The Knickerbocker Hospital was a 228-bed hospital in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

located at 70 Convent Avenue, corner of West 131st Street in

Harlem Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on the west; the Harlem River and 155th Street (Manhattan), 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on the east; and 110th Street (Manhattan), ...

, serving primarily poor and immigrant patients.

History

Founded in 1862 as the Manhattan Dispensary, it served as a temporary

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

tent facility for returning

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...

invalids. In 1885, the ''

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'' praised its rebirth as the fully equipped Manhattan Hospital, "the only general hospital north of Ninety-ninth street." The hospital assumed the city's largest

ambulance An ambulance is a medically equipped vehicle which transports patients to treatment facilities, such as hospitals. Typically, out-of-hospital medical care is provided to the patient during the transport. Ambulances are used to respond to medi ...

district for many decades and worked at the forefront of treatments for

polio Poliomyelitis, commonly shortened to polio, is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. Approximately 70% of cases are asymptomatic; mild symptoms which can occur include sore throat and fever; in a proportion of cases more severe s ...

alcoholism Alcoholism is, broadly, any drinking of alcohol (drug), alcohol that results in significant Mental health, mental or physical health problems. Because there is disagreement on the definition of the word ''alcoholism'', it is not a recognize ...

, and

gynecological Gynaecology or gynecology (see spelling differences) is the area of medicine that involves the treatment of women's diseases, especially those of the reproductive organs. It is often paired with the field of obstetrics, forming the combined area ...

care. Manhattan Hospital's successive names were: * the J. Hood Wright Memorial Hospital after

James Hood Wright James Hood Wright (known professionally as J. Hood Wright; November 4, 1836 – November 12, 1894) was an American banker, financier, corporate director, business magnate, and reorganizer of US railroads. He began as a bookkeeper but his mana ...

in 1895, * the Knickerbocker Hospital in 1913, * and finally, in 1974, as the Arthur C. Logan Memorial Hospital after Arthur C. Logan only a few years before it closed in 1979. The 1914 ''Directory of Social and Health Agencies'' listed the hospital as such: :''Knickerbocker Hospital (incorp. 1862 as the ManHattan Dispensary; Aug. 1895, title changed to J. Hood Wright Memorial; title again changed to present name, June, 1913, opened 1884), Amsterdam Ave. and 131st St. Gives free medical and surgical treatment to the worthy sick poor of New York City. Incurable and contagious diseases and alcoholic, maternity and insane patients not admitted. Emergency cases received at any hour. Capacity, 57 beds. 1,090 cases treated and 1,540 days' treatment given during the past year. Dispensary free to the poor only. Supported by charitable contributions. Visiting days, Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays from 2 to 4 p.m.'' :''Ambulance Service for the district from West 76th St. to 145th St. and from St. Nicholas Ave. to North River, including 28th, 32d and 36th Police Precincts.'' :''Officers: Macomb G. Foster, Pres.; William H. Remick, Biv. 1. General Hospitals. 189 :''Treas.; Grant Squires, Ass't Treas.; Edward D. Jones, Sec.; Lucy M. Moore, Supt., to whom apply at hospital.

Current status

The former Knickerbocker Hospital building still stands and is currently the

M. Moran Weston Milton Moran Weston II (better known as M. Moran Weston, September 10, 1910 – May 18, 2002) was an African-American Episcopal priest who "led one of Harlem's most prominent churches, helped found what became the nation's largest black-owned ...

seniors' residence.

In popular culture

The television series ''

The Knick ''The Knick'' is an American medical period drama television series on Cinemax created by Jack Amiel and Michael Begler and directed by Steven Soderbergh. The series follows Dr. John W. Thackery (Clive Owen) and the staff at a fictionalized vers ...

'' is set in a hospital inspired by the Knickerbocker. The Knickerbocker, similar to the television portrayal, had a standing policy often refusing to treat African-American patients despite the hospital's mission to serve those who could not afford to pay for medical care. The building was not used in the show's production, with the Boys High School building standing in for the hospital instead. In the television series,

Clive Owen Clive Owen (born 3 October 1964) is an English actor. He first gained recognition in the United Kingdom for playing the lead role in the ITV series '' Chancer'' from 1990 to 1991. He received critical acclaim for his work in the film '' Close ...

's character, Dr. John Thackery, is based in part on Dr. William Stewart Halsted. Dr. Halsted, a well known physician who invented many new surgical instruments and techniques in the early 20th century was, according to the Johns Hopkins Institute, known to be addicted to

cocaine Cocaine (from , from , ultimately from Quechuan languages, Quechua: ''kúka'') is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant mainly recreational drug use, used recreationally for its euphoria, euphoric effects. It is primarily obtained from t ...

and

morphine Morphine is a strong opiate that is found naturally in opium, a dark brown resin in poppies (''Papaver somniferum''). It is mainly used as a analgesic, pain medication, and is also commonly used recreational drug, recreationally, or to make ...

, like "Thackery."

References

{{Hospitals in New York City, state=expanded Defunct hospitals in Manhattan 1862 establishments in New York (state) Hospitals established in 1862 Historically black hospitals in the United States

History

Current status

In popular culture

See also

References