Page 6Dr. George Peters was one of the two men at the forefront of the movement for having more humane methods of dealing with the insane.
He retired in 1848 when when his reputation came under question as a result
of seven cases that he had "violated the person" with one of
the female employees who supposedly said that he had also had "illicit
intercourse" with one of his patients.
In December of 1849, Dr. John Waddell was named director of the newly opened Provincial Lunatic Asylum.
At the age of 39, Waddell and his family moved into an apartment that was in the asylum, on the third level, over the main doors. There he lived for 26 years.
He believed that the insane person should leave their source of agitation to a place where that excitement does not exist and they are surrounded by one scene and one set of companions. He also believed that having plenty of rest was important. He strongly agreed with the insane people working on the farm.
Three years after he retired in 1875, Dr. Waddell took sick and died.
Dr. James T. Steeves
became director of the Lunatic Asylum on November 1, 1875, the day after Dr.
Waddell officially retired from this same position.
Dr. Steeves was concerned by the evergrowing number in the asylum. Since the asylum was so overcrowded Dr. Steeves had to turn away patients. In 1878, additions were made to the main complex for the males and in 1881, additions were also made to the main complex for the females, which relieved the overcrowding.
Another good reason why the number in the asylum grew was due to the opening of the Annex Farm on Sand Cove Road in 1885.
Many of the conditions improved in the asylum during the time that Dr. Steeves worked there. Wards were painted and pictures were hung to complement those that had been hung in the main part of the building for Miss Dix's visit in 1872. Dumb waiters and elevators were installed, hot water was piped to all parts of the asylum, water closets were added and the ventilation improved dramatically. In 1880, a workshop was built for the male patients. He had the laundry supplied by a steam heated dryer, a washer and a centrifugal.
Also during Dr. Steeves' time at the Lunatic Asylum occurred the Great Fire of 1877. Many people believed that the patients would be affected dramatically from the fire, but Dr. Steeves proclaims that many of the patients did not even take notice to the site that lay below them in the center of Saint John.
Dr. Steeves had to end his career at the Lunatic Asylum due to a massive
cerebral hemorrhage on September 2, 1895.
In August of 1896, Dr. George A. Hetherington became the director of the Lunatic Asylum. He was a highly respected member of the medical community of Saint John.
Dr. Hetherington's main concern during his time as director was to improve the walkways, pathways and gardens of the Asylum property that overlooks the Reversing Falls. His aim was to have the patients do more outdoor activities. He felt that this was a great method of treatment for the patients. He also was a definite advocate for hydrotherapy.
No one knows why Dr. Hetherington left his position at the Lunatic Asylum.
On June 15, 1912 he died.
Dr. James Vickers Anglin was the longest serving director of the asylum. He lived in a third floor apartment of the asylum with his wife and five children. In June of 1904 the name of the asylum was changed to the Provincial Hospital of Nervous Diseases.
He banned sightseers from the premises and only allowed friends and family of the patients to come in. He also made many repairs and maintenance to the premises. He arranged to have all the walls repainted, renewed the heating system, put hardwood floors down, and improved the wiring and lighting in the asylum.
In 1925, he expressed his concern for more beds. To deal with this concern the 13th additional quarters were made in 1927, which included two wards, a storeroom, and kitchen. Construction was complete in 1929.
Three years after his retirement, he died on July 8, 1937.
At the time of Dr. Ernest Cahill Menzies initial report the hospital had been opened to 11,796 and 4,708 of these patients came out fully recovered.
He also had many repairs done during his time there. During the Depression he had repairs done to wards 'E' and 'B' and wards two and five. Also an operating room and sterilizing equipment was purchased and installed.
Dr. Menzies reported that many of his patients were seriously affected by the war. During the war there was a huge shortage of trained nurses and ward attendants. After the war had finished, the number of patients grew rapidly.
In 1951, Dr. Menzies had an electroencephalogram installed. He had to hire a trained operator who came from the Montreal Neurological Institute.
The number of patients dropped some after the hospital in Campbelton was
built. Dr. Menzies died in April of 1963 because of his failing health.
In December of 1956, Dr. Robert Alexander Gregory had the highest number of patients, 1,697.
In the mid-50's, several doctors were recruited from Britain and Europe, which for a while made the asylum overstaffed. This all changed in 1960 when the staff went through a "Remotivation" program, which was so successful that their expertise was being asked for in other locations and many of the staff members left to go to these other locations.
He died in December of 1976, after serving on the Department of Justice,
which paved the road for many changes at the institution.
Dr. Ishan Kapkin was one of the first directors to serve the last 25 years
at Centracare.
During Dr. Allan Robertson's time as medical director, he tried to convince
the government that the time was up for the Centracare.
Dr. H. Leonard Sussman came from South Africa to be the director of
Centracare of a short time.
Dr. John A. Finley was director of the institution for three years.
Dr. J. C. Theriault was clinical director of the institution until he became
the director in 1981 and stayed in that position until he died in December of
1983.
Dr. Pierre Deom took over as director for one year after Dr. Theriault died.
Dr. James Millar was the last of the people who worked as directors of
Centracare.
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