The documentation found in the Archives of the Congregation witness to the involvement of
Mother Bruyère and her companions in health care as soon as they arrived in Bytown. As
Sisters of Charity, they consider the sick as being the poorest of the poor. As we consult the
voluminous correspondence of Mother Bruyère with Mother McMullen, the Superior in
Montreal, we realize the urgency of the need for this type of service from the very beginning
of the foundation.
Many are the sick in this city without a hospital. They no sooner know the Sisters that they come to
them to be treated. How could they resist ? the need
was there. On February 27, 1845, Mother Bruyère
writes :
Two young men who have been sick for some time, have
been unable to find relief in the hands of a doctor; they
were very eager to see us. According to the pressing
invitations received, two of our Sisters went to see them
and provided them considerable relief; there is reason to
believe one of them will be healed shortly. As of the
other, we fear that he is suffering from tuberculosis. [...]
We have started caring for a large number of poor, and
we would have many more if we had our medication.
In this rowdy city of lumberjacks, the accidents were
frequent. A letter of March 23, 1845 states :
We are currently caring for a young man who received
a blow with an ax on his arm. We are treating all kinds
of illnesses. We also treat young men from the lumber
camps with severe rheumatism. We make them perspire,
and that helps them a lot. The doctor who was treating
them before gave them Calomel.
Despite the tedious work, a sense of humour comes
through some of the descriptions :
... we cannot go
by three doors
without being stopped.
M.B.
|
You would not believe all the sick we care for. We pass
for the best doctors in town;
these poor have unlimited
trust in us. When we go out
to visit the sick, we cannot
go by three doors without
being stopped; some for illness,
others for something
else - there is no end. If we
had not opposed the idea,
Sister Thibodeau would have been named the Doctor
for women…we have treated Bishop Phelan; we did him
so much good - at least, that is what he says.
The day after day dedication would have justified the
title for Sister! Soon, one of Father Telmon’s and the
Sisters’ dream will become reality. Thanks to the
acquisition of a house next to the convent, a miniature
hospital is set up. Just the thing that could cause
Mother Bruyère’s heart to rejoice and to stimulate
the Sisters’ enthusiasm.
We opened our hospital on May 10 and placed 3 beds in
there. The house had been turned over to us on the 8th,
so we hurried to make the most pressing improvements,
and the last day of the octave of the Holy Cross, we went
to get our poor Pierre Éthier, victim of tuberculosis, who
had been longing for a hospital for some time. How happy we were to lead this poor man to our new home!
That was a feast day for us! […] We all had the
pleasure of being of service to our patient. Sister
Thibodeau took his feet while I lifted his head; another
took care of the bed, etc… One had to see our man in
the midst of the confusion! As we started to give him a
“much needed” bath, he fought like a drowning man;
he protested that we were not to wash his feet. To make
him accept, we were obliged to tell him that Our Lord
washed the feet of St. Peter, etc… All the time we were
cleaning him up, he kept his face turned behind his back
as far as he could.
In the same letter, she relates an encouraging visit :
The Protestant doctor wanted to visit the apothecary
(pharmacy); he was very surprised to find all kinds of
tinctures and remedies. He promised to give her many
kinds of rare medecine that he has and a great many
dozens of vials with crystal stoppers. He told her he
would give her some “picotte”, actually vaccine
against smallpox, and would send her all the children
who come to him to be vaccinated and that she would
be paid 30 cents for each one.
When it comes to charity, language, race, colour or
religion are non-existent. The patient is another
suffering Christ who needs care. On the 26th of May,
the compassionate Mother reveals a case in which
all were concerned.
Our Father Telmon was brought a young mulatto,
age 15, from Laprairie, who had let a big mast and iron
bar drop on his neck and stomach while travelling on
the barges. The poor child was delirious, bleeding from
the nose and ears, without money and without a friend.
Father gave him the Last Rites [...] then decided to
consult Sr.Thibodeau during the evening recreation.
She prescribed what was needed and Sr. Rivet and
Sr. St. Pierre, accompanied by Father, went to
administer the medication to the suffering lad. Oh!
Mother! It was so moving… It was past 8:30 P.M. when
the two Sisters returned. They came in begging me to
take in the poor chap at the hospital saying that they
would take good care of him and that the school would
not suffer. I told them to go get that poor miserable
youngster immediately. No need to tell them twice; in
no time, they had the bed ready for occupation. There
was a small cot in the attic, not mounted; the straw
mattress was not filled. It was moving and amusing to watch these young Sisters hastening to alleviate the
suffering of this poor man; one taking the cot
downstairs, the other…etc. Adeline absolutely wanted
to give him her pillow, etc. So the young man was
admitted to the hospital that same night, to Father
Telmon’s satisfaction. The poor young man swore and
fumed in his delirium, and while we were with him, he
was calm; he called us his mothers and kissed our
hands. At the time I am writing to you, he is dying; he
most likely will not be here tomorrow.
The same letter also relates a humorous fact :
We have had a little black boy for 15 days; he was
afflicted with a disease proper to the coloured people.
The doctor had ordered a special
diet for him and the poor
child was craving for food
because he was fond of
sweets and always felt hungry
for more. He was really
homely. When he was alone in
his room, he would stick is
“pretty face” out of the window
and call out to the first
woman who happened to be passing by : "Hey, Lady!
Would you bring me a piece of bread with cheese and
a small piece of sugar, I love that!”. All the children
would surround the house, each one bringing his share.
After a good snack, our mischievous boy would tell
Sister Thibodeau he had eaten almost nothing! We had
a good laugh about that story.
Those of
greatest interest
are the poor.
M.B.
|
As there were several similar episodes happening, it
is not surprising to read one of Mother Bruyère’s
reflections to Bishop Ignace Bourget in Montreal : “It is unfortunate that you have never given us (as the
Lord gave to his apostles) the power to work miracles,
for we could have worked wonders here”.
Her heart was attracted to
the poorest of the poor…
as we can see in her letter
of October 30, 1845,
addressed to her regular
“confidante” :
Top of the page
We look after many other
respectable persons, but
those of greatest interest are the poor, and we care for those who are truly poor. For the past 8 days, we have
been waking an Irish consumptive lady living in an
attic, lying on a mat on the floor. She is covered with
round lice with legs. There is no way we can rid her
entirely, for she is too weak. Every evening, the ladies
in the area bring food for us to eat during our vigil;
they do not want us to bring anything from home. We
eat alone.
The needs are forever increasing, and the lack of
space is becoming a real problem. The Sisters are
giving up indispensable space in order to accommodate
the needy. She writes :
In the absence of Sister St. Joseph, we set up a men’s
ward in our former community room. Two men from
the lumber camps were admitted already, one is French
speaking and the other is Irish; the latter is seriously ill
with pneumonia and the other had an optic nerve
problem, but is now much better. We have our poor
Pierre Éthier who suffers constantly; our good old
Étienne lodges in our former kitchen next to the men’s
ward and sees all that is going on in our absence. He
is very happy with his fate; no one disturbs him; all his
tools are at hand and he is always busy.
The Sisters continue to visit the sick in their homes
and the number of patients in the hospital is
increasing. Bishop Phelan is worried about the
Sisters. Furthermore, having been misinformed
about the care being given to the sick, he intervenes,
and on February 20 of 1846, Mother Bruyère writes
her side of the story :
It is impossible
to visit someone
without alleviating
their suffering.
M.B.
|
Bishop Phelan recommended that we no longer visit the
sick who live over 4 miles from
the city. He also told us to stop
giving medication because we
could give some that would do
more
harm
than
good to
the sick. I answered that in
that case, he should forbid us
all visits, for it is impossible
to visit someone without
alleviating their suffering.
Besides, I added that in difficult
cases, we consult our Doctor. Upon hearing this, he understood the situation better and changed his mind; he encouraged us to keep on doing what we have
always done.
Still, in the best of worlds, things do not always go
smoothly. And a letter written on September 8,
1846 proves that certain events can disturb and
upset the Sisters at a time when they would need
their peaceful atmosphere.
On August 27, a drunkard slit his throat; the Sisters
were the first persons to be called. Sisters Rodriguez
and St. Joseph rushed and took care of him. The doctor
was summoned, he prescribed the medication for
the patient; the Sisters prepared it and gave it to him.
They went back to visit him many times in the day, and
had someone notify Father Durocher, which turned out
to be in vain because the man was in no way disposed
to cooperate. That night, the doctor came to purchase
some medecine at our dispensary and asked that I
please send a Sister to watch over that man and see if
he reacted well to the medication, which I willlingly did.
Days went by the same way. As the manager of the Inn
where this man was boarding did not expect to receive
any payment from him, due to his heavy drinking, he
pleaded with me to admit him to the hospital.
Here, Mother Bruyère is torn between two attitudes.
Her kind heart would want her to take in this poor
man. However, the circumstances demand that
she do otherwise. She answered that, in the
circumstances, it was impossible to do so because
three men were required to hold down and care for
this man. Because of her refusal, the innkeeper had
the man brought to the door the hospital. The
priests advised Mother Bruyère to refuse to take
him in. She had all the doors locked and the man
was left on the doorstep lying on an old blanket. The
man asked a nephew to take bring him to his house,
but he refused; another one took him in for the
night, but would not keep him any longer… and
Mother Bruyère writes :
On Thursday, September 3, the sick man was taken
down from a wagon by a group of lumbermen; we could
hear the man who had visited us that morning calling
out to the wagoner : “Unload him, leave him on the
ground and I will pay you for your trouble”. We had
locked all our doors. I appeared at a window and many
people were imploring us to accept “that poor sick man”. I can assure you that my heart was heavy, all
the more because for some fifteen days, we had been
forced to admit many persons who did not need
hospital care and who kept yelling at us : “You are
obliged to take care of the poor, you are paid for that”.
[...] The man who brought the sick man involved said
that he would return later, when it would be dark, that
he would break through a door for him to enter and that
stones would shatter the house. [...] The kind
Irishmen, ever ready and zealous when there is
question of defending the rights of their priests or their
Sisters, told Father to rely on them and leave the whole
matter in their hands.
And this is how the story of the suicidal drunkard
was settled : The Irishmen started by sending away
the crowd of people assembled in front of the
hospital; they then went to the author of the threats,
warning him not to insult the Sisters or the priests
for, if he did, he would be treated the way he
threatened to treat them. The priests provided the
money to have the patient sent in a suitable place…
and things calmed down, the neighbours could now
sleep without fear of violence. The poor man died
after having a priest hear his confession.
Despite these difficult moments, the Sisters make
regular visits to the immigrants in their sheds. Their
presence is always welcome where there is suffering.
The letter dated October 30 relates a truly sad
situation :
In the miserable shed for emigrants, a poor Irishman
is spread out on rags and tatters of misery on the
unfinished floor, sick for the past 2 months. He is
surrounded by his wife who inspires as much compassion
as he and their two pretty little girls, the elder
being 3 years old. These poor people no longer receive
anything from the Government since September and
they are reduced to the greatest misery. The man
especially is dying for lack of care and food; he
received the Last Rights and Father Molloy counted
him as dead. [...] Sister Thibodeau went to see him
with Sr. St. Pierre; by taking his pulse, she knew what
his ailment was. We brought him a broth which we fed
him by spoonful, and recommended to his wife what she
should do. Every day, we brought them something to
eat in a little pail that I bought - nothing more handy.
Top of the page
The Typhus Epidemic
We saw where the Irish immigrants who, because of
a severe famine had left their country in 1845 and
occupied the sheds that the government had built
for them. But, in 1847, the situation gets much
worse as a fleet of ships leave Ireland for Canada,
and while at sea, a typhus epidemic begins on the
overcrowded and unsanitary ships. Mother
McMullen (Montreal) warns Mother Bruyère of the
arrival of these immigrants. Providentially, Mother
Bruyère had bought land and an old building in
view of establishing the Ottawa General Hospital.
This space could be used to take in the immigrants,
and on March 30, the projects begin.
Father does not want us to care for the immigrants with
a contagious disease here because of the school and the
Sisters. He offered the immigration agents to build a
shed for immigrants on our land and we could treat
them there. He fears that the other gentlemen will not
go along with that. Pray, my good Mother, that this
good work will not elude us.
A month later, on April 26, decisions are taken :
The hospital for immigrants will be built on our
grounds : two Sisters will go to
take care of them. We will be
given 12 shillings and six pence
a week per patient; the medication,
wine and fruit, as well as
burial expenses will be paid
separately. This week, our
Father received the answer to his petition to the
Ordnance; it looks very good for our obtaining the land
requested, that is, 7 double lots.
Time is going by, and the arrival of the immigrants
is imminent. Mother Bruyère’s heart is torn. On
May 31, the 6th anniversary of her profession, her
confidante receives the following reflection :
We are expecting the immigrants any day now; for my
part, I fear because of the contagious aspect of their
disease. However, I am not refusing to serve them, but
I would not want to die from this illness. Again, pray
for your cowardly daughter.
The influx of the sick arrived at the improvised
hospital in mid-June. The struggle against death
had begun. Like a Mother Theresa, the Sisters did
everything to save lives, relieve pain or assuring that
the patients die in dignity. Mother Bruyère, faithful
to Montreal, relates the following on June 15.
The Sisters
gave their
straw mattresses.
M.B.
|
On June 5th, we received our first immigrant who died
on June 8th. On the 10th, we received a very sick man
who is now much better. On the 11th, we received 7 who
were very sick and full of lice; three of them have died;
we were very sad to see them leave so quickly for the
other world. The small Carney house that serves as
hospital was so full that we had no more room to lodge
the sick. You would have
been edified if you had seen
our Chaplain with many
Canadian and Irish citizens
hastening to build wooden
cabins to provide shelter for
these poor people. Almost all
the Sisters gave their straw
mattresses, many, their bed.
Today, all those who still had a blanket gave it willingly
to protect the unfortunate poor from the cold and the
rain. All our novices proved themselves to be true
mothers of the poor, and that greatly encouraged us.
Only two women had the courage to offer themselves
to watch with us, so great is the fear of infection. We
are not lacking volunteers to watch the sick at the
convent.
Mr. George Burke, the Bytown agent of the
Government, is having an extension built for the immigrants.
Father Telmon is in charge of the project with
Brother Sweeney. Since I started this letter, Sister
Assistant has admitted 4 patients. I had to notify Father
to build another cabin, that we had no more room. We
now have 24 immigrants. The number may sound small
to you, but it is very big for us, with the scarcity of space
to accommodate them. Last night, 23 sick persons slept
outside in the rain; it was impossible for the agent to
find a better place for them; all the buildings and
houses were full.
The next day, she recognizes that all this effort has
a positive and gratifying aspect.
The Protestants stand in admiration on seeing us take
care of the immigrants without reluctance. They recognize that our establishment is very useful… etc.
You would be happy to see the ladies and young girls
hasten to get sheets, shirts, straw mattresses and pillow
cases, etc. They do the sewing. We also received a few
gifts. We do not have much merit for what we are doing
because the people feel so sorry for us; however, I am
happy that it is that way. I think God arranges all
things for His greater glory.
By July, the hospital is overflowing with patients
while the number of workers is decreasing. Yet,
Mother Bruyère feels that the Sisters of Montreal
(doing the same work) are more admirable than
those of Bytown.
We are also relieving the immigrants but we are far
from doing as much as you are. In spite of our minor
problems, when we compare ourselves to the Sisters of
Montreal, we acknowledge that we are well off. We
have three large rooms that now accommodate
60 patients. The convalescents are transferred to the
tents that the officers of the Government loaned us. A
sizable number of patients die. There are two Sisters in
each room, with two girls to help them. The Sisters take
turn to watch over the patients at night. We have sick
people in the convent… as many as we can take. The
young men from the lumber camps are very obliging;
they keep watch with us every night at the Hospital for
Immigrants.
Top of the page
But physical resistence has its limits. Some of the
valiant workers have succumbed as we find in the
letters of the 9th and 15th of July. Mother Bruyère
relies on prayer.
I would have left this morning for Montreal if the
Sisters were not sick with the typhys fever. Sisters
Conlan and Curran, plus a young hired girl are very
ill; our young Sisters will
come out of it, but I fear for
the girl… The Sisters are
starting to feel exhausted, I do
not know if they will be able to
hold up being so few and
receiving no help, especially
for the night watch. We are
praying for you, please pray
for us. Two of our young orphan girls caught the fevers
but there is nothing serious. Today, we will be putting
the children on vacation until next August 15.
Prayer, prayer...
our unique
support.
M.B.
|
Sister Lavoie came down with
the fevers this morning and
Sister Hagan tonight. The
other two are better. I expect
to be hit also. The number of
sick immigrants is increasing
daily. I do not know if we can
hold out. Fiat voluntas tua!
Prayer, prayer… our unique
support.
Death is taking its toll, with many young immigrants
among those who die. This striking anecdote is
dated July 13.
At 10:45 A.M., our little immigrant, Anastasia, age 9
died. At 1:30 P.M., I went with the Sisters to prepare
her for burial. We dared not remove her clothes… she
gave off such a foul odour whenever we moved her
body. We hastened to open all windows and to place
her in a coffin to be carried to the Church and then to
the cemetery. Her body was black.
As expressed in a letter dated July 29, the government
wants to impose an overload on the Sisters
The Committee (Health Bureau of Bytown) is proposing
an expansion of 50 feet to the Hospital for Immigrants
in order to be able to admit more sick persons; we
refused because we are too few to be able to care for
them. The number of Sisters able to care for the immigrants
is reduced to 4, with 2 girls to help them. If these
Sisters hold up, it will be a miracle.
To summarize the situation to date, Mother Bruyère
presents a vivid picture to the Sisters in Red River.
Day and night, we have to care for 60 immigrants sick
with the fevers. The night before last, the Oblate priests
anointed all the sick so that no one would die without
this help. For some, death from this contagious disease
comes in less than 3 hours; luckily, the cool weather is
over and a certain number will recover. Pray for us,
good Sisters, we are in great need. I do not have time
to write at length as I usually do; we have to resort to
secular help to stay with our sick Sisters at night, and
the Sisters stay with the immigrants. We are 17 Sisters,
one of which is in Montreal. Of the 16 here, 6 are sick,
4 work at the hospital for immigrants, one takes care
of Father Molloy and the others attend to what is most pressing. We do not have time for our religious
exercises; I have spent more than 8 days without
having time to stop for my meditation, and the others
have even more work than I have. We can find no one
to help us with the care, be it for gold or silver.
If Bytown is going through a difficult period,
Montreal’s fate is even worst for some of their
Sisters have died after having contracted the disease.
Mother McMullen asked Mother Bruyère for help
and on September 29, she granted that request.
To be of service to you, there is nothing I would not do.
You are too good to us, we would not refuse you anything.
It is then with the greatest pleasure that on next
Monday, October 4, we will send Sisters Phelan and
Curran, accompanied by Sister Assistant. I can hope,
and have the firm conviction that Sister Phelan will
spare herself in nothing. Sister Curran can also be useful
with the English speaking patients.
The unmerciful typhus epidemic continues to spread
into the first months of 1848. Fortunately, the
number of patients gradually decreases and the
special hospital can close its doors on May 31 of that
year. Earlier in April, Mother Bruyère revealed to
the Sisters of Red River the depth of the problems
encountered during the epidemic.
Of the 21 Sisters, only five did not have the disease.
Many were at death’s door, but the Lord graciously
heard our persistent prayers. I too came close to death,
but the Blessed Virgin had pity on me.
According to the Registry of Admissions to the
General Hospital of Bytown, which is now in
our Archives, 619 contagious immigrants
were hospitalized between June 5, 1847 and
May 31, 1848. Within the same period, there
are 162 deaths registered. A microfilm copy
of this register also exists in the Archives of
the city of Ottawa.
Top of the page
Cause
of Élisabeth Bruyère
I took him
in and gave him my cot. The poor man died the following day after making his
confession to Father Baudrand; he did not even have time to receive Extreme
Unction. It so happened that the day we took that miserable man in, Father
Telmon had convened a meeting of the Ladies of Charity to organize them
according to the Montreal Program. He wanted to alert them to the need the
hospital had for their help, i.e. for furniture and linens. And here, Father goes on,
saying in English, that I had given up my bed rather than send a poor man away.
I can assure you that I was ashamed and did not know where to find a corner to
escape from the Ladies surrounding me with their attentions. The next day, after the mass that he celebrated for
the Associates, again Father repeated in French was had been said to the Ladies in English the day before. This
time, I laughed; the incident was not worth being repeated, for I had slept very well that night. However, there
was a beneficial effect; it could be that I have acquired a reputation of being very mortified. So, my dear Sister,
you should pray for your friend who receives her reward in this world.
who was
travelling for health reasons, was drenched from head to toe; you can
imagine my embarrassment. However, Mother seemed so resigned and
even content, that I could not refrain from laughing every time she repeated
that Sr. St. Joseph made her take walks for her health and that cold baths
were good for her. Add to that, a stagecoach as hard as a coal cart and
uncovered! Happily, once we arrived at Alexandria, we got a better coach
that brought us here at about 5:30 A.M. 
