On the evening of Aug. 21, 1883, a powerful tornado ripped through the rural town of Rochester, Minnesota.
In its aftermath, W.W. Mayo and his two sons helped treat the wounded. Mayo asked Mother Alfred of the Sisters of St. Francis if he could use the convent school’s empty beds for his patients. When she agreed, it set in motion a series of events that would prove significant to the health care world.
" The Mayo Clinic: Faith — Hope — Science" premieres Tuesday night on PBS. The clinic is still based in Rochester, but has a presence in other cities, including Phoenix and Scottsdale.
Ken Burns and Christopher Loren Ewers — two of the film's three directors — joined The Show to talk more about the documentary.
EDITOR'S NOTE: This story had been updated to correct the name of Mother Alfred of the Sisters of St. Francis.