Although the hospital’s name and spelling have evolved over the years – from St. Mary’s Hospital to Saint Marys Hospital and, today, Mayo Clinic Hospital – Rochester, Saint Marys Campus – the anniversary of this event recognizes milestones of enduring significance:
Franciscan-Mayo Collaboration
Saint Marys Hospital was founded by the Sisters of St. Francis, whose collaboration with Dr. William Worrall Mayo and his sons, William J. Mayo, M.D., and Charles H. Mayo, M.D., began after a tornado struck Rochester in 1883. The opening of Saint Marys brought the Roman Catholic Sisters into daily contact with the Protestant Mayos and their associates, who came from diverse walks of life, establishing a culture of mutual respect that defines Mayo Clinic today.
National and Global Renown
Several factors propelled Saint Marys Hospital and the Mayo practice into early prominence. Highly innovative, Saint Marys was among the first hospitals to embrace the new “germ theory” of aseptic surgery, and the Mayos’ and the Sisters’ team approach to patient care resulted in remarkable survival rates. City amenities and advances in transportation helped attract increasing numbers of patients who traveled for miles to receive care at Saint Marys. Additionally, the Mayo brothers served as leaders of many professional organizations and had an “open door” philosophy of welcoming colleagues to exchange information.
The Profession of Nurse Anesthesia
Innovation and teamwork led to the development of medical specialties. One of the first new disciplines was nurse anesthesia. Upon completing her studies in Chicago, Edith Graham, R.N., (pictured at right) returned to her hometown in 1889 as the first professionally educated nurse in Rochester. She taught the Sisters of St. Francis, who were schoolteachers, in the principles of nursing and began the Mayo tradition of excellence in nurse anesthesia education. With her dedication to patients and technical skills, Edith Graham was a natural for this role, which she held until her marriage to Charles H. Mayo, M.D., in 1893.
The second nurse anesthetist was Alice Magaw, R.N., who made so many contributions that the Mayo brothers called her “The Mother of Anesthesia.” Today, the Nurse Anesthesia Program is internationally recognized for excellence, with practitioners at each Mayo Clinic hospital and alumni who work at many other institutions.
Formal Integration With Mayo Clinic
Saint Marys Hospital and Mayo Clinic worked together as partners for over 90 years but formed a closer relationship in 1986 when the two institutions – along with Rochester Methodist Hospital – merged under a single governance and management structure. In 2014, the hospitals were integrated to become Mayo Clinic Hospital – Rochester, Saint Marys Campus, and Mayo Clinic Hospital – Rochester, Methodist Campus.
This map shows the location of the original Saint Marys Hospital. (From "A Century of Caring: 1889-1989, Saint Marys Hospital of Rochester, Minnesota.")
Article from the Heritage Program Newsletter.
Mona Stevermer, M.A. in L.S., Mayo Clinic Archives in Rochester, was the lead researcher for this article.