The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-04-08
FRESH AIR As MEDICINE.


tive poor have been in successful opera
ton in various parts of Europe for some
years, Germany leading in the move
| ment. The city of Paris supports two
such colonies, and there several in Aus
| tria. 1t is beginning 10 be generally re-
| cognized that the only hope for tubercu-
| loss patients lies in careful sanitation
| realized that the community has very
| serious responsibility in caring for the
tuberculosis poor. Considering the fright
| full immortality rates for this disease in
the last few years. it is incumbent on the
State to take measures against its fur
| Their spread. as it would against cholera,
| or smallpox, or any other contag ious
| disease.
The first successful attempt in this coun-
| try to follow the example of europe was
the Country Sanitarium for Consumptives
| at Bedford Station, Westchester County,
| about forty miles from New York. The
| sanitarium is in connection with the
Montefiore Home for. Chronic Invaiids at
Broadway and One Hundred and Thirty
eighth Street. and is undre practically
| the same management. But the Country
Sanitarium is regarded as an institution
for curables rather than for chronic in
valids. Here men and women are sent
| in the early stages of tuberculosis. There
| seems 10 be no age limit; the youngest
patient at present is six years old, and the
eldest over sixty.
In February, 1895, the directors of the
Montifiore Home decided to establish a
sanitarium for the open-air treatment
of consumption, and purchased 2G estate
of 1856 acres of hill land at Bedford Station.
An old farmhouse in good repair was i'm
| mediately put into service, accommodating
| thirty patients while the permanent build
ings, costing $3.50 900 were in process of
erection The main house consists or
four two-story buildings, arranged TO Sc
cure as much air and sunshine as posi-
BILE and connected by high, glass-covered
corridors There Is not a corner in any
part of the buildings that is not flooded
with light. The building faces the east.
and fronting each room Of the upper and
lower stories are spacious sun parlors.
Down stairs are broad porches. so that,
winter and summer the patients are able
to sit in the light and the fresh air
The site is fine one. and nothing could
be more pleasing to the weary eyes of the
tenement dweller than a sight of the wide
sweep of landscape from the windows.
Miles of woodland. hills. orchards, and
cultivated fields, with some fine country
residences, surround the place. The sani-
tarium grounds are we'll kept. Lawns
and fiowerbeds are in front, and vegetable
gardens, orchards, and medows back OF
the buildings. A good herd of blooded
cows furnish milk to the patients, and
there is a well-stocked fowl yard, which
supplies fresh eggs
The treatment from the first has been
mainly hygienis and dietetic, accompanied
by rest and outdoor employment. Dur
ing the spring. summer. and autumn, all
who are strong enough to be Of any use
work in the gardens and orchards from
one to five hours day. The produce
and supplies raised last year were beyond
the needs of the institution, and the prize
cabbages, pumpkins and corn with which
the cellars are filled would do credit to
rural fair
During the year ending in November,
1902, 3T atients received open-air treat
ment at the sanitarium, with an average
stay of four months and twelve days
In more than s. per cent of cases marked
improvement resulted, and nearly IS per
cent apparent cures were reported. The
value of the regime to the patients is
more than physical The outdoor life is
not natural to the average city patient.
He recoils from II at first, and regards
a spade with detesation. But in many
instances tastes changed with time, and
a number of discharged patients have
adopted an agricultural life. All are ad-
vised to do so, and are especially warned
against going back to unhealthful occu-
pations. such as tailoring. cigar making
and factory work.
Improvement in the majority of cases
is rapid There is generally an increased
coughing and some difficulty in breathing
the strong air during the first week. but
this disappears. and the patients sit and
walk in the open. bareheaded and with the
lightest of wraps. in a temperature that
would generally. be considered rigorous.
Some experiment with open-air sleeping
has been tried. Two patients. one in an
early stage, and the other pretty far along
In consumption were put to live, night
and day in an open tent. They slept I'M
der two heavy blankets and did not suffer
from the cold. although a normal person
would have been decidedly uncomfortable.
The improvement in their cases was so
great that the physician in charge has
recommended the erection next winter ~
several wooden sheds with open fronts.
The sheds will be, It is thought, better
Tan tents because less likely to admit
rain and snow.
The institution is always crowded 10 its
utmost capacity, and there il always a
waiting list. st present there are Isl in
mates. most OF whom are showing i'm
provement Not more than half a-dozen
are confined TO their beds even part Of the
time. There are a few hopeless cases.
but they are made comfortable. and their
lives prolonged in the healthy atmosphere.
One incurable. Polish cigarmaker. oc-
cupies his time carving wonderful models
OF houses and ships out Of scraps Of wood.
He has made a large model OF the institu-
ton building and is now working on a
racing yacht which promises wen.
The young patients, boys and girls from
six TO fourteen. nave school session for
few hours each morning. but most Of
their time is spent roaming about the
grounds digging in the moist earth and
making mud pies. There are fifteen %
these children. and IN several cases their
parents are also patients OF the iastitu-
ton The youngest chnd-s mother and
sister are inmates
Everything IS done to prevent Ioafing
and broodiRg There is an orchestrion IN
thu lower main corridor. and the large
dining room il furnished with a piano.
both gifts from friends % the institution
The dining room IS used FOR frequent