One of the founding principles of Massachusetts General Hospital (slightly paraphrased here) is that “when in distress, every person becomes our neighbor.”

The hospital put this principle into action on December 6, 1917, after a massive explosion devastated the Canadian city of Halifax.

When the governor of Massachusetts loaded a relief train with supplies and personnel to send to Halifax, Mass General nurses and social workers were included on the relief team and played an invaluable role in helping the city heal.

This act of kindness more than a century ago resonates to this day in the form of a yearly gift—the city of Halifax provides Boston with a Christmas tree each year that is displayed on Boston Common as a symbol of friendship between the two cities.

A Devastating Blast

The Halifax explosion—the largest in human history prior to the advent of nuclear weapons—occurred in the morning hours of Dec. 6, 1917, when the SS Mont-Blanc, a French cargo ship carrying three kilotons of explosives for use in World War I, collided with a second boat in the harbor outside the city.

The collision sparked a fire onboard the SS Mont-Blanc that quickly spread out of control and ignited the highly explosive cargo inside.

The blast and an accompanying tsunami caused widespread damage to the city and its surroundings.

Approximately 2,000 people were killed and more than 10,000 were injured, including 300 victims who were fully or partially blinded by flying glass. Thousands more were left homeless —and there was a blizzard bearing down on the city.

Massachusetts Answers the Call for Help

Calls for aid were sent out from Halifax across Canada and the United States.

One surprising source of relief came from Boston, as the two cities had a long and bitter history dating back to the Revolutionary War.

In spite of their past tensions, the two cities were united by several important factors.

Thousands of transplants from Halifax were living in Boston at the time, and vice versa. Additionally, American diplomatic relations with Canada had warmed significantly in April 1917 once the US formally entered WWI.

Boston had also created committee on public safety earlier that year, which helped the city prepare to address any large-scale medical emergencies that may occur from the US entering World War I.

The work of this committee played a significant role in mobilizing a disaster response to assist the residents of Halifax.

Less than two hours after the explosion, Massachusetts Governor Samuel W. McCall sent a telegram to the mayor of Halifax, asking if they needed any assistance. The governor did not wait for a response and began preparing a train full of rescue workers, doctors and nurses, medical supplies, clothing and food.

The Massachusetts relief train left Boston at 10 PM that evening, approximately 12 hours after news of the disaster had reached Boston. While en route, the blizzard struck, creating huge snow drifts that led to delays on the rail line while rail workers shoveled the train free.

In spite of the weather delays, the Massachusetts train arrived in Halifax two days after the explosion, even quicker than some of the aid from other Canadian provinces.

The members of the Massachusetts relief party spent their first night sleeping on their unheated train without food or water, but they sprang into action the next day.

The Mass General Team Leaps Into Action

In the next 24 hours, the nursing team from Mass General helped transform the St. Mary’s School for Boys into a 150-bed hospital containing separate wards for women, men and children; an operating room for minor surgery; an outpatient department; and the usual administrative necessities of any hospital.

The book Massachusetts General Hospital Nursing at 200, contains the following account of the team’s work:

“On the third floor a children’s ward and women’s ward were soon filled. This floor contained a large washroom with about fifty washbasins, which was most convenient when patients were up. A lavatory, linen closet and supply closet were also on this floor.

“The second floor was divided into the doctors’ quarters, one small ward, barracks for the soldiers, and a large general supply room. The chief nurse occupied a desk in the corridor.

“The first floor was the scene of great activity at all hours of the day, for it contained the headquarters of the quartermaster and his assistants, the office of the senior medical officer and staff, the admitting office and waiting room, the outpatient department, the operating rooms, and one large male ward.”

Mass General social workers Ruth Emerson and Edith Baker, who were also on the relief train, helped secure clothing and shelter, arranged special care for injured children, conducted a census of injured persons and provided psychological assistance to those impacted by the blast.

An Evergreen Message of Thanks from Halifax to Boston

Most of the Massachusetts-based relief team stayed in Nova Scotia for about a week before returning to Boston by train on Dec. 14, 1917. (Emerson stayed on longer to continue building out a medical social services program). The team earned thanks and recognition from Canadian officials for coming to the city’s aid.

A year after the disaster, the provincial government of Nova Scotia sent a Christmas tree to Boston in thanks for their help. In 1971, Nova Scotia revived the tradition, which continues to this day.

Learn more about this year’s Christmas Tree.

Learn More About the Halifax Explosion of 1917

The Halifax Explosion and the Boston Christmas Tree (Good video for more in depth information)

Halifax Explosion: The Aftermath and Relief Efforts (1917) (Video from Halifax right after the explosion)

Massachusetts General Hospital Nursing at Two Hundred

Report of the Halifax Relief Expedition December 6 to 15,1917, | Library of Congress

 The Halifax Explosion – One Sketchy Plea for Help, and Massachusetts Goes the Limit

The story of the Massachusetts Committee on Public Safety, February 10, 1917-November 21, 1918, | Library of Congress

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