The Child in the Centre: 75 Years at the Alberta Children's Hospital

Sandy Campbell is a reference librarian in the Science and Technology Library at the University of Alberta.

The Child in the Centre is a scholarly history of the Alberta
Children’s Hospital from 1922 to 1997. It is not meant for popular
consumption. Although the language is accessible, the text is dense with
facts and details.

The book is generously illustrated with photographs, and a reference
list is included at the end of each chapter. In addition to describing
the four different hospitals that have served as the Alberta
Children’s Hospital, the authors trace the development of medical
services in Alberta. They also provide short biographies of staff who
made significant contributions, as well as descriptions of patients’
experiences.

One of the most interesting discussions concerns the politics
surrounding the 1994 restructuring of health care in Alberta, during
which the elimination of the Alberta Children’s Hospital was proposed.
In this part of the book, the authors—one a professor of pediatrics at
the University of Calgary and the other a historical consultant with the
Alberta Children’s Hospital

—cease being impartial observers of history. Although their commentary
is subdued, they are clearly frustrated by the government’s failure to
appreciate the specialized requirements for the provision of care to
children.

This book is recommended for libraries with medical history or Alberta
history collections.