From the archives: The JGH merges with its predecessor in family medicine

For more than 60 years during the 20^th century, countless numbers of patients received vital health care in what was originally known as the Herzl Dispensary and later renamed the Herzl Health Centre. But by the mid-1970s, its time as an independent facility was at an end, as a result of its merger with the JGH.

The Dispensary opened in 1912 primarily to treat the many impoverished Jewish immigrants who were arriving in Montreal. However, the Dispensary also welcomed patients of all backgrounds, and this policy of non‑discrimination served as a model for the JGH, which opened in 1934.

For decades, Herzl continued to provide a wide array of services, but by 1970, it was overcrowded and unable to keep up with the demand. In addition, the JGH and Herzl were increasingly offering overlapping services to an overlapping clientele.

The logical consequence was an agreement in 1974 to merge the two institutions. Herzl became, in essence, the JGH’s Department of Family Medicine, known initially as the Herzl Family Practice Centre. As a result of a generous donation during the centennial in 2012, it was renamed the Goldman Herzl Family Practice Centre.

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The Jewish General Hospital’s 85^th anniversary is an ideal occasion to take a glimpse into the past. By remembering the extraordinary efforts of the hospital’s founders, supporters, staff and volunteers, we honour the enduring legacy of the JGH.

Look for a new scrapbook item every week during 2019 in JGH News.