The Monte Vista journal., 1905-06-10

A. E. Macdonald, l.. L. B.. n. y.
medical superintendent OF the Manhat
tan State Hospital. East. gives q
graphic account of tent life as tried
under his direction for large number
OF insane consumptives. The follow.
Ing extracts are from his paper In the
Directory of Institutions and Societies
dealing with tuberculosis In the
United States and Canada:
That consumptive insane patients
may be kept. and treated. TO their ad-
vantage and incidentally TO the ad-
vantage Of their fellow-inmates. In
canvas tents. and throughout the sew.
eral seasons Of the year. has been
demonstrated in the recent history Of
the Manhattan State Hospital. East.
The experiment upon the success Of
which this claim is advanced has COW
cred a period Of forty months.
In all hospitals for the insane the in.
mates are classified according to the
form Of mental disturbance. To take
from all these classes any suffering
from tuberculosis and put them to-
gether In one tent was a serious prob
lem. This. however. has been very
successfully done. The original plan
was TO use the camp only about i've
months during each summer.
The camp arst established cons!rt-
ed OF two large dormitofy tents
twenty by forty feet-each containing
twenty beds. with smaller tents OF
different shapes. about ten by ten
feet. for the accommodation OF the
nurses. the care OF the hospital stores,
pantries and q dining tent for such
patients as were able TO leave their
beds and tents. and go to the table for
their meals. Running water was Sc
cured by means OF underground pipes.
and the safe disposition Of waste and
sewage was also provided for.
Az has been said. 1t WAS expected to
continue the camp only through the
summer and As far into the autumn
~ favorable weather might render
justihable. But when In the late al.
tumn II was found that the favorable
experience continued. It was decided
to attempt to carry the experiment.
On . moderate scale. into. or even
through. the approaching winter. The
camp. A. 6rst established. had bees
placed upon An elevated knoll adjacent
to the riverside and purposeiy exposed
TO the full force Of the summer
breezes. For the winter experiment
Its site vas removed to the center OF
the Island ~rhae~ &c.. 90 k.nxt.-
interposed 10 act ~ . wind. bseak TO
the severe storms from the east and
northeast which are to be expected In
that locality. The number OF patients
vas reduced to twenty. those In whom
the disease was most active being re-
iained and the others being returned.
for the time being. and much against
their will. to the buildings. One large
ten, sufhces for the housing at night
OF the reduced number OF patients.
And one was set apart ~ . sitting.
room for day use. with the accessory
tents before mentioned. and large
stoves were placed In them. here aud
there. with wire screens surrounding
them to protect the patients. aad .
liberal use Of asbestos aad other are
proof material and arranssDsats for
the prevention OF IRE
To make long story short. Il hiss
remained In cootinvous usa, NOT only
throughout the arst wistes. but
through the two succeeding winters
AID Intervening seasons. up 10 the
date Of the present writing. The scoops
Of Its employment has been gradually
enlarged until all patients 10 whom
there are active Manifestations Of
tubefculosis-an average OF forty
three out Of . total census Of about
s.ooo-are isolated therein. and there
has been parallel enlargement Of the
elements Of the plaat.
Tho isolation Of the tuberculosis pa
tIen,s has reduced to q minimum ths
danger Of Infection OF other patients
and Of employer. The patients them
selves have suffered no Injury or hard
ship, bu, have. on the contrary. beer
unmistsksbly beneAtcd. This 10 shown
among other ways. BY decrease ia
tho death rate from pulmonary tuter
culosis. both absolute and relative
And BY . marked general Increase Ia
bodily weight. amounting 10 the CASE
Of ors patient 10 An actual doubling oi
the weisht-from eishty.thrss 10 on'
hundred and sixtySix pouads-ia four
teen months Of camp residence.
| Mental improvement has - q sener
al rule been the coneomltant Il phys!
cal. not oaiy among the patients Ia tns
tuberculosis camp. bot also 10 M
others. and 10 the former class THU
has been somewhat Of IN anomaly