lived here quietly until his gift, dated February 4, 1859. This deed gave
nearly one thousand acres, near Detroit, also three residences in Philadelphia,
to a board of trustees for the purpose of establishing a hospital. The only
consideration attached to his gift was that he was to receive a certain annuity.
In March of the same year, Mrs. Ann Martin deeded to the hospital a fiveacre lot in Detroit and fifteen acres in the Ten Thousand Acre Tract. The
hospital was incorporated May 4, 1863. During the Rebellion, the trustees
bought five acres on Woodward Avenue adjoining that which they already
owned and offered the use of the site to the government as a military hospital,
providing the latter would erect suitable buildings. The offer was accepted
and during the war hundreds of sick and wounded soldiers were cared for here.
The hospital was opened for ordinary patients in January, 1866. A new
building was constructed on the old John R. Street grounds and opened June
19, 1884. Subsequent additions have been made to keep pace with the rapid
increase of patients attendant upon the growth of the city.
Grace Hospital had its inception in 1869, when Amos Chaffee gave a lot on
the northeast corner of Willis Avenue and John R. Street as a site for a homeopathic hospital. During 1879 a society called The Detroit Homeopathic
Association was incorporated. Nothing further was done until 1886, and then