Sir Oliver Mowat Memorial Tuberculosis Sanatorium
| Sir Oliver Mowat Memorial Tuberculosis Sanatorium | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Established | 1909 |
| Opened | 1912 |
| Closed | 1926 |
| Current Status | Demolished |
| Building Style | Single Building |
| Location | Kingston, ONT |
| Alternate Names |
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History
Before the creation of the Mowat Sanatorium, tuberculosis patients were treated at Kingston General Hospital in what was called “The Shack.” It was a small, isolated building created in 1903 at the persuasion of Dr. James Third to attempt the outdoor treatment of tuberculosis, as well as providing patients with education on how to lead healthier lives. In 1909, the Kingston General Hospital Board of Governors proposed the construction of The Sir Oliver Mowat Memorial Tuberculosis Sanatorium on the grounds of the hospital, and by 1911, $28,300 had been raised for its construction. However, though architectural plans had already been drawn up, protests from Kingston’s city council, medical doctors, and local residents halted construction and the Sanatorium was forced to seek a new location away from the hospital grounds.
In 1912, the Mowat Sanatorium was finally built, near to Rockwood Asylum. It was not in operation long, however, before it was modified to suit a new purpose. In 1916, it was leased to the Military Hospitals and Convalescent Homes Commission to be used for the treatment soldiers of the First World War who had tuberculosis. The Commission renovated the existing building and created its own plans for additional pavilions in which to house patients on the grounds of the Sanatorium, rendering it “probably the largest hospital combating the white plague in the Dominion,” with approximately two hundred and twenty beds.
However, despite its curative architecture and programs, out of the way location, and the large number of patients it could accommodate, the Mowat Sanatorium was not in operation for long. Once the First World War had ended and funds for the Sanatorium dwindled, it was turned over to the Kingston Health Association and subsequently sold to the Ontario Government for $150,000 on July 21st, 1926. It was then used by the nearby Rockwood Asylum to house three hundred additional psychiatric patients.
