Hospitals are defined as an institution of offering care to those who need it. The word hospital was derived from the Latin "hospes" which means host. The sound of ambulances rushing down the streets carrying the ill to the hospital is a common sound today. Few individuals would argue today that the best place to receive the proper care when one is seriously ill is in the hospital, whether they are rich or poor. However this was not always the case. At one time hospitals were viewed as dangerous and considered the best place for individuals with mental disabilities or a place for the poor. Hospitals were associated with disease and death. And home care was the best remedy.

Select one of the periods listed below for a brief history of that time: