HEALTH CARE

Records at the Provincial Archives in Charlottetown show that there was a Dr. William Grigg in the Tyne Valley area in 1861.Also recorded are Dr. John F. Brine in 1881; Dr. Thomas Campbell, Northam in 1891; Dr. Alfred E. Long, Tyne Valley, also in 1891; and Dr. Long was still there in 1901.

Dr. William Grigg and his wife Elizabeth Daniel lived in Tyne Valley. He made his rounds on horseback, dispensing pills and home-made tonic. Elizabeth died on July 10, 1856 aged 56 years. Dr. Grigg remarried twice and died on December 29, 1880 at the age of 81 years. Dr. Grigg was a great, great grandfather of Chester Grigg, Tyne Valley.

Dr. Campbell moved from Northam to Alberton prior to 1908.

Dr. J.A. Stewart began his medical practice at Tyne Valley in 1904, and continued until 1942. After Dr. Stewart's death on November 2, 1942 the nearest doctor to the area was Dr. Reid in Wellington. Prince County Hospital in Summerside, which opened on July 29, 1912, was the only hos— pital in Prince County until the Western Hospital in Alberton opened January 31, 1945. The O’Leary Community Hospital opened July 3, 1957.

In 1948 leaders from several communities around Tyne Valley began dis— cussing the possibility of getting better medical facilities in order to attract a good doctor to the area. The discussions gathered momentum and support came from 22 districts. As a result, after much effort and fund-raising, the official opening of Stewart Memorial Health Centre took place on May 24, 1951.

Later an extension was added, the original part renovated and an ambu- lance ramp built on. Another official opening took place on October 31, 1964. The Health Centre then had 13 beds: three of which were for mater- nity cases, three for pediatrics and seven for medical and/0r surgical cases. This made Stewart Memorial comparable with any good rural hospital at

that time.

In 1973, a donation of $12,000 from the late James (Jim) Henderson and his wife allowed further improvements and a Solarium to be built on the front. A new wing was added at the back in 1982—83 and the number of beds increased to 23. Thirteen were for acute care and 10 were medical nursing beds. The Stewart Memorial Health Centre then became the

Stewart Memorial Hospital.

Health Care Reform in 1993—94 resulted in Stewart Memorial Hospital

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