Straub Clinic & Hospital

Straub Clinic & Hospital was founded in 1921 as "The Clinic" by Dr. George F. Straub. Dr. Straub was educated in Germany and came to practice in Hawaii in 1907. In 1910, he conceived the idea of forming a group of physicians to provide better, more specialized care for his patients. It, however, took over 10 years to bring this idea to fruition.

The first step in 1912 was the construction of a wood frame building at 410 South Beretania Street. Here, Dr. Straub established his office on the first floor and his home on the second. By 1916 his practice had grown to the point that he recruited an assistant, Dr. Guy C. Milnor. Looking to the future, Dr. Straub began to envision a clinic providing specialized care in five major fields of medicine: Obstetrics and Gynecology, Surgery, Internal Medicine, ENT, and Clinical Pathology. To this end, he next enlisted Dr. Arthur Jackson, a specialist in internal medicine in 1920 and the group carried on for a short time as Straub, Milnor, and Jackson.

In the latter part of 1920, Dr. Howard Clarke resigned his commission in the United States Army and joined as a specialist in Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat. Dr. Eric A Fennel also left the Army about this time and joined the group as pathologist.

In January, 1921, the five founding partners formally organized themselves as a legal partnership. At Dr. Straub's insistence the group he founded did not bear his name, and it was to be known simply as "The Clinic".

Dr. Harry L. Arnold, Sr., specialist in internal medicine and radiology, joined The Clinic in 1921. Dr. Joseph E. Strode, a general surgeon, joined in 1922, and Dr. Joseph Palma, a pediatrician, joined in 1924.

Dr. Straub's influence on "The Clinic" was profound and distinctive. His favorite mottoes were, "To win the race or die running", and "Take care of patients and they will take care of you". Another motto derived from his name was, "Such true rivalry as unity begets".

In 1952, after years of success and growth, "The Clinic" was renamed "Straub Clinic" in honor of Dr. Straub. Dr. Straub died in May, 1966.

Straub Clinic & Hospital