The Murphy Army Hospital is a former hospital in

Waltham, Massachusetts Waltham ( ) is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, and was an early center for the labor movement as well as a major contributor to the American Industrial Revolution. The original home of the Boston Manufacturing Company, ...

. The hospital grounds, now demolished, is now home to Gann Academy, Bentley University Residence Halls, and City of Waltham Veterans Memorial Park- which contains sport facilities. During its operation, it was also home to a sports team called the

Murphy Medics Murphy () ( ga, Ua Murchadha) is an Irish surname and the most common surname in the Republic of Ireland. Origins and variants The surname is a variant of two Irish surnames: "Ó Murchadha"/"Ó Murchadh" (descendant of "Murchadh"), and "Mac ...

. From June 1, 1949, to April 30, 1950, the hospital was the site of an experiment, ordered by the Surgeon General of the United States Army, Major General Raymond W. Bliss, to determine "to what extent women could be substituted for men in the operation of Army hospitals". During the 11-month period, 240 civilian women and members of the

Women's Army Corps The Women's Army Corps (WAC) was the women's branch of the United States Army. It was created as an auxiliary unit, the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) on 15 May 1942 and converted to an active duty status in the Army of the United States ...

replaced men in the majority of medical and administrative jobs. However, no women Army doctors were available and "costs precluded the hospital's hiring of civilian women for the experiment." Bettie J. Morden, ''The Women's Army Corps, 1945-1978'' (Center of Military History, 1992) pp154-155 There are several remains of Murphy Hospital still surviving. The main driveway to the Hospital off Trapelo road remains with original brown wood sign holders as well as a lamp post at the end of the roadway. One building from Murphy Hospital remains. The original hospital maintenance shop is still standing on property behind Gann Academy.

References

Hospitals in Middlesex County, Massachusetts Military facilities in Massachusetts Military hospitals in the United States Closed medical facilities of the United States Army Defunct hospitals in Massachusetts Demolished buildings and structures in Massachusetts {{Massachusetts-hospital-stub

See also

References