The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1888-02-26
. mai he married and settled Town to tho
serious work Of life. like q sensible and rea-
sonable creature.
The Cure OF Consumption.

sonable creature.
The euro Of Consumption.
A proposition lately presented to the Acad-
envy Of Medicine Of New York is OF interest
outside Of the medical profession, for 1t Is
based IN the theory that under . rational
treatment pulmonary consumption isc durable.
The scheme proposes the establishment In
the n~eighborhood Of New York OF an insti-
tuition for the treatment Of consumptives
modelled after a sanatorium now in success
full operation in Germany, near Frankfort.
At present homes for consumptives are
simply charitable institutions. to which pa
tients go to find a comparatively comfort
able place In which to die, but the German
hospital is something very different. 1t was
founded In 1874 by a joint stock company,
and it's purposei Is not merely alienation, but
actual and permanent cure Of the disease.
The head OF the Falkenstein sanatorium
Is DR.. P. DETTwEIIER. who was himself a
sufferer from pulmonary consumption. The
climate Of Falkenstein IL not believed to
have any specific influence on the diseased
organ, the favorable results secured being
due rather to the method Of treatment.
This method. in brief. is okeep the patient
either lying or walking In the open air almost
day and night, and to give him a rich, liberal.
and peculiarly adapted diet, In which milk is
freely used, and also wine and brandy under
careful regulations. Each case is treated
separately, according to its individual noces-
stiles, and compressed or dilated air, massage,
and the douche are employed as their advan-
ta9e may be indicated. The patients life is
controlled down to tho smallest details.
nothing being left to his own Judgment.
After being acclimated, hemust spend many
hours daily, lying, properly covered, on q
lounge placed upon one Of the verandas, or
on ono of the rotating pavilions, permanent
air and rest treatment being the speciality Of
the institution. Even in the coolest
weather the patients are subjected
to this treatment. unless their
cases are Of the severest, or they are suffer-
ing from intercurrent diseases. Six hours L.
the average time spent on the lounge, while
many remain from min to eleven hours,
passing the time reading or writing. play
ing dominoes or chess, the verandas and
pavilions being well lighted after dark" The
systematic use Of massage, the daily rub
bling down of patients. and the cold douche
are also features Of tho treatment. The diet
is very carefully regulated to tempt the ap-
petite and with reference to the condition Of
the digestion, the meals consisting Of q
breakfast from 7 to 8 80, a second breakfast
at 10. dinner at l.. fresh milk at 4, and a
warm supper at Z. The food Is well pre-
pared and cooked rather rich," and It is 90
appetitizing that SO per cent. Of all the pa
tents gain an average Of 9 $40 pounds
each in three months, "the administration
of such a liberal and rich diet amounting
almost to overlooking"
DR.. DETTwEILRR has an especially high
opinion Of the value Of alcohol as q remedial
agent in cases Of pulmonary consumption,
the ordinary patient drinking from three
fourths to a full bottle Of good olaret. Rhine,
or Hungarian wine daily, and others for a
longer or shorter period receiving two tea
spoonfuls Of pure brandy every hour or two
from morning to night, besides q glass Of
brandy milk punch at retiring. AFTER
numerous trials and experiments with a
large variety Of remedies" writes DR.. DErr-
WELLER. II will say freely that I would
rather dispense with the use Of salicyl,
quinine. or %antipyrine than with good wine
or brandy" Finally, the patients sleep with
their windows open all night, and the great
est care is taken to preserve cleanliness.
The average number in the sanatorium is
16O in the summer and 100 in winter, and the
entire cost to q patient is not over So q day.
The institution is financially successful, but
the stockholders are limited to 8 per cent,
the surplus being expended on improve
mania or hold "a q fnnd for the e9tahlioh.
Of a similar sanatorium for the treat
ment Of poorer patients. As to the results
of the method, DR.. DErTwEILER says that
" II the disease has not made too much prog
ress, and II the treatment is continued a SUI
ficient length Of time, more than one-half of
all cases Of bacillary phthisis should be cured,
and they will remain so II the patient will
live accordingly afterward."