In the early hours of January 7, 1950, flames illuminated the night sky around Mercy Hospital. An orderly was one of the first to see a mental hospital on the grounds engulfed in fire, but he would be far from the last. By the next morning, it would be one of the worst hospital fires […]
Episode 99: Plain Hell: The St. Elizabeth’s Hospital Fire of 1950 Read More »
Lucille Kalloway checked the clock. It was just before 11 p.m. The patients had been safely in their rooms since about 9 p.m., which was the normal time for them to turn in. Mentally, she ticked off her responsibilities for the end of shift. Lucille had started working at the facility in the summer
Plain Hell: The St. Elizabeth’s Hospital Fire of 1950 Read More »
Amelia Rohwedder was a middle-aged woman recovering from heart problems. Without reason or warning, she jumped from her fourth-floor window. Why? Sources The History of Genesis Health System and its Predecessor Organizations. http://www.genesishealth.com/about/timeline. Harlan, Edgar Rubey. A Narrative History of the People of Iowa, Vol. III Chicago: American Historical Society, 1931. Sister Condon, Mary
Episode 91: Why Did Amelia Rohwedder Jump from Her Hospital Window? Read More »
After the American Civil War, Davenport, Iowa was a rapidly growing city full of a population still recovering from the trials and tribulations of that terrible conflict. Many veterans had returned home, either going back to the families that they had left or eager to start one. Some farmed, others started businesses, and still others
Why Did Amelia Rohwedder Jump from Her Hospital Window? Read More »
