Heritage: Honoring the Hospitals' Early Years in the Nation's Capital

By District of Columbia Hospital Association

Book Overview

Prior to the Civil War, there were five hospitals in existence in the District of Columbia and they were for those without family to care for them or the means to pay for in-home visits from physicians. They frequently included jails and workhouses for the poor.At the start of the Civil War, many assumed the Union Army would easily win. But the Battle of Bull Run showed the War would not end quickly. To care for the overwhelming number of wounded soldiers and civilians, the federal government turned churches, businesses and houses in the District into hospitals. The number swelled from five to fifty-three, including over two thousand cots on the floor of the U.S. Capitol building. Heritage explores the rich history of the District's hospitals, and includes incredible photographs from the Library of Congress, National Archives, the Historical Society of D.C., and many others."Washington's rich hospital history is recounted in a new book published by the District of Columbia Hospital Association...it isn't exhaustive, nor is it exhausting. It's a breezy look at the roughly 100-year span when the groundwork was laid for today's hospitals. And the pictures are great."- John Kelly, The Washington Post

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0986405205
• ISBN13: 9780986405204
• Release Date: January 2015
• Publisher: District of Columbia Hospital Association
• Weight: 1.01 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.5" x 8.5"