02/03/2026
DID YOU KNOW...
That in 1895 an appeal went out for a general hospital with a contagious disease annex? Thus, the Aberdeen Hospital Auxiliary was formed to assist.
But DID WE NEED A HOSPITAL IN 1895?
The majority of prospective Auxiliary members were doctor's wives who were aware of the community's situation. According to statistics, 175 cases of contagious diseases were reported in New Glasgow and Trenton alone in two years, with many of them fatal: "An old woman died from bedsores caused by filth" and "A child was disfigured for life owing to a lack of proper care at home," Furthermore, with a huge industrial population like ours, accidents were common.
Pictured below is a Sketch of an explosion in the venting shaft of the Foord Works, Albion Mines, ca.1880. MOI collection 191.32.579, scan 200600117
