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NORTON, VA, 1948 - The Norton Clinic was purchased by a group of Catholic
Hospital sisters on Saturday, July 24. The hospital will be known as
Norton Clinic, Incorporated, but within the coming months the name will be
changed to St. Mary's Hospital. It will be a non-stock, non-profit
institution. Sister Mary Colette is in charge and is accompanied by two
other sisters for the present; with three more, to come during the month
of August.
Sister Anne Christina and Sister Rose Carmel are registered
nurses and are veterans in hospital work.
In an interview with the new owners, it was stated that the hospital be
conducted without discrimination to race religion or nationality. At
present, there is a 50-bed capacity.
Doctors N. H. Short, T. J. Tudor and E. J. Benko will remain with the
hospital. Other doctors and surgeons will also be invited to serve on the
staff. The present personnel also will remain with the hospital.
Mr. Thomas Gabriele, a resident of Norton, has been appointed as public
relations director. One of his duties will be to contact the other
hospitals and doctors of this area to promote the maximum service to the
public.
The first unit of Norton Clinic opened its doors for reception of patients
in April 1938. The second unit opened in 1940.
The Hospital Sisters are a group of women who have dedicated their lives
to the service of God for the love of God. They work without a salary and
put back into the hospital any charge for services for its improvements
and for better service to the people.
Southwestern Virginia is fortunate that the Sisters have come to this
territory. They are in demand because of the devoted care they give
to the sick, and because of the high standards which maintain in their
hospitals. They themselves are highly trained and they demand the same of
their staffs.
The property purchased consists of the hospital, nurses' home, and a small
corner house all on the same plot of ground. The property is less than a
block from St Anthony’s Catholic Church.
Virginia Avenue front of the property is 260 feet and it extends back 150
feet from the street. The hospital is of red brick construction, designed
and built in 1938
Founded by Magdalene Taylor, The Poor Servants of the Mother of God has
Hospitals, Schools, and Orphanages.
Last November in 1947, the Poor Servants opened a Convalescent Home in
High Point, North Carolina. Father Joseph Dean invited them last April to
consider establishing a hospital. in Norton, Virginia.
Area served Wise County, Lee, Scott, Dickenson, Buchanan, and Russell
Counties, including 2,800 square miles and about 200,000 people.
This is the only hospital in this territory planned and built as a
hospital, with 42-inch doors, so that regular hospital beds can go
through. These beds are mounted on three-inch rubber castors. Patients can
and may be taken from the emergency room to operating room and then on to
their own room without extra handling. Sometimes this is a life saving
measure. You do not find this in any other hospital in this territory.
This hospital had the lowest mortality rate per hospital days in the state
for 1947.
Credit for initiating and completing the entire project is due to Mickey
Caruso of Wise County without any personal remuneration. |
