In March, 1893, a petition to the Governors of the newly inaugurated Royal Victoria Hospital, asking for a Homœopathic ward, was circulated, and within two months thirteen feet of names of prominent citizens favouring Homœopathy were obtained.
On May 18, 1893, a deputation consisting of Doctor Wanless, Reverend Dr. Barbour, Reverend Dr. Ross, Dr. H.M. Patton, Messrs. Samuel Bell, James Baylis, John Torrance, James A. Gillespie, James Ferrier, F.E. Grafton, Charles Alexander and E.G. O’Connor met the Governors of the Royal Victoria Hospital in the board room of the Bank of Montreal, and presented the petition. It was courteously received, and compliance therewith promised, if possible. On January 5, 1894, a formal reply was received, stating that the petition could not be granted. On November 13, 1893, a similar request to the Montreal General Hospital was also refused.
In 1893 negotiations for special accommodation in existing hospitals having failed, and the demand for Homœopathic Hospital facilities having become urgent, the board decided to take the important step permitted in its charter, and to acquire a hospital under its own control.
The property, No. 44 McGill College Avenue, consisting of a four-story brick building and 3,300 square feet of land, was purchased for $8,000, and in July, 1894, the deeds were signed for the Association by Mr. Charles Alexander, president, and Dr. H.M. Patton, the secretary. During the summer of 1894 the repairs committee, with energy and excellent taste, transformed the old residence into one of the most attractive and complete of small hospitals.
On October 2, 1894, the Hospital was formally opened, the Lord Bishop of Montreal and other representative clergymen conducting an imposing inaugural ceremony in the presence of a large number of prominent citizens; thus was launched into benevolent activity the first Homœopathic Hospital in the Province of Quebec, under the following management:
The first hospital officials, 1894, were: President, Samuel Bell; vice president, Mr. Charles Morton; treasurer, Joseph Gould; secretary, Dr. W.G. Nichol.
The committee of management was composed of Lady Van Horne, Mrs. Hector Mackenzie, Mrs. W.B. Lindsay, Mrs. Henry Thomas, Mrs. T. (Dr.) Nichol, Mrs. Roswell Fisher, Miss Ames, Dr. John Wanless, Dr. H.M. Patton, James Baylis; Miss M.E. Baylis, secretary of committee.
The medical superintendent was Dr. H.M. Patton and the lady superintendent, Miss Thompson.
The consulting staff consisted of Dr. Arthur Fisher, Dr. George Logan, Doctor McLaren, and Dr. George Gale, while the attending physicians were Doctors Wanless, W.G. Nichol, Griffith, and T. Scott Nichol.
The attending surgeon was Dr. H.M. Patton.