Filling staff shortages

On Christmas Day 1910, the Hospital’s only two doctors were taken ill. The medical superintendent was left alone to treat the Hospital population of 750 until two McGill medical students sacrificed their holidays to assist him. Frustrated at the chronic understaffing, he complained, “To expect two men, the number allowed by the Government to look after a population of 750, is absurd.”

Fortunately, that same year, other healthcare professionals in the community offered to help improve the physical health of the patients. The Hospital’s publicly-funded patients were being treated free of charge by a long list of professional consultants, including: a surgeon, two physicians, a gynecologist, two pathologists, a neurologist, an optometrist, an ear specialist, an orthopedist, and a surgeon dentist.

By 1913, no pension benefits were available to doctors, including the medical superintendent, “To no body of scientific men, not too lavishly paid, although rendering invaluable service, is such a procedure more justly due…for their declining years.”

Improvements in quality of life

Though Thomas W. Burgess, MD, noted difficult conditions in 1896 for some employees living on the Hospital grounds, distinct improvements were achieved in later years.

1896, Thomas Burgess, MD: “The lack of cottages in the vicinity of the Hospital is a great hardship to our married help and it is hoped that some means may be adopted to supply this want.”

1896, Thomas Burgess, MD: “A separate building for the use of nurses…is needed. Attendant’s hours on duty are long, thirteen to fifteen hours daily, and their work is extremely exhausting. Sleeping on the wards [disturbs their rest], and they are forced to begin their morning duties already tired-out and irritable; a state of affairs bad for both their patients and themselves.

The work of an attendant in the care of the insane is arduous in the extreme. Many good and efficient employees resign and leave because they find the absolute need of relief and quiet from the harassing incidents of asylum life. It is the policy of all advanced modern hospitals for the insane to isolate the nurses, when off duty, from the scene of their daily labours, and to make their living apartments as attractive as possible.

It is assumed that the increased comfort of such an arrangement and the separation from the constant wearing worry of continuous encounters with the inmates will retain them longer in the service, as well as keep them in better health and spirits.”
In 1916, Staff House (Dobell Pavilion) was built to give the nursing staff separate living quarters and relief from the demanding work environment.

In the 1950s, most of the senior hospital staff still lived on the hospital grounds. Besides saving time in commuting to and from work, this added a safety factor in case of fire. An electric fire alarm system was installed, with terminals in many staff homes on the grounds. Whenever it rang, the staff quickly made their way to the Perry Pavilion switchboard and operations were directed by the most senior person present.