By Keith Loria
When it comes to doing a job right, Dr. Harvey Rothberg considers himself a perfectionist.
Not only when it comes to medicine, but for just about everything he does in life.
That’s why when Dr. Rothberg set out to write a book detailing the history of Princeton Hospital more than 40 years ago, he didn’t want to just rely on the easy-to-locate records and photos, and instead dug deep to delve into its past.
“My first book was called, ‘The First Fifty Years: The History of Princeton Hospital, 1919-1969’ because it had been there 50 years and I found a great deal of history to talk about and some very interesting stories that I wanted people to know,” he says. “I talked to a lot of people who were eager to share, I dug out old photos and the preface acknowledges more than 40 people who helped me tell this important story.”
A quarter century passed and many changes happened at the hospital, including the name, so Dr. Rothberg decided in 1995 to update the book. The second book, called “The First Sevety-Five Years: A History of the Medical Center at Princeton: 1919-1994” was done to commemorate the 75th anniversary.
“I thought it was important to update it and record the recent achievements and also describe the present status of the institution,” he says. “The grand themes of the story are five: growth, modernization, standard of excellence, an atmosphere of caring and a supportive and participating community.”
The first book was done with collaboration from local reporter Don Evans – although Dr. Rothberg reveals that he did all the writing himself. And when he says “writing,” he’s not kidding.
“I hadn’t had a typewriter for many years, so I wrote both entire books in long hand,” he says. “The book has a lot of nostalgia for me.”
Old photos pepper the book, including shots of Nassau Street in 1922, the regional hospital buildings through the years, and many of the distinguished citizens, dedicated administrators and leading physicians that walked and worked there.
Fast-forward to 2012, on the verge of the new hospital building about to open, and Dr. Rothberg believes that those themes are very much prevalent today.
“Here it is 18 years later and the hospital had to grow, but couldn’t on its present site, so it was moved across U.S. 1 and nothing could be more modern than a new building,” he says. “It always has had a standard of excellence and that is continuing.”
Dr. Rothberg grew up in Plainview and did his undergraduate work at the University of Princeton. He attended Harvard Medical School, and did his training in both the U.S. Army and Mass. General Hospital.
When he was looking for a position at a hospital, Dr. Rothberg says that Princeton appealed to him because of its atmosphere of caring.
“I was looking for a tradition of excellence of a great institution where things can be done in the right way with good results and good concern for the welfare and comfort of patients,” he says. “I found that atmosphere and highly skilled physicians were present in this small community hospital in Princeton. So from the very first time I saw it, I was attracted to this community. There was a medical group that appealed to me as well.”
Dr. Rothberg worked at the hospital for 40 years, but his association was much deeper than just seeing patients.
“I have a long history with it, and I love the hospital and institution,” he says. “I worked there for 40 years; my wife worked 15 years as the first radiation technician; I had three surgeries there and my daughter was born there. I have many fond memories.”
Dr. Rothberg decided to hang up his scrubs 12 years ago and retire to a more peaceful life spent with his wife, three daughters and two grandchildren.
“I retired without burnout and without a malpractice suit,” he says. “I could have stayed on a little longer – my mind was good and my health was good – but there were other things I wanted to do with my life, and there were younger physicians who came along who could do the work as good as I could at 72.”
Since leaving, he has worked on his garden, read more, and indulged in a collection of botanical prints. He also serves as the docent at the Princeton University Art Museum and wrote his memoir, “A Caring Life: The Medical Career of Harvey Rothberg.”
Becoming a doctor was something that interested Dr. Rothberg from an early age.
“It was a way to help other people. An altruistic motive, but at the same time something that could be fulfilling,” he says. “You can earn an adequate living but that wasn’t my motive. The way things work, it was not just the scientific point of view, but also a humanistic point of view.”
With only nine years left until its 100th birthday, Dr. Rothberg doesn’t envision a third edition is in his future, but does hope that its history continues to be preserved.
As he wrote on page 133 of the latest book, “The primary challenge of an institution like the Medical Center of Princeton will be to preserve a tradition of excellence in delivery of health care despite expected new financial constraints. A further challenge will be to preserve the humanistic element – the attitude of caring and concern for each patient despite inclusion of outside regulation.”
In his opinion, with the opening of the new hospital, this challenge will be met.

