HomeMy WebLinkAboutNew Article about Wiliam Claire Green M.D. and Award and photoesPULASKI PROFILES
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William Claire Green, M.D.
By
Fred 0. Honkers, M.D.*
Born August 2:3, 1868, William Claire
Green was the fourth of seven children horn to a
farm family in Claire County, Michigan. In 1876
when William was eight, the family -moved
to Saline Countv, Kansas. Young Green later
returned to his native state and ,.raduated.
in nursing from :Battle Creek Sanitoriurn. He
nharried Etta Throckmorton on -April 25, 189'�.
There are no known children. Corning to Little
Rock in 1890 heavily in debt, he worked diligently,
and on December 12, 1900, established is general
hospital at'Chi.rteenth and Marshall streets, which
he called the Little Rock Sanatarium. This hos-
pital bias incorpora,`s:eCd in 19071. Continuing hrti
hospital administration he entered the University
of Arkansas Medical School, graduating in. 1905.
Thereafter, he established an outstanding repu-
tation as a physician aiid sargeon, always •rnain=
tainirh.g a warn: interest in emotional disorders,
diet therapy and hydrotherapy.. lie became
an C7lt•1hilRitagtiC merlllYer' Of 'tllk'. e�`f`lY (I ay _'�d--
venti�A Church, contr•ibutin� kY(hth 7is manage-
ment skill and his musical ability. He -'vas Cnoir
director and organized a small orche tra. Side:
interests arose from his love of the ontdoors. He
lilted-ahnping. rna.iritaitied a higlh s"'oeed motor
boat, and oper.-Ied a farm `.Where he ,vas (..7tl.lte
adept at raisins, poultry.
In 1923 Little Rock Sariatarium ,vas taken
over by the Paptrst deno'rn (nation a7x, replaced by
Central Baptist I1ospitai. Dr. Careen bullt a small
* Dr, 11cuker is f'! nlea;'gr of P,; r Frint!"r/ a;acl Rvhr.!'irrrrri S(I nrrx al thr (/'.a; rrsil + r�!'A!'h:rP!cSw:,fur 4 c':1ir.•;i:; F,c::(itc r.. His a.rtick
ori,ryir,.aiht rr;r6(ishrd rr•, t;rc Jaurnai of the Arkansas R7edical 5xiety aui iy rE lre%-We,1 ;ndf lie: !!,;.t. ion rii'(i!, Arkra.!r.:rr, :'Ic licai.
WILLIAM CLAIRE GREEN, M.D.
hospital behind his home, which at this time still
stands at 1410 Commerce Street. He operated it
Linder the name of Battle Creek Sanatarium. This
was for a number of years the only facility for
private psychiatric care in the Little Rock area,
and several of the early psychiatrists treated
patients there.
A large man, troubled with hypertension,
Dr. Green died at his home on June 17, 1941, and
was buried in Oakland Cemetery. Arriong the
honorary pallbearers were Little Rock physicians
71
Dr. N. F. Went', Dr. Harry J. Hayes and Dr. Pat.
Murphy.
References
Herndon, Dallas'1. A Coiterrn.ical Historn ref Arkori-
tires. Vol.3. Chicago -Little Rock: S. J. ("lark I'ublishing
Company, 1922.
Interview with niece, Ms. Luce Lour. Little Rock,
Arkansas.
Obituary, A.rAaiisas Gazette, June 18, 1941.
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THE F. HAMPTON ROY AWARDS
All researchers — amateur or professional historians. students, teachers, journalists, or
local history enthusiasts — are encouraged to submit entries for this year's F. Hampton Roy
History Awards contest. The $300 first prize 'and $260 second prize will be awarded to the
persons writing the best historical articles, which have not been previously published, on a
Pulaski County subject or individual.
Manuscripts will be judged on the basis of: 1) their contribution to expanding our
knowledge of Pulaski C-ounty history; 2) the judicious use of primary sources and adequate
understanding of and appreciation for the secondary literature related to the subject matter
of the article; 3) creative interpretation and originality; and 4) stylistic excellence.
E ntr ies must be submitted in triplicate by December. 31, 1988. Send all inquiries and
submissions to:
The F. Hampton Roy Awards Committee
;Pulaski County Historical Society
P. 0. Box 653
Little Rock, Arkansas 72203
a
jPTTT.AAKT COUNTY HISTO'HICAL REVID.V
Ar.
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Arkansas State Lunatic ksylum, bul lt In 1882 and replaced In
1965, Located at SW Corner of Karkham and 91a Streets.
This photo of the snow-covared grounds was made in Mroh 1891.
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Dr. P.O. Eooper, State Private Psychiatrio Hospital opened
Ros+p1tal Superittendento by Dr. William 0. Green, 1923, at
1885-1893t 1896-1901, 14th and Commerce Streets.
-70-
PULASKI COUNTY. HISTORICAL REVIEW
Little Rock Sanatorium, a general hospital established and
operated by Dr. William C. Green at 13th and Wolfe Streets. A
devout Seventh Day Adventist, with training at the Battle Creek
Sanatorium before attending medical school hers, Dr. Green had
considerable interest In supportive treatment such as diet and
hydrotherapy, which was particularly suited to the care of 'the
not too severe mental cases, when the Baptist denomination
acquired the Little Rock Sanatorium in 1923, for construction
of Baptist Hospital, Dr. Gr en opened a small sanatorium at
l4�th and Commerce streets.39 it was listed first as Battle
Creek Treatment Rooms and later as Dr. Green's Sanatarium or
Dr. Green's Hospital. This was the only private psychiatric
facility for the neat twenty years. Dr. Murphy treated pat-
ients in Little Rack until his retirement in 1946, as did Dr.
Fletcher and Dr. Hollis later. Upon the death of Dr. Green in
1940, Mrs. Leona Scott continued to operate one part of the
hospital as Green Nursing Home and later as Scott Nursing Home
and Mrs. Sadie Gribble, a nurse with some psychiatric training
at St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Washington, D.C., operated the
remainder of the building as Resthaven. This institution was
eventually moved to David 0, Dodd Road,40
FEMALE PHYSICIAN OPENS PSYCHIATRY PRACTICE
Private psychiatry, as such, began in 1941, when Dr.
Elizabeth Fletcher, another Arkansas Medical School graduate
with staff experience at the State Hospital and a residency in
psychiatry at San_ Antonio State Hoe pital-,_obtained with great
difficulty because of resistance to acceptance of women eppli-
cantsW-began a private practice of psychiatry in Little Rock.
Dr. Louis A. Cohen and Dr. Robert Beck followed in 1946 and,
Hot Springs got a practicing psychiatrist when Dr. L.Bollmeier
initiated a psychoanalytic practice. Elsewhere in the state,
Dr. Henry Sims practiced at Fort Smith since 1951, and Drs.
Hosea and Julia McAdoo practiced in Texarkansa•in 1959, follow-
ed in 1960 by Dr. R. G. Walling, and Dr. Steven Finch entered
psychiatry in Fayetteville in 1963.
There still 'being no beds for mental patients In the
general hospitals, Dr. Cohen opened Gilbert Clinic on West 3rd
Street in 1947 and operated the twenty bed hospital until 1958.
Dr. Fletcher ran sylvan Hills Rest Home from 1950 until 1963.
Finally, Baptist Medical Center opened its psychiatric wing
on October 15, 1956 with Dr. Payton Kolb as first chief of staff
and in 1969 St. Vincent Infirmary opened its psychiatric unit 4
Another bastion of psychiatry is Fort Roots, North Little
Rock. It was an army pest, built in 1893, and used as an off-
icer training facility in World War I and at the end of the ma3
as a military hospital. Immediately after the war the Public
Health Service began treating veteran psychiatric cases there
and on December 1, 1921 it was changed to a 'Veterans Bureau
_72_