Figure 1.--This undated photograph shioes mothers and childen on a St. John's Guild Floating Hospital Summer Sail. It is undatedm but looks like the 1940s to us. That would mean that they are aboard the 'Lloyd I. Seaman'. |
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We have noticed a number of hospital ships. These were generally not specificallfor children, but they were some of the major beneficiaries. The first hospital ship that we know of was the America Floating Hospital in New York City. It was founded as part of the St. John’s Guild of Trinity Church philanthropic efforts right after the Civil War (1866). The Floating Hospital fom the beginning served all families in need without regard to creed, color or nationality. At the time it was founded, the growing industrial cities in America and Europe did not have effective public health system. Some had no systems at all. As a result, they were experencing epidemics ranging from cholera to smallpox. The cities were also full of orphans and homeless children (mostly girls) working as child laborers as well as in America a growing strean of immigrant families. Families lived in slums and cramped tenements. It was New York City's first charity pediatric clinic. The Floating Hospital has over the years provided health services to over 5 million needy New Yorkers. And the Floating Hospital continues to provide a needed health care safety-net for New York City's most vulnerable women and children.
The first hospital ship that we know of was the America Floating Hospital in New York City. It was founded as part of the St. John’s Guild of Trinity Church philanthropic efforts right after the Civil War (1866). The Floating Hospital fom the beginning served all families in need without regard to creed, color or nationality. At the time it was founded, the growing industrial cities in America and Europe did not have effective public health system. Some had no systems at all. As a result, they were experencing epidemics ranging from cholera to smallpox. The cities were also full of orphans and homeless children (mostly girls) working as child laborers as well as in America a growing strean of immigrant families. Families lived in slums and cramped tenements. It was New York City's first charity pediatric clinic. It was founded as part of the St. John’s Guild philanthropic efforts.
The Editor of the New York Times appealed to wealthy New Yorkers to support the St. John Guild in its mission to help poor children, including the newsboys selling their paper (July 3. 1872). The finds raised provided not only health services, but a temporary escape from the stifeling heat, filth, and diseased conditions of a New York City summer. During the first year, 18,600 poor children and their parents or caretakers enjoyed free chartered ferry rides and countryside picnic excursions. Many enjoyed fresh air and healthy food for the first time. The effort became known as 'Summer Sails'.
The Floating Hospital “Summer Sails” grew in popularity and the St. John’s Guild collected enough donations to commission its own vessel. This would allow them to measyrably increase the number of summer trips as well as the scope of health services offered. The first ship was the Emma Abbot. It was named for a popular opera star and early benefactor of the Guild. It was christened (July 19, 1875). Over the nexy 14 years, nearly 910,000 mothers and children benefitted from the Summer Sails.
The need for health services New York City's poor rapidly expanded as the city grew and immigrants arrived in greater numbers from Europe. The numbers showing up for aid exceeded the resources available on the Ship’s Main Clinic. St. John’s Guild opened the Seaside Nursery on Staten Island (1881). The guild used the Emma Abbot
to transport paitents. A few years later a 200-bed hospital facility for children was built next to the nursery (1887). The Floating Hospital continues to operate until 1939 and over this period served nearly 80,000 patients.
Several ships over time followed in the wake of the Emma Abbot, the first Floating Hospital (FH) ship. Over time immigrants joined the American mainstream and could afford health care. And the state also increased health services offered. Even so the Guiold continued to do its part. The second FH Ship, the Helen C. Juilliard was launchedto replace the Emma Abbott (1889). The Helen C. Juilliard II was launched during World War I (1916). She was followed by the Lloyd I. Seaman (1935). The Lila Acheson Wallace was the last FH ship (1973).
St. John’s Guild dissolved and The Floating Hospital was incorporates under New York State law (1889). It continued to provide Ship-based health care services while anchored near Wall Street. This was located in the shadow of the infamous Islamic 9-11 terror attacks. fter the 9-11 attacks, the FH was no longer able to find affordable and accessible dock space. They decided to sell the Lila Acheson Wallace. The FH organization continues, however, to provide health care services through a a network of clinics located within the New York City family homeless shelter system.
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