The Industrial Infirmary of the Frontier
Dr. G.A. Weed opens a hospital in Seattle to treat the frequent, brutal injuries sustained in the region's burgeoning sawmills, coal mines, and logging camps.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
To meet the pressing needs of many persons on Puget Sound, needing Medical and Surgical aid, for comfortable rooms and good care at moderate prices, I have fitted up a Hospital where every convenience and comfort will be provided in connection with practiced and skillful Medical and Surgical attendance. We aim to make this a permanent institution and to give special attention to cases of fractures and injuries of all kinds constantly occurring in the saw mills, coal mines, and logging camps surrounding Seattle. Seattle being centrally located with regard to these interests, and more accessible than any other point, we mean with the aid of these advantages, giving personal and thorough attention to its entire management, to build an institution indispensable to the sick and injured who have no homes, and worthy of public confidence. The hospital is in a pleasant and healthy locality, and the rooms neatly and properly furnished.
“To build an institution indispensable to the sick and injured who have no homes.”
In 1876, Dr. Weed recognized that Seattle's rapid industrialization required a dedicated safety net for a transient, labor-heavy population. Today, that same tension between the city's role as a regional medical hub and the health crises of its most vulnerable workers continues to define the local conversation.
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