This institution had its origins in 1869, when the sick committee of St. John’s Episcopal Church acquired a small house at the southwest corner of Warburton and Ashburton Avenue. The house having proved too small, the “Grove House,” on Woodworth Avenue near Locust Street, was rented by the management. This was the only Hospital in Yonkers up to 1890.Mr. William F. Cochran became a member of the Board of Managers on May 27, 1870, and was elected President of the Board in June, 1880, a position which he hadi continuously to the time of his death, in January, 1902. When, in 1893, it became apparent that the accommodations of Woodworth Avenue were no longer adequate, he, conjointly with his wife, Mrs. Eva S. Cochran, caused the present beautiful and commodious buildings to be erected. The buildings were opened for the reception of patients on June 27, 1891, and on the same date a deed was delivered by Mr. Cochran to the Board of Managers for the entire property.There are accommodations for thirty–eight patients in the four wards, and there are twelve private rooms. The wards for medical and surgical cases are separated, and the largest contains but ten beds. The corridor for the private rooms is situated in the sonthern end of the building, and is quite distinct from the rest of the Hospital. These rooms are unusually large, and are all attractively and comfortably furnished. A diet kitchen is provided for each floor, and on the lower floor is a large solarium for the use of convalescent patients. In the basement there is a well–stocked pharmacy, and a special room for the reception and care of accident eases.During the past two years it became apparent that more private rooms for patients, as well as a larger operating room, were greatly needed; and here again Mr. Cochran came forward, and erected with at his own expense the addition to the Hospital just completed. This building, which is known as the Cochran Surgical Pavilion, contains on the first floor apartments for the resident physicians and a large chiidren’s ward with space for twenty children. This ward is connected directly with a solarium. There is also a laboratory for microscopic work. The second floor is devoted entirety to private rooms, eleven in number. All of these are large and well lighted, and for this floor another solarium is provided. On the top floor is the large operating room with the accessory rooms, one for administering ether, one for preparing dressings, and a recovery room, in which the patient remains until the effects of the aneæsthetic has passed off, besides dressing rooms for surgeons and for nurses. One special room is devoted to the use of the X–ray apparatus./PDuring the year ending September 30, 1902, there were treated in the Hospital 649 cases, and 354 surgical operations were performed. An ambulance service is maintained, which responded to 227 calls during the vear 1901.
The Cochran Training School, on the Broadway side, was purchased by Mr. Cochran and deeded to the Board of Managers in 1901, and fitted up as a training school for nurses. This method of providing nurses has proved a great advantage to the Hospital, and also to many citizens who are at times in need of skilled attendants on short notice. The course in the Training School extends over a period of two and one half years, and there are at present twent–one nurses in the school.The dispensary is conducted in a special building apart from the Hospital and contains a reception room, and separate rooms for the treatment of surgical and other classes of cases; also a small pharmacy for the use of the dispensary alone.
