I am looking for information on what type of facility this was. I understand that it was founded by Florence N. Ward in 1907 as a private hospital and was not listed in city directories after 1923.

My grandmother's birth certificate indicates she was born there in 1921. We know very little about her, but we do know she had mental problems and a debilitating physical condition she claimed was MS. I am wondering if my great-grandmother was in this facility just to give birth, or if she may have been there for treatment for something else (like TB or something else requiring long term treatment) and was still there at the time of her delivery.

Thanks for any help,

Jennifer Struwe

-- Jennifer Struwe (jmstruwe@netreach.net), November 22, 2000

Answers

Dear Jennifer, Yesterday, I received a copy of the death certificate of my aunt, who died in Florence Ward Hospital in 1923. I, too know nothing of this hospital. I did, however, find some info about a Dr. Florence Nightengale Ward.

You might try searching: www.google.com and typing in "hospital florence ward san francisco" Some info that I got from this site, indicates that Dr. Ward, "in 1907 established a private sanitarium at 1195 Bush Street." She died in 1919.

Since you posted you query, have you learned any more about Florence Ward Hospital?

Elliott Healy Dublin, CA

-- Elliott Healy (jneh@att.com), July 18, 2001.

Here's an interesting wrinkle: A google search turns up a Florence Nightengale Ward at Baylor University (in Dallas, TX). I found the reference on an adoptee-reuniting website: http://www.rainmaker.net/hightowerhome/

The San Francisco Dr. Ward's obituary is here: http://www.sf50.com/sf/hgoe16.htm

-- Rosa Debonneheure (rosadebon@yahoo.com), July 23, 2001.

I was born in Florence Nightengale Hospital (1936)which was a maternity hospital located on the grounds of Baylor Hospital. I think it was torn down in the 40's. As an adult I worked as a lab tech at Baylor Hospital and old records were located in a tin barn behine Wadley Blood Bank. I know because I looked at my birth mother's medical records. Hope this helps. It was always a maternity hospital and most of the children born there were sent to Hope Cottage in Dallas.

-- Carolyn V. (cvaughn@cox-internet.com), January 10, 2002.

I am a librarian and work in Escondido, CA. I was surfing Google looking for any info on my dad's great aunt, Florence Nightingale Ward, and came across your inquiry. Dr. Florence Ward was quite a woman- way ahead of her time is an understatement. My father, John Burleson Lyttle was delivered by Dr. Ward in her San Francisco Hospital, as were his 2 brothers. If you would like more info on Dr. Ward, please contact me at the enclosed email address.

-- Abigail Bridges (stewartlyttle@hotmail.com), May 04, 2002.

Re: Florence Nightengale Hospital My brother, my sister, and I were all born at Florence Nightengale Hospital in Dallas, TX in the 1950's---in fact, almost every native Dallasite that I have ever met was born at Florence Nightengale. It was the maternity ward for Baylor Hospital, and the building is now the Wadley Tower of the Baylor Hospital complex. Some babies may have gone to Hope Cottage, as Florence Nightengale was the only maternity hospital in Dallas during the days before "the pill", but the vast majority did not.

-- Julie S. (julieaspears@netscape.net), January 16, 2003.

My definition of a Sanitorium:
A place where people with problems (alcohol, etc) go to live and rehibilatate. This is what I was taught...

-- Piano Man (seanmhall14@hotmail.com), January 17, 2003.

i have a question too. im in 9th grade & im doing a report on florence nightingale & i would like to know any info you have on her. like her birth or death certificate or anything else. thanx

-- jessica george (jesskait333@aol.com), August 21, 2003.

If you put "Florence Nightingale" (include the quotation marks and note it's spelled with an "I") you will get a long ton of interesting sites covering her career, like this one for the Florence Nightingale Museum in England: http://www.florence-nightingale.co.uk/

-- Rosa (rosadebon@yahoo.com), August 22, 2003.

I am researching a Florence Sanitarium founded in 1893 by Florence Nightingale Saltonstall, M.D.. I do not think it was ever built. Dr. Saltonstall seems to be the same person as Dr. Florence Nightingale Ward who in 1907 founded the private sanitarium at 1195 Bush. In her obituary it says that her sister is Miss Irene Ferguson and Florence Saltonstall was also nee Ferguson. Anyhow, the San Francisco History room at the Main Library has several articles about Saltonstall referenced in its card catalogue, all from 1892. She was a leading lady physician, a homeopath and taught at the Hahnemann College (also homeopathic). I have not yet checked additional sources for Florence Ward. Inge Horton

-- Inge Horton (ingehor@pacbell.net), April 11, 2004.