Knickerbocker Hospital

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Knickerbocker Hospital
J Hood Wright Memorial Hospital 1886.jpg
The Hospital in 1886, known as J. Hood Wright Memorial Hospital at the time.
Knickerbocker Hospital
Geography
LocationNew York City, New York, United States
Coordinates 40°48′57″N73°57′11″W / 40.815825°N 73.953000°W / 40.815825; -73.953000
Organization
Type General
Services
Beds228
History
Former name(s)
  • Manhattan Dispensary (1862)
  • Manhattan Hospital (1885)
  • J. Hood Wright Memorial Hospital (1895)
  • Knickerbocker Hospital (1913)
  • Arthur C. Logan Memorial Hospital (1974)
Opened1862
Closed1979
Links
Lists Hospitals in New York State
Other links Hospitals in Manhattan

The Knickerbocker Hospital [1] [2] was a 228-bed hospital [3] in New York City located at 70 Convent Avenue, corner of West 131st Street in Harlem, serving primarily poor and immigrant patients. [4] [5]

Contents

History

Founded in 1862 [1] as the Manhattan Dispensary, [6] [7] it served as a temporary American Civil War tent facility for returning Union Army invalidsDated/offense?. In 1885, the New York Times praised its rebirth as the fully equipped Manhattan Hospital, "the only general hospital north of Ninety-ninth street." The hospital assumed the city's largest ambulance district for many decades [1] and worked at the forefront of treatments for polio, alcoholism, and gynecological care.

Manhattan Hospital's successive names were:

The 1914 Directory of Social and Health Agencies listed the hospital as such:

Knickerbocker Hospital (incorp. 1862 as the ManHattan Dispensary; Aug. 1895, title changed to J. Hood Wright Memorial; title again changed to present name, June, 1913, opened 1884), Amsterdam Ave. and 131st St. Gives free medical and surgical treatment to the worthy sick poor of New York City. Incurable and contagious diseases and alcoholic, maternity and insane patients not admitted. Emergency cases received at any hour. Capacity, 57 beds. 1,090 cases treated and 1,540 days' treatment given during the past year. Dispensary free to the poor only. Supported by charitable contributions. Visiting days, Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays from 2 to 4 p.m.
Ambulance Service for the district from West 76th St. to 145th St. and from St. Nicholas Ave. to North River, including 28th, 32d and 36th Police Precincts.
Officers: Macomb G. Foster, Pres.; William H. Remick, Biv. 1. General Hospitals. 189
Treas.; Grant Squires, Ass't Treas.; Edward D. Jones, Sec.; Lucy M. Moore, Supt., to whom apply at hospital. [5]

Current status

The former Knickerbocker Hospital building still stands and is currently the M. Moran Weston [10] seniors' residence. [11] [12] [13]

The television series The Knick is set in a hospital inspired by the Knickerbocker. [4] The Knickerbocker, similar to the television portrayal, had a standing policy often refusing to treat African-American patients despite the hospital's mission to serve those who could not afford to pay for medical care. The building was not used in the show's production, with the Boys High School building standing in for the hospital instead. [14] In the television series, Clive Owen's character, Dr. John Thackery, is based in part on Dr. William Stewart Halsted. Dr. Halsted, a well known physician who invented many new surgical instruments and techniques in the early 20th century was, according to the Johns Hopkins Institute, known to be addicted to cocaine and morphine, like "Thackery." [15]

A fictional "Knickerbocker Hospital" is mentioned in season 24 episode 10 of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

See also

Related Research Articles

Knickerbocker or Knickerbockers may also refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Stewart Halsted</span> American surgeon (1852–1922)

William Stewart Halsted, M.D. was an American surgeon who emphasized strict aseptic technique during surgical procedures, was an early champion of newly discovered anesthetics, and introduced several new operations, including the radical mastectomy for breast cancer. Along with William Osler, Howard Atwood Kelly and William H. Welch, Halsted was one of the "Big Four" founding professors at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. His operating room at Johns Hopkins Hospital is in Ward G, and was described as a small room where medical discoveries and miracles took place. According to an intern who once worked in Halsted's operating room, Halsted had unique techniques, operated on the patients with great confidence and often had perfect results which astonished the interns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Louis T. Wright</span> American surgeon and civil rights activist (1891-1952)

Louis Tompkins Wright, MD, FACS was an American surgeon and civil rights activist. In his position at Harlem Hospital he was the first African-American on the surgical staff of a non-segregated hospital in New York City. He was influential for his medical research as well as his efforts pushing for racial equality in medicine and involvement with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), which he served as chairman for nearly two decades.

<i>The Knick</i> American television drama series

The Knick is an American medical period drama television series on Cinemax created by Jack Amiel and Michael Begler and directed by Steven Soderbergh. The series follows Dr. John W. Thackery and the staff at a fictionalized version of the Knickerbocker Hospital in New York during the early twentieth century. Amiel and Begler wrote the majority of the episodes and are executive producers. Owen, Soderbergh, Gregory Jacobs, and Michael Sugar were executive producers. Steven Katz was the supervising producer and also writer, Michael Polaire was the producer and David Kirchner the associate producer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lafargue Clinic</span> Former universalist mental hospital in Manhattan, New York

The Lafargue Mental Health Clinic, more commonly known as the Lafargue Clinic, was a mental health clinic that operated in Harlem, Manhattan, New York, from 1946 until 1958. The clinic was named for French Marxist physician Paul Lafargue and conceived by German-American psychiatrist Fredric Wertham, who recognized the dire state of mental health services for blacks in New York. With the backing of black intellectuals Richard Wright and Ralph Ellison, as well as members of the church and community, the clinic operated out of the parish house basement of St. Philip's Episcopal Church and was among the first to provide low-cost psychiatric health services to the poor, especially for poor blacks who either could not afford treatment at New York hospitals or faced racial discrimination from doctors and other hospital staff. The staff consisted entirely of volunteers, and Wertham and Hilde Mosse were the clinic's lead doctors.

Milton Moran Weston II was an African-American Episcopal priest who "led one of Harlem's most prominent churches, helped found what became the nation's largest black-owned financial institution and built housing for thousands." In 1969 Weston explained his eclectic career saying "A banker-priest is really no more strange than an educator-priest or a social worker priest." Although he told the New York Times in 1986 "I do nothing ... I cause things to happen. If I have a gift, it is to encourage people that they can do the impossible" he also was willing to make things not happen: He opposed a school boycott "by arguing that it did no good to keep children out of school."

Arthur C. Logan was a surgeon. The year after he died, the 1862-founded Knickerbocker Hospital was renamed in his memory; he had been a member of New York City's Health and Hospitals Corporation and was also described as a civic leader. In 1970, he was honored, with attendees including the Governor, a future governor, an ambassador, and many others.

"Method and Madness" is the series premiere of the American medical period drama television series The Knick. The episode was written by series creators Jack Amiel and Michael Begler, and directed by executive producer Steven Soderbergh. It originally aired on Cinemax on August 8, 2014.

"The Busy Flea" is the third episode of the American medical period drama television series The Knick. The episode was written by series creators Jack Amiel and Michael Begler, and directed by executive producer Steven Soderbergh. It originally aired on Cinemax on August 22, 2014.

"They Capture the Heat" is the fifth episode of the American medical period drama television series The Knick. The episode was written by Steven Katz, and directed by executive producer Steven Soderbergh. It originally aired on Cinemax on September 12, 2014.

"Get the Rope" is the seventh episode of the American medical period drama television series The Knick. The episode was written by series creators Jack Amiel and Michael Begler, and directed by executive producer Steven Soderbergh. It originally aired on Cinemax on September 26, 2014.

"Working Late a Lot" is the eighth episode of the American medical period drama television series The Knick. The episode was written by series creators Jack Amiel and Michael Begler, and directed by executive producer Steven Soderbergh. It originally aired on Cinemax on October 3, 2014.

"The Golden Lotus" is the ninth episode of the American medical period drama television series The Knick. The episode was written by Steven Katz, and directed by executive producer Steven Soderbergh. It originally aired on Cinemax on October 10, 2014.

"Crutchfield" is the tenth episode and first season finale of the American medical period drama television series The Knick. The episode was written by series creators Jack Amiel and Michael Begler, and directed by executive producer Steven Soderbergh. It originally aired on Cinemax on October 17, 2014.

"You're No Rose" is the second episode of the second season of the American medical period drama television series The Knick. It is the twelfth overall episode of the series and was written by series creators Jack Amiel and Michael Begler, and directed by executive producer Steven Soderbergh. It originally aired on Cinemax on October 23, 2015.

"Wonderful Surprises" is the fourth episode of the second season of the American medical period drama television series The Knick. It is the 14th overall episode of the series and was written by series creators Jack Amiel and Michael Begler, and directed by executive producer Steven Soderbergh. It originally aired on Cinemax on November 6, 2015.

"Whiplash" is the fifth episode of the second season of the American medical period drama television series The Knick. It is the 15th overall episode of the series and was written by Steven Katz, and directed by executive producer Steven Soderbergh. It originally aired on Cinemax on November 13, 2015.

"Williams and Walker" is the seventh episode of the second season of the American medical period drama television series The Knick. It is the 17th overall episode of the series and was written by series creators Jack Amiel and Michael Begler, and directed by executive producer Steven Soderbergh. It originally aired on Cinemax on November 27, 2015.

"This Is All We Are" is the tenth episode of the second season and series finale of the American medical period drama television series The Knick. It is the 20th overall episode of the series and was written by series creators Jack Amiel and Michael Begler, and directed by executive producer Steven Soderbergh. It originally aired on Cinemax on December 18, 2015. In March 2017, Cinemex cancelled the series, making the episode the series finale.

References

  1. 1 2 3 C. Gerald Fraser (December 4, 1971). "Knickerbocker Hospital Says Debts May Force It to Close". The New York Times .
  2. "1,000 ALCOHOLICS AIDED; Knickerbocker Hospital Shows Wider Services in 1953". The New York Times . May 9, 1954.
  3. "City and State Seek to Aid Knickerbocker Hospital". The New York Times . November 24, 1972.
  4. 1 2 3 "Knickerbocker Hospital: An inspiration for Cinemax's The Knick". The Bowery Boys. Retrieved August 13, 2014.
  5. 1 2 3 Miller, Lin (1914). "Directory of Social and Health Agencies of New York City". New York Charities Directory. 21. Columbia University Press: 188. Retrieved August 24, 2014.
  6. "St. Valentine's Market: A Fair for the benefit of Mahattan Dispensor". The New York Times . February 5, 1989.
  7. address: 503 West 131st Street
  8. Judith Cummings (April 14, 1978). "Harlem's Logan Hospital Struggles On". The New York Times .
  9. "Knickerbocker Now A.C. Logan Hospital". The New York Times . February 5, 1974.
  10. Douglas Martin (May 22, 2002). "M. Moran Weston, 91, Priest and Banker of Harlem, Dies". The New York Times . built housing for thousands .. a community center and a nursing home housing for the elderly and the mentally ill
  11. "Secretary Cuomo's Remarks at the Columbia University Moran Weston Lecture Series". September 12, 2000. Dr. Weston took a hospital, Knickerbocker Hospital, and remade it into housing. This was unheard of at that time.
  12. "McGuire, James C. : Guides to Institute Records". Knickerbocker Hospital in New York City ... is now the M. Moran Weston Seniors' Residence.
  13. "The Old Knickerbocker Hospital". The New York Times .
  14. "NYC Film Locations for Steven Soderbergh's The Knick". Untapped New York. October 15, 2014. Retrieved February 13, 2021.
  15. Jennifer Schuessler (August 1, 2014). "The Cocaine, the Blood, the Body Count". The New York Times .