Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1901-11-21
UNCLE SANS HOSPITAL
The Institution for Consumptives at
Fort Bayard, N, N.
A FINE ~SANlTARlUh.

From New York Mail and Express.
one Of the least known institutions
Of the government is Uncle Sans
sanitarium for the treatment of con.
sumption OF Fort Bayard. N. NJ,
Here the government Is carrying on a
series OF Investigations OF tuberculo.
sis, which are likely to end in highly
beneficial Tesults. Remarkable cures
have been wrought. and radical chang.
as made in the previously accepted
hospital treatment OF consumption.
The sanltarium was opened In 1899,
when the war department authorized
Maj. ID. NJ. Appel. surgeon. u S. A..
To take charge of the hospital. which
Is for the care OF officers and enlisted
men suffering from pulmonary tuber.
%culosls aud for discharged soldiers
entitled To { G benefits OF the United
states soldiers home at Washington,
II. G.
The hospital is located In the arid
mountainous region OF southern New
Mexico. Having an altitude of GOiO
feet. the climate permits Of an outdoor
life during the entire year, and pa.
tients live IN the open air for at least
eight hours every day. The sanltar-
lum has been In operation only a 1T.
tie over n year, and already IL has
turned out ten cases cured and has
n number Of others on the sure road
to recovery. The administrative force
consists &c the chief surgeons. ten
female nurres. one hospital steward,
two acting stewards and twenty pri.
Yates OF the hospital corps.
Scientific diet, fresh air and sun.
| shine, are combined in the chief the.
DRY of the sanitarium, and srrupulous
cleanliness Is enforced In all depa {.
ments Ca eful attention Is given TO
each individual and n record kept of
each case. All are advised to retire
early, to take moderate exercise and To
eat slowly.
The most scrupulous cleanliness Is
the keynote of the administration of
affairs at the nations army hospital.
II Is not only enf0 ced in all depart
ments. but IL required Of the patients.
Kitchens, dining rooms and dorml.
tories are thoroughly scrubbed each
day. To prevent infection and re.
infection no table cloths or napkins
are used IA the dining room. The
tables are OF plain board and after
each meal are thoroughly cleansed
with sal soda and DO ling water. All
tableware Is also Immersed I'm boiling
water after each using. Each inmate
Is supplied with towels and bed linen
and no one Is permitted to use those
allotted to another.
Each patient, upon Joining the It'll,
colony At Fort Bayard. Is subjected
to a most comprehensive physical ex
animation a chart is then prepared
showing the stage OF the disease al
the date OF admission and subsequent
conditions are recorded almost daily
so that the chart shows "A complete
and continuous history OF each ease
In addition a weekly record is kept
OF each patients weight, and such re
ports are regarded as an index oi
the general progress of the individ
uals.
In the governments scientific treat
ment OF consumption. as exempli1ed
at the station at Fort Bayard. great
stress Is laid upon the Importance OF
good, nutritious food. The bill of fare
for the patients at breakfast consists
Of a choice of several cereals, eggs to
order, potatoes. broiled beefsteak
ham. chops, breakfast bacon. rolls
toast, wheat bread, butter. coffee
and milk. For dinner there are ser,
we'd roast nutton and beef, vegetables
fresh fruit, bread, butter and milk
The supper men comprises cold
meats. meat stew, boiled and baked
potatoes. srewed fruit, corn or wheat
mullins, bread and butter, coffee and
tea.
The wonderful New Mexican elm
ate Is. of course, the very best tonic
or restorative that could possibly be
prescribed for a consumptive patient
and to insure their gaining the max
imum possible amount OF benefit
from il the army officers In charge in
sist upon the patient spending as
much time ne possible In the open air
and that when indoors they shall sec
to IL that windows are kept open
To such an extent Is the enforcement
OF this regulation carried that inmatei
OF the hospital who are at all able I,
get out are not permitted to occupy
their dormitories between the hour
of y o'clock In the morning and 7:3t
O'Clock In the evening. Visiting n
quarters rs not permitted, and no
only are the ambulant patients re
quired to absent themselves from thu
dOu mitorios, but Is is one OF the tenet'
OF Uncle Sans innovation In consump
tiOn treatment that each sufferer shall
remain out I'm the open air at leas.
eight hours a day.
Il The use of stimulants and cigar
cites Is forbidden, although smoking
and chewing tobacco in moderation
are permitted.
During the first year in the histor.
Of the new hospital a very s~atisfaC
!, tory showing vas made, particular,
In view of the fact that the new meth
DDS OF treatment are only at the In
~troductory stage. Several patient
were discharged cured and a humble
Of others returned to their home
much improved. The latter consist
ed principally OF sufferers whose ease
had reached an advanced stage whel
they were admitted TO the sanitariun
and who, when informed that Their
was no reasonable hope Of entire r.
covery, preferred to return TO thei
homes and friends. Some OF the mos
severe cases treated have brOugh
out the most interesting disclosures &
the medical authorities, who are study
ing the results at Fort Bayard wit
intense interest. For instance, ther
has been Il conclusive disproval o
the opinion generally held that hemol
rhages are su~perinduced By residenc
In the high attitudes.