Packer House Hospital, Sunbury Pa

 
MARY M. PACKER HOSPITAL, SUNBURY, NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY

A History, as given in an 1898 on Charitable Organizations in Pennsylvania

"As a railroad centre with two shifting yards, there have naturally been a large number of
 accident cases happening in Sunbury for the past quarter of a century.

 When the late Dr. Charles M. Martin was appointed local physician for the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, he built an addition to his office and drug store on Third street, Sunbury, which during his life-time was the only hospital and operating room the town afforded. From this table, the men were carried to their homes, there to be cared for as best they could.

After the death of Dr. Martin, the company fitted up a second story room in its freight station, as an operating room. From the tact that it was impossible even then to give the men the care and attention that was required after an operation, the railroad officials became very much interested in a movement to get some better accommodations, and at the suggestion of Mr. E. B. Westfall, Superintendent of the Eastern Division and Mr. G. W. Creighton, then superintendent of the Sunbury division, a meeting of the citizens was called at the Central Hotel, on April 5th, 1895.

 This meeting was presided over by the late William Whitmer. 

A committee consisting of James C. Packer, George W. Creighton, Henry E. Davis, Charles W. Nickerson and Charles M. Clement were appointed to procure a charter for the hospital, and to take the necessary steps to form a board of trustees.

 Mrs. Mary M. Packer, having most generously made the offer at this meeting that she would give six thousand dollars toward starting the charity, with the sole proviso that it forever remain non-sectarian in character and free to all who would be unable to pay for treatment, by unanimous agreement of all the persons present, the institution was named in her honor. 

The charter was granted by the court of common pleas on April 27th, 1895. with the following board of trustees: For One Year.—William Carus, Sunbury; George W. Deppen, Sun-bury; George B. Reimensnyder, Sunbury; Harvey Brumbach, Sun-bury; Truman J. Purdy, Sunbury. For Two Years.—Ferd K. Hill, Sunbury; Clinton R. Savidge, Sun-bury; William M. Rockefeller, Sunbury; Lloyd T. Rohrbach, Sunbury: Simon P. Wolverton, Sunbury. 

For Three Years.—James C. Packer, Sunbury; Charles W. Nicker-son, Sunbury; Henry E. Davis, Sunbury; George W. Creighton, Sun-bury; Charles M. Clement, Sunbury.

 The board of trustees appointed a committee to select and procure a site for the hospital; it being deemed best to purchase a building that would be at once converted to hospital uses. After an examination of all the sites offered, the board decided to purchase the property of T. H. Purdy, between Catawissa and Fairmount avenues, containing four acres, for twenty thousand dollars. The building was thoroughly remodeled and refitted for hospital purposes and equipped with the most modern surgical instruments and appliances.

 A medical staff of ten physicians and surgeons was selected from those who offered their services to the Board, who both assisted in the equipment of the hospital and have since devoted their time and attention to the care of the sick and injured with gratifying success, at a remarkably low rate of mortality and .with very many astounding recoveries. The board called to their assistance in the management of the hos-pit-al a Ladies' Aid, who have materially aided in the furthering of the work of the Institution, taking complete charge of furnishing clothing, linen, without drain upon the hospital funds, and assisting generally in the domestic management of the hospital. Through their efforts a complete laundry has been fitted up in the basement and several other minor improvements made. 

Horse Drawn Ambulance, For the Mary Packer Hospital

The railroad men of the town, through their affiliated orders donated to the hospital a handsome ambulance. One bed has been endowed by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, who also presented the hospital with twenty-five hundred dollars towards a fund for enlarging the buildings

 In the first year there were ninety-five patients received; thirty-six in the medical wards and fifty-nine in the surgical. Of these forty-eight were cured, forty-nine discharged improved, and five unimproved, while eight died. 

The hospital site occupies a plot of ground surrounded on three sides by streets and of such an elevation as to practically give a view of the entire town. The building is a substantial, two-story brick dwelling house, has a mansard roof and tower. 

The main building being 65 feet by 68 feet, with kitchen addition 20 feet by 21 feet. On the first floor is the operating room, surgical ward, officers dining room and room used for office, library and dispensary, kitchen, pantries, buttery and bath room for surgical patients.

 On the second floor is the men's medic al ward, women's ward and private room for day patients. sleeping rooms of the superintendent and Chief Nurse. and in 11w addition the sleeping rooms for the servants.

The third story is fitted up for storage purposes and sleeping room of the night nurses. There are now fourteen beds available for patients; one of which must always be left vacant for railroad accident cases, under the terms of the endowment of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company. 

The grounds of the hospital are beautifully laid out with shrubbery, evergreens, and also contain an orchard of superior fruit trees, a grapery and kitchen garden, furnishing vegetables enough for the use of the building. Eleven surgical cases were treated as out-cases. 

During the second year, there were 119 patients received, of whom forty were medical and seventy-nine surgical. Seventy-eight were cured and thirty-one discharged improved, and three unimproved, while seven died; three  hours after admission. 

Nearly fourteen thousand dollars were expended during the first year, and over five thousand dollars during the second year. 

The present officers of the hospital are: President, James C. Packer. Treasurer, George W. Deppen. Secretary, H. M. Chenometh. Superintendent and Chief Nurse, Miss Amanda Mothersbauch. Nurses.—Miss Margaret Green, Miss Elizabeth Trumlove. Clerk, Miss Elizabeth Brosius. 

Medical Staff. Surgeons.—Dr. Robert H. Awl, Dr. Philip H. Kenn, Dr. William T. Graham, Dr. Francis E. Drumheller, Dr. William L. Shindel. Physicians.—Dr. J. W. Sheets, Dr. William B. Stoner, Dr. J. T. Hard, Dr. Mary McCay-Wenek, Dr. E. B. Cooper. 

State Appropriations. 

1895,   1896,   1897 and Total,   1898,   Maintenance. $4,000 00 4,000 00 8,000 00 $16,000 00 

Garden Party On The Hospital Grounds 

1940

1943

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The New Modern Hospital

Dedicated July 8, 1951

1951 Dedication

The New, Modern Sunbury Hospital 

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William Cameron, of Union County Pa died in 1877.

In his will, he left 1,400,000 [one million, four hundred thousand dollars] to his daughter, Mary [Cameron] Packer, the wife of Hon. John Packer of Sunbury.

The will was highly contested, as there were other siblings, and grandchildren, who received in comparison, very small amounts.

One Million four hundred thousand dollars in 1878 is roughly the equivalent of nearly 34 million today.

In 1895, Mrs. Mary [Cameron] Packer gave six thousand dollars towards a hospital, "with the sole proviso that it forever remain non sectarian in character and free to all who would be unable to pay for treatment". The Purdy mansion was purchased for $20,000, and the house was outfitted as a hospital.

Simon Cameron, and James Cameron, were brothers of William. Cameron Park is named for James Cameron, who was killed at Bull Run.

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Charitable Institutions of Pennsylvania which Have Received State Aid in 1897 and 1898 Embracing Their History and the Amount of State Appropriations which They Received · Volume 1