One year later (1899), malaria fever broke out in Northeast Arkansas and the Sisters were asked to helped take care of the sick.  At the persuasion of Father Weibel, the Sisters bought a six-room frame house on East Matthews.  Six rooms were prepared with cots for beds and covered orange crates for wash stands.  On July 5, 1900, St. Bernards Hospital was opened.
 

 

St. Bernard's Hospital - 1900
 

     In response to the need for health care, St. Bernards has continued to grow and additional buildings were added. Today, over one-hundred years later, St. Bernards is the leader of health care in Northeast Arkansas.