The Floating Hospital

July 19, 1875 — On this day, New York City launched the maiden voyage of the Helen C. Juilliard, the first vessel dedicated to serving as a floating hospital. Operated by the St. John’s Guild, it brought medical care, fresh air, and river breezes to the city’s poorest children and mothers, many of whom had little access to treatment in the crowded tenements of Manhattan.

Over the years, the floating hospital fleet grew, with new ships — including one christened the Emma Abbott after the celebrated opera singer and benefactor — continuing the mission. In time, these hospital ships would serve hundreds of thousands of patients, establishing a tradition of medical charity that lasted well into the 20th century.