The Hospital Herald - 1899

The Hospital Herald, Charleston, S.C.

This is a page from the Hospital Herald, Charleston 1899. I have discovered that the Waring Library at MUSC has digitized the copies of the medical journal. It is a fascinating glimpse at medical history in the lowcountry and I have been reading them all. Copies of the journal can be found: Lowcountry Digital Library.

The Hospital Herald is described as: The Official organ of the Association of Colored Physicians of South Carolina, edited by Dr. A.C. McClennan, surgeon in charge of the Colored Hospital and Training School for Nurses at 135 Cannon St., Charleston, S.C. Topics discussed in this issue include the financial needs of the hospital and solicitations of donations for indebtedness. Other topics include winter illnesses, sanitation and hygiene, and nurse-training.

How times have changed. They are hoping for donations of $15 to support a free bed for a month and $300 would pay the salary of the Head Nurse for a year.  Click below to see local Charleston advertisers in the Herald.

Cemetery Walking

Bethany Cemetery, Charleston, S.C.

I never tire of walking through the old cemeteries in the lowcountry. My guests from yesterday were going to try to find the tomb of their great grandfather Dr. Alonzo McClennan in the Humane & Friendly Society Cemetery.

I had searched before without success, but this time I spotted the tombstone as soon as I walked through the gate. It's been a beautiful warm day and since I arrived before the family, I took a walk through old Bethany Cemetery (above) which is immediately across the street.

As I walked out of the gates I could see that they had easily found the marker as well. Jeanette McClennan and her husband Bill were joined by Dr. Jim Tolley and his daughter Jessica. It seemed a fitting closure to this part of the history of the gentleman who lived in my house to find his tomb.

Baby, Come Back

Vanderhorst St., Charleston, S.C.

Years ago, on my earlier blog I wrote about the impressive gentleman who had lived in my old Charleston house. Dr. Alonzo McClennan was an important Charleston figure, an early physician and pharmacist, he had a school for black practical nurses, a hospital on Cannon St. and published a medical journal. A plaque was recently placed at the location of the former hospital on Cannon St.

Dr. McClennan lived in my house on Vanderhorst St. in the late 1800's. The bottom floor of the house would have been his clinic where he saw patients.

I've always been proud to live in the home of such an interesting character. One of his descendant's family members in New York happened upon my blog and sent me an email pleased to know there was still a connection in Charleston to their great grandfather and finally after all these years, they came to visit. They were driving their son to Savannah on a college tour and made a stop in Charleston to learn more. This morning they toured MUSC, visited the Waring Library and the Avery Institute where they were received like honored guests.

I figured they would stop for lunch before they got to me, and I made carrot cake, key lime pie and pralines for their afternoon visit. They arrived in one of Charleston's afternoon downpours and it was a sentimental journey as they walked through the house, stood in front of the house's fireplaces and saw the rooms where their ancestor took care of his patients. They left me copies of old pictures and filled in some gaps in what I knew.

It was a wonderful afternoon and a real treat to meet Dr. McClennan's family and it all happened because of some scribbles I wrote on this blog. This was a cool day, kids.

Dr. Homeboy. My Hero

Dr. Alonzo McClennan, Charleston, S.C.

He isn't exactly my homeboy but he is my hero and he lived and practiced medicine in my home. I spotted a notice in the paper that Dr. Alonzo McClennan was to be remembered with a new plaque in front of the address that used to house the hospital he founded on Cannon St. Besides the mayor and assorted Medical University dignitaries I was one of the few white faces in attendance. I was tempted to claim to be a great, great, great niece but was honored enough to be able to say, "I live in his house."

Alonzo Clifton McClennan, MD was born in Columbia, South Carolina in 1855. He attended public school there, and in 1873 was appointed to the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis. After four months he resigned from the academy and studied at Wilberham Academy in Massachusetts and the University of South Carolina. He graduated with honors from Howard University in Washington, DC, receiving degrees both from the School of Pharmacy and the School of Medicine. Dr. McClennan moved to Charleston in 1884 and established the first Negro drug store. In 1897 he spearheaded the drive to fund and staff the Hospital and Training School for Nurses, which he served as medical director,instructor of surgical nursing, and surgeon in charge until his death in 1912. His son, Ridley U. McClennan, MD, also served as a medical director of the Hospital.

Known as a severe disciplinarian and occasional dictator, Dr. Alonzo McClennan posessed admirable surgical skill and unquestioned devotion to his hospital staff and his community. The good he accomplished for both earned their loyalty and respect.

In those days, of course he wouldn't have been able to admit his patients to a hospital so used the basement of the house as his clinic. At that time it had an entrance from the street.

I have a letter from his great great grand daughter who remembered the house having mahogany staircases before it was chopped up into apartments. Then because of this blog, I was contacted by young descendants of his in New York who were delighted to know there was still a Charleston connection. I wish I had known about the event early enough to invite them down. They would have been the guests of honor.

After the speeches and official photo ops people who had worked at the Cannon St. Hospital and folks who had been born there posed for pictures.