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Halifax Disaster Record Office
Chronicle Building
Halifax, N.S.

January 24th, 1918
Journal

on the scene and assisted by Miss Scott, took the reins in hands. Until midnight, when Dr. Forbes arrived from Lunenburg and Drs. White and Ferguson from Moncton and Morton of Halifax, the patients were given the best of First Aid treatment by local workers, who are deserving the highest praise possible. It is understood hardly a septic case was the outcome of that first day's treatment at the Y.M.C.A. The best tribute possibly to those who worked so hard to "help."
On Friday Miss Stewart and eight nurses arrived from Fredericton, bringing with them fourteen boxes of clothing and supplies. Some sort of organization followed the arrival of the doctors and nurses and the Y.M.C.A. was practically turned into a regular hospital. Over fifty were housed in the Assembly Hall the night of the explosion and meals were served right along to workers and those who came in from the street. It has been estimated that not less than a thousand were furnished with meals that day.
Until Saturday, when Dr. Codman and staff arrived from Boston to take over the Y.M.C.A the building was under Mrs. McDougall's direction. At a meeting held the Monday following with Colonel McKelvey Bell, A.D.M.S. present, it was decided to put Dr. Codman in charge of the hospital. The matter of taking over the Y.M.C.A. as an emergency hospital was considered and a verbal agreement reached that it should be released as soon as possibly, but the Association very generously agreed to permit the building to be used as a hospital as long as it was actually required. This means a great deal of sacrifice on the part of the Association, for the building has depended for its up keep, largely on the amount coming in from the rental of the dormitory rooms, which are now being used for patients.
Again the building has been changed by the medical authorities that it might be an up-to-date hospital and many other expenses have been necessary, which will make a big hole in the Associations funds. The Y.M.C.A. Building has always been one of the City's biggest assets, but the day of the terrible disaster it was realized even more fully, by everyone. The Association world wide is daily gaining new laurels for itself and Halifax is by no means, now, near the tail end. Much has already been said in previous accounts of the excellent management of the hospital- but far too little credit has been given the Association staff for their earnest exorts and generosity.
Halifax will never be able to repay the Y.M.C.A. for the excellent service it has given the city's people.