A 1954 photograph of the Dr. Aaron Zeldin Hospital, Lykens, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.
The following story appeared in the Lykens Standard, 12 March 1954, about the Zeldin Hospital. It included the picture posted here (above).
More Than 1,000 Infants Delivered At Dr. Zeldin Hospital
Many a person has said, “This is my house,” but when Dr. Aaron Zeldin says, “This is my hospital,” he means it literally and figuratively. He did part of the actual work in the construction of his $75,000 Lykens institution.
The two story brick structure officially received its first maternity patient on 18 March 1949 and since that time 1932 babies have been born within its walls.
The maternity hospital, only one of its kind in the Williams Valley, and the only hospital between Pottsville and Harrisburg, is a realization of a dream Dr. Zeldin had when he first came to the region in 1940.
A native of Philadelphia, he graduated from West Philadelphia High School, St. Joseph’s College Premedical course, and the Philadelphia College of Osteopathy. He received his degree from the latter in 1938.
Here 14 Years
February 22nd marked the 14th anniversary of Dr. Zeldin’s arrival in the Schuylkill-Dauphin County area. He first opened an office in Tower City on Washington’s birthday 22 February 1940. Two years later he moved his residence to Lykens and opened an additional office in this community.
During World War II Dr. Zeldin was kept busy with maternity cases in the Tower City-Lykens-Williamstown areas. He saw a need for an up-to-date maternity hospital.
He obtained a section of land on Market Street, Lykens, borrowed money and began construction on his hospital. Lykens residents were amazed to see the doctor in a sweat shirt and slacks, painting, hammering nails, pouring mortar, and sealing bricks in his free time. Within six months the building was completed. It was officially licensed by the state, 10 March 1949. The two-story structure of brick and concrete construction has 14 beds and 10 bassinets. Two nurses and two cleaning women are employed there.
The basement floor comprises a kitchen, reception room, private business office, examination room, laboratory, furnace room and one ward. On the second floor is the labor or isolation room, semi-private and private rooms, delivery and operating room and nursery, The first floor consultation room and semi-private rooms on the second floor are equipped with television sets.
No Maternity Fatalities
Although small in size the institution has the latest innovations. Proudest boast of Dr. Zeldin is that there have been no maternity fatalities in the hospital. The infant mortality rate and number of stillborn babies is below the state average.
Known as the Dr. Aaron Zeldin Hospital, the institution has an average bed census of six persons. Although primarily established as a maternity hospital it is also utilized for minor surgery such as tonsillectomies. Independent miner and factory accident victims are treated there and if further treatment is deemed necessary they are transported to a Pottsville or Harrisburg hospital.
Among the children born in the hospital since World War II have been sons and daughters of mothers of English, Italian, Japanese, German, Czech, Filipino, French and Panamanian descent. A Newfoundland mother gave birth to triplets there. The hospital has two sets of twins born within its walls.
Other Doctors Use Facility
Dr. Sherman E. Herrold and Dr. Lewis Hoffman, both of Lykens, use other facilities in the institution. The hospital record for babies born within the shortest period of time was established two years ago when five were born within three hours.
The first baby born in the hospital was a son born to Mr. and Mrs. Ben Kopp on 18 March 1949. The 1032nd was a daughter, Tina Alvina Paul, born to Mrs. Mildred Paul, of 552 West Main Street, Lykens, at 1:02 a.m., Wednesday. Paul is a painter. The baby is the couple’s fifth child.
Major assistant to Dr. Zeldin is his wife, the former Jenny Bechman, also of Philadelphia. She does most of the cooking, keeps the records, assists at all births and minor operational procedures.
The couple have four children: Michael Zeldin, 16,, at student at Hill School, Pottstown, who wants to follow in his dad’s footsteps and become a doctor; Bernice Zeldin, 10, a fifth grade student in the Lykens school; Dell Zeldin and Lee Zeldin, nine year old twins, who are fourth grade students at Lykens. The family worship at the Jewish Synagogue in Pottstown. Dr. Zeldin is a member of the Pennsylvania Osteopathic Society, Lambda Omicron Gamma, medical fraternity.
A bulletin board in the hospital’s reception office is filled with photographs, Christmas and birthday cards from several hundred children who were born in the institution.
_________________________________
Transcription of news article made from Lykens Standard article available on Newspapers.com.
Corrections and additional information should be added as comments to this post.