Nova Scotia Archives

Archibald MacMechan

Halifax Disaster Record Office Materials

Personal narrative - Miss M.E. Doane (Mrs. Belcher)

4 pages : 30 x 39 cm.

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MG 1 vol 2124 number 140b

HALIFAX DISASTER RECORD OFFICE
Chronicle Building
Halifax, N.S.

make them look as they should. Was much interested in patient Charles Patrick Wiswell, three years and a half old. One eye was gone, right cheek cut, mouth cut on the other side. Burned from waist to knees and attacked with septic bronchial pneumonia. Lived for ten days. Could not speak plain, but swore fluently. Mrs. Garnet was going to adopt him. Father turned up on the 15th of December and did not recognize child at first. Finally did identify him. His burns were healing. He died from blood-poisoning of the wound in his cheek.

Only saw one woman crying. Doctors could not do anything with her. Usual mental attitude of thankfulness "Thank God, I am safe" "Thank God, most of my family are here". Found small boy under bed in his night-clothes. Had only slight scratch on chin. About seven years of age. Very handsome with big brown eyes. Remained under bed poking out his head as Miss Doane passed to say "Hello, there!" Improvised clothes for him and dressed him. He saw orderly sweeping out the ward. Said "I can do that" Got a broom for himself and swept. Also got tray of food and was caught feeding one of the patients. Name Gordon Roy Bentley. Now at the I.O.D.E. Home, Spring Garden Road. When the house fell in he pulled the bed-clothes over his head. Was taken home by Miss Jean Lindsay. Remained with her until January 3rd. In answer regarding stolidity of patients instanced a child, Emily Lawrence, so badly cut in the neck that a drainage tube had to be inserted: petted a child, pretty, pink and white. Only said "Oh!" in a low tone when dressing applied.

Case of Mrs. White, whose face was destroyed by stove exploding


"She thought she was going to a picnic".

Reference: Archibald MacMechan Nova Scotia Archives MG 1 volume 2124 number 140

Nova Scotia Archives — https://archives.novascotia.ca/macmechan/archives/?ID=140

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