Sara T. Mayo
Doctor Sara Tew Mayo | |
---|---|
Born | May 26, 1869 Catahoula Parish, Louisiana, USA |
Died | March 7, 1930 New Orleans, Louisiana USA | (aged 60)
Citizenship | United States |
Education | Medical doctor Women's Medical College of Pennsylvania |
Occupation | physician |
Years active | 1898 - 1930 |
Known for | founding the New Orleans Hospital and Dispensary for Women and Children |
Medical career | |
Awards | Times-Picayune Loving Cup |
Sara Tew Mayo, M.D., (1869-1930) was a
Early life and education
Mayo was born on May 26, 1869, in
Because admissions policies of the times at many medical schools barred women from pursuing medical degrees, Mayo was denied admission to nearby
Career
Following her graduation from medical school, Mayo moved to New Orleans, Louisiana, where she continued to face limitations on where she could practice medicine in the male-dominated medical community of the time. She initially took up employment at
Sara Mayo Hospital
Working with Dr. Clara Glenk, Dr. Susanna Otis, Dr. Elizabeth Bass, Dr. Cora Bass, Dr. Clothilde Jacquet, Dr. Edith Loeber and Dr. M. Blanche Tassy, Mayo founded the New Orleans Hospital and Dispensary for Women and Children, in 1905. While not original founders, Loeber and Jaquet soon joined the staff of the new hospital. The hospital provided free treatment for women and children who were underprivileged. The hospital had an all-female staff. In addition to her responsibilities to the hospital as a physician, Mayo was also responsible for raising money through donations to support the hospital and its associated out-patient clinic.[5]
The original location of the hospital was in a modest building at 1823 Annunciation Street in the Irish Channel of New Orleans, with just $25 in start-up capital (worth approximately $759 in inflation-adjusted 2021 dollars[6]). The building was a converted four story house which was donated by fellow female physician and founder Susanna Otis. From its inception, the hospital was staffed exclusively by women, with Mayo and the other founding physicians providing services in internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, dermatology, obstetrics / gynecology, neurology, and dentistry. One of the founders, M. Blanche Tassy, was a dentist, thereby enabling the hospital to provide dental services.[7][3]
The hospital was successful from its start. People living nearby contributed their labor to the needs of the hospital, thereby offsetting some of the funding shortages. The hospital treated approximately 3760 patients in its first year. The hospital moved to a larger two story building in March 1908, enabled by a fund-raising effort that included a contribution of the receipts of one day's newspaper sales by the
As an on-going policy, the hospital and associated clinic treated grown men only in emergency situations, although the policy on admission of men as patients changed in 1969. The hospital and clinic also accepted payment from patients according to their ability to pay without undue hardship.[7]
Mayo was generally regarded as the leader of the founding group at the New Orleans Hospital and Dispensary for Women and Children. Mayo typically provided clinical services in
In 1917, the hospital treated 12,830 patients with 419 surgeries having been performed there. It filled 5382 prescriptions free of charge to the patients using money from the Sickles Fund. Private donations of money to the hospital also continued to grow as of that time.[8]
As the hospital outgrew its original location, it moved to a facility at 810 Felicity Street in New Orleans, and then in 1940 to a much larger facility at 625 Jackson Avenue in New Orleans.[9] The hospital was renamed Sara Mayo Hospital in 1948.[10] By 1969, Sara Mayo Hospital had 169 beds.[7] The hospital subsequently came under financial pressure and permanently closed in 1979, with plans to be replaced by an apartment building.[9] As of July 2021, the structure was severely dilapidated.[11]
Other professional activities
In 1907, Mayo established a "District Nursing Service" to provide home health nursing to underprivileged people. New Orleans Mayor Martin Behrman appointed Mayo to the board of directors of the Sickles Commission. In this post, Mayo influenced the fund to provide significant financing for prescription drugs to underprivileged people in the New Orleans area.[3]
Mayo and other female physicians in New Orleans continued to press for admission to staffs of other hospitals in the New Orleans area. In 1913, Mayo was granted membership to the Orleans Parish Medical Society, being among the first women so granted membership. Mayo also became a member of the medical staffs at
Mayo gave
Mayo was active in the
Mayo was a mentor to Dr. Linda Coleman who worked as an intern at the New Orleans Hospital and Dispensary for Women and Children and who was the first woman to graduate from the Tulane University School of Medicine (1917).[5]
Death
Mayo died in 1930 of
Awards and honors
Mayo was the winner of the New Orleans Times-Picayune Loving Cup Award in 1910 in recognition of her charitable work.[19] In 2018 the New Orleans Times-Picayune newspaper named Mayo one of its "300 for 300", honoring 300 people who contributed significantly to the 300 year history of the City of New Orleans. As part of the "300 for 300", the newspaper commissioned a portrait of Mayo by artist Saegan Swanson.[5]
The city government of New Orleans has considered renaming Penn Street in honor of Mayo. As of May 2021, the change has not happened.[2]
Shortly after Mayo's death in 1930, the
"Her cheery smile, hopeful words, great skill and greater heart have proved a boon to untold thousands of women who, through her ministrations, have been lifted out of a condition of pain and disease into health again. She gave unstintingly not only of her skill, but of her heart."[5]
Further reading
- The early 20th century history of Kingsley House of New Orleans where Sara Mayo first worked as a physician is described in the article about Eleanor McMain.
References
- ^ "Dr. Sara Mayo Dies" (PDF). The New York Times. New York Times. March 8, 1930. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
- ^ a b c d "Dr. Sara Mayo". nolaccsrc.org. City of New Orleans. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
- ^ . Retrieved 25 May 2021.
- ^ "Fair Doctors: Diplomas Given to Women's Medical College Students". Philadelphia Inquirer. May 19, 1898.
- ^ a b c d Pope, John (August 16, 2018). "How Love Helped Shatter a New Orleans Glass Ceiling". New Orleans Times-Picayune.
- ^ "Why a dollar today is worth only 3% of a dollar in 1905". in2013dollars.com. Official Data Foundation. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g Gehman, Mary. "Sara Mayo Hospital - A Surprising Story". digitallibrary.tulane.edu. Tulane University. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
- ^ "New Orleans Hospital and Dispensary for Women and Children". The New Orleans Medical and Surgical Journal. 70: 104. 1918.
- ^ a b "What Happened to Sara Mayo Hospital in New Orleans?". The Gambit. December 17, 2018. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
- ISBN 9780820329475. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
- ^ Mackel, Travers (14 July 2021). "WDSU Investigates: Neighbors, Council Upset at Condition of Old Hospital, Developer Promises Action". wdsu.com. Hearst Television, Inc. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
- ^ "A Treat for Mothers". New Orleans Herald. January 27, 1916.
- ^ "Women's Clubs of Covington Arrange to have Dr. Sara Mayo Speak". The St. Tammany Farmer. April 28, 1917.
- ^ "Gulfport Society and Personal Items". Gulfport Daily Herald. November 14, 1914.
- ^ Litchenstein, Tinette (November 18, 1921). "New Orleans Federation of Women's Clubs". Women's Enterprise (Baton Rouge, La.).
- ^ "Death notice". Journal of the American Medical Association. 94 (13): 1162. 1930.
- ^ "Mayo, Sara Tew (1869-1930)". encyclopedia.com. Cafemedia Publishers. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
- ^ "Dr. Sara Tew Mayo". findagrave.com. Find A Grave. Retrieved 11 May 2021.
- ^ Pope, John (August 19, 2018). "Times-Picayune Loving Cup Winner". New Orleans Times-Picayune. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
External links
- A portrait of Sara Mayo by artist Saegan Swanson can be viewed on-line.
- Video tour of the abandoned and derelict Sara Mayo Hospital as seen in 2016.
- A photograph of Sara Mayo Hospital as it appeared in 1962 is available on-line.