For many researchers, the medical history of our ancestors is just as important as their genealogy. I have been collecting bits and pieces of information about medical care in early Lewis County history - particularly the names of hospitals and doctors that treated early residents. This information is by no means complete and I will continue to update it as I come across new resources. If you can add to this information, please do not hesitate to contact Jenny Tenlen.

Hospitals

Centralia

Banks Private Hospital Operated by Rush Banks, Physician and Surgeon. Note in 1930 Centralia Ward 6 census: "Banks Private Hospital has not been in operation since 1913" (Centralia Ward 6, ED 21-13, sheet 8A, p. 73, roll 2507).

Coon Health Institute: Located at 221 North Washington, according to the 1930 Census (Centralia Ward 8, ED 21-15, sheet 5B, p. 88, roll 2507; Frank H. Coon, Physician)

Centralia General Hospital: In the 1930 census, the hospital was located at 522 North Iron (1930 census, Centralia Ward 6, ED 21-13, sheet 7A, roll 2507).

Centralia Sanitorium: Located at 611 E. St., according to the 1930 census (Centralia Ward 5, ED 21-12, sheet 9A, p. 65, roll 2507; Samuel Woodruff, Physician)

Lee A. Scace Hospital (also known as Employees Hospital): Operated by Lee A. Scace.

Lewis County General Hospital:

Nugent General Hospital: Located on South Gold Street in Clarke [according to the 1930 census: 1930 census, Clarke Precinct, ED 21-32, sheet 2A, pg 207, microfilm roll 2507; Roy C. Reis, Physician and Surgeon (b. MN, abt 1899)]. Nugent General Hospital was bought by the father of Walter Wuerth in 1938 and converted into the first "old folks home" (known as Peter Pan Nursing Home in the early 1980s) (source: "History of Lewis County, WA").

Providence Centralia Hospital: The primary hospital serving the Centralia-Chehalis area, operated by Sisters of Providence. Its Chehalis campus was the former St. Helens hospital.

St. Luke Hospital: Located at 703 H St., Centralia, according to the 1930 census (Centralia Ward 5, ED 21-12, sheet 8A, p. 64, roll 2507). The following staff were listed in the 1930 census:
Dr. Barr Sweet, Head
Theodore Lucas, Intern
Irene F. Lucas, Nurse
Esther Boe, Nurse
Margaret Humphrie, Nurse

Chehalis

Kennicott Hospital: Private hospital operated by Guy W. Kennicott.

Mrs L J Bailey Private Hospital: Private hospital operated by Mrs. Lovina J. Bailey, a trained nurse. Located at 1523 Fifth St., Chehalis (according to the 1930 census - Chehalis East 3rd Precinct, sheet 2A, pg 152, microfilm roll 2507).

St. Mary's Hospital:

St. Helens Hospital: Opened in the early 1900s by the Dominican Sisters and located at 1332 Washington Ave. The hospital is now owned by Sisters of Providence, and is part of the Chehalis campus of Providence Centralia Hospital. A history of the hospital is on Providence Centralia's website.

Morton

Morton General Hospital: Morton General was opened in 1937 by Dr. C. B. Ritchie and remained privately owned and operated until it was purchased by the Lewis County Hospital District No. 1 in 1978. In 2007, a new hospital building was opened on Adams St. in Morton. For more on the history of Morton General, see their website.

Toledo

Mathis Hospital:

Toledo Hospital:

Medical Professionals

BAILEY, Lovina J.: Private nurse, Chehalis

BANKS, Russell: Physician, Centralia

BEEBE, Marshal S.: Dentist, Centralia [1901-1902 Gazetteer]

BOTZER, William: Physician and surgeon, Ferry/Mayfield [biography]

CAMPBELL, R. H.: Physician, Vader [biography]

COLEMAN, John T.: Physician, Chehalis [1901-1902 Gazetteer] [obituary]

CUMMINGS, Philip S.: Dentist, Chehalis [1901-1902 Gazetteer]

COON, Frank H.: Physician, Centralia

CRAVENS, Harry B.: Physician, Pe Ell [1930 census]

DOTY, E. J.: Dentist, Winlock [biography]

DOW, George H.: Physician, Chehalis [biography]

DUMON, John H.: Physician, Centralia [1901-1902 Gazetteer] [obituary] [biography]

FRANCIS, Thomas F.: Physician, Centralia [1901-1902 Gazetteer]

FREEMAN, William L.: Physician, Toledo [1901-1902 Gazetteer]

GARNER, H. R.: Physician, Chehalis [obituary]

GODFREY, B. G.: Physician, Chehalis [1901-1902 Gazetteer]

HACKNEY, Frederick J.: Physician and surgeon, Toledo [biography]

HARDEN, C. R.: Physician and County Coroner, Chehalis [obituary]

HENDERSON, M. D.: Physician, Riffe [1901-1902 Gazetteer]

HINKLEY, Edwin: Physician, Pe Ell [1901-1902 Gazetteer]

HOTCHKISS, Walter Booth: Physician and surgeon, Chehalis [biography]

JANES, Carey E.: Dentist, Winlock [1901-1902 Gazetteer]

LAWTON, M.: Physician, Fulton [1901-1902 Gazetteer]

LEWIS, Frank C.: Dentist, Centralia [1901-1902 Gazetteer]

MORLEY, Harvey W.: Physician, McCormick/Walville [1930 census]

NAIL, L. F.: Dentist, Napavine [1901-1902 Gazetteer]

PETIT, Henri L.: Physician and surgeon, Chehalis [biography]

POMPE, Adrian A.: PHysician, Toledo [1901-1902 Gazetteer]

POWELL, Charles D.: Dentist, Chehalis [biography]

PRIMMER, Thomas: Physician and surgeon, Centralia [1901-1902 Gazetteer]

REIS, Roy C.: Physician and surgeon, Clarke

SCACE, Lee A.: Physician, Centralia [biography]

SCOTT, William Russell: Physician and surgeon, Centralia [biography]

SHORT, C. A.: Dentist, Napavine [1901-1902 Gazetteer]

SLEICHER, James M.: Physician, Chehalis [biography]

SMITH, Albert G.: Physician, Chehalis [1901-1902 Gazetteer]

STEVENS, Eugene W.: Physician, Doty [1930 census]

SWEET, Barr: Physician, Centralia

WENDT, Samuel Milton: Physician, Chehalis [obituary]

WHITESIDE, Hugh P.: Physician, Pe Ell [1901-1902 Gazetteer]

WIGHT, Wesley: Physician, Windom [1900 census]

WOODRUFF, Samuel: Physician, Centralia

WOODY, Neil E.: Physician, Winlock [1901-1902 Gazetteer]

Medical Board Examinations - Lewis County applicants. Source: "Medical Notes." Northwest Medicine: The Journal of the Washington State Medical Association. Clarence A. Smith, Ed. Vol. V, January to December, 1907. Seattle: Washington Medical Library Association, 1907. p. 278.

"Licentiates of the Washington Examining Board. At the July examination held in Seattle, 123 applicants presented themselves, of whom 97 were successful. Their names follow, with the latest address of each, as far as known at present."

Howard Andrews, Centralia
Manning Jaynes, Chehalis

Lewis County Medical Society

1907

Source: "Medical Societies." Northwest Medicine: The Journal of the Washington State Medical Association. Clarence A. Smith, Ed. Vol. V, January to December, 1907. Seattle: Washington Medical Library Association, 1907. p. 66.

President: J. T. Coleman
Secretary: J. D. Thompson
Baldwin, Margaret, Centralia
Banks, R. B. L., Centralia
Botzer, Wm., Mayfield
Coleman, J. T., Chehalis
Dow, G. H., Chehalis
Dumon, J. H., Centralia
Godfrey, B. G., Chehalis
Kennicott, G. W., Chehalis
Kniskern, E. L., Centralia
Primmer, Thos., Centralia
Stevens, E. W., Dryad
Thompson, J. D., Winlock

1912

Source: The Medical Sentinel. Henry Waldo Coe, Editor. Volume 20, Number 3, March 1912. pp. 171-172.

"New Officers for Medical Association.

The following officers were elected for the ensuing year by the Twin City Medical Association at a banquet held at the Hotel Centralia February 5. Dr. W. B. Hotchkiss, of Chehalis, president; Dr. J. M. Sleicher, of Chehalis, vice president; Dr. Rush Banks, of Centralia, secretary-treasurer. It was decided that the association hold four banquets a year in the future instead of one, as has heretofore been the custom. The next banquet will be held in Chehalis some time in May."

Source: The Medical Sentinel. Henry Waldo Coe, Editor. Volume 20, Number 7, July 1912. pp. 422.

"Lewis County Medical Society Banquet.

The Lewis County Medical Society, of which Dr. W. B. Hotchkiss, of Chehalis, is President, held a big banquet at the St. Helens hotel April 15. Nearly all of the physicians in the county, their wives and a number of nurses were in attendance. This is the first banquet ever given by the local society, and probably any medical society in the state, where women were present.

The menu was an exceptionally fine one, and Bailey's orchestra rendered the music for the occasion. Dr. Kennicott of Chehalis acted as toastmaster and the following were responded to: "The Social Side of the Doctor's Life," Dr. Sleicher of Chehalis; "Politics and the Doctor," Dr. J. T. Coleman, mayor of Chehalis; "The Hospital," Dr. F. O. Houda, of Centralia; "The Doctor's Wife," Dr. E. L. Kniskern of Centralia; "The Doctor Himself," Dr. Rush Banks, of Centralia; "The Doctor and the Automobile," Dr. Primmer of Centralia; "The Babies," Dr. Dumon of Centralia, and "The Ladies," Dr. Godfrey of Chehalis. Drs. Livingstone and Smith of Centralia and Dr. Botzer were on the program for toast, but they were unable to be present."