Hospital Name: CHSLD Centre-Ville de Montréal
Address: 66, boulevard René-Lévesque Est, Montréal, H2X 1N3
MUC Location: Montréal, Ville-Marie
Religious Affiliation: secular
Architect: Thomas Phillips
Ground-breaking Date: Groundbreaking was on June 5, 1821.
Completion Date: The hospital opened to receive patients May 1, 1822.
Renovations:
1. Construction of (east) Richardson Wing: 1832
2. Construction of (west) Reid Wing: 1848
3. Construction of a fever hospital: opened 1868
4. Construction of the Thomas Moreland Wing for Sick Children behind the Reid Wing: 1875
5. Two new surgical wings were erected. They are the Greenshields and Cambell wings: 1882.
6. "Soon after," a fully equipped operating room was built. ~(Abbott 1931, p. 83.)
7. Opening of the isolation hospital, which was eventually pulled down to make way for the construction of eastern block of new hospital: 1885.8. Older parts of the hospital remodeled and four new medical wards were added: 1894.
9. A pathological building was erected, adjoining the Richardson Wing. This was rebuilt in 1909 on a larger scale with one floor left unfinished. This was completed in 1919 to house the departments of Metabolism and Biochemistry as well: 1894.
10. $35 000 contributed to build a Jubilee Nurses' Home: 1897
11. An X-Ray department established: 1898
12. A Dental Clinic established. It was greatly expanded by 1929: 1909.
13. Corner stone of new building laid. The new building stands behind the original one:1911.
14. East and centre blocks of new building completed. They supplied additional medical, children, and specialist wards as well as private and semi-private patient accommodation: 1913.
Capacity:
72 beds in 1822
100 beds in 1831
160 beds in 1832
Over 100 beds in 1881
400 beds in 1914 and in 1929
General Notes: The land for the hospital was purchased in August, 1820 by the Hon. John Richardson, the Hon. Wm. McGillivary and Samuel Gerrard, Esq. and held in trust for the hospital. On June 6, 1821 the foundation stone was laid with Masonic ceremonies. In a cavity of the stone a crystal tube, containing two parchments and several coins, was placed. The corner stone was laid by the Right Worshipful Sir John Johnston, Baronet, Past Provincial Grand Master of Canada. Early wards were small, containing at most 12 patients.~(Heagerty 1928, p. 185) In 1866, Mr. William Molson and Mr. J. G. Mackenzie bought the land opposite the hospital which was used as a recreation ground for the nurses. After Dr. Roddick returned to Canada in 1877, bringing with him the Listerian method of antisepsis, the look of operating rooms began to change, becoming notably cleaner and more organized. The increasing demand for surgery required more modern accommodations which were provided by the addition of two new surgical wings in 1882. These had a capacity of 120 beds.~(Heagerty 1928, p. 185) The Isolaton hospital opened in 1885 and all remaining patients were moved into it in 1893. In 1874, Dr. William Osler was appointed as a pathologist. He inaugurated the first systematic autopsy service in Canada. In 1882, Dr. Blackader instituted the first Pediatric Clinic. In 1924, the amalgamation of the Western Hospital with the Montreal General Hospital took place. The Western Hospital was then called the Western Division of the Montreal Hospital.
Bibliography: Haegerty, John J..Four Centuries of Medical History in Canada. Toronto: MacMillan Company of Canada, 1928.
"The Montreal General Hospital." Royal Architectural Institute of Canada Journal, 32 (September 1955): 311-324.
MacDermot, H. E..The Montreal General Hospital: The Years of Change (1945-1970). Montreal: The Montreal General Hospital, 1971.
MacDermot, H. E..A History of The Montreal General Hospital. Montreal: The Montreal General Hospital, 1950.
Bensley, Edward H., R. Roy Forsey and Jean C. Grout (eds.).The Montreal General Hospital: Since 1821. Montreal: The Montreal General Hospital, 1971.
Affiliated Buildings:
Montreal General Hospital