Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-10-19
TUBERCULOSIS TREATMENT.
The Open.Air Method as Practis-
ed at Saranac Lake.
1 Valuable and Interesting Paper by
Redne1d Proctor, Jr.-Thc Cure
und the Conditions Demanded
In the Treatment.

rho following interesting article on
open Air Treatment of tuberculosis,
written by RedHeld Proctor. Jr., and
taken from the Vermonter, is OF timely
interest in view Of Senator Proctor's re-
cent benefaction for a sanatarium.
II Is not the purpose Of this article TO
In any way discuss the subject of tuber-
tulosis from a scientific standpoint. The
statements are not professional but SIM
ply those OF a person who had an OPP
%portunity to observe many others around
him for a period Of several months and
note the results Of the treatment on cases
Of various types and degrees Of ADVANCE
nient. Public interest has been much
aroused during the past year OH this
subject, and certainly there Is nothing
about which 1t is more important that a
citizen of our country should inform him
self, for to-day more than one-tenth OF
our people fall it's victims.
Saranac Lac is a village of about three
Thousand inhabitants and is situated In
the northern half Of the Adirondack
region. being somewhat west of the cen
trail range 1t is reached by two rail-
roads. the New York Central ard the
Delaware G. Hudson. Although quite
near n number of the most popular sum
MGR resorts in the mountains, II is
Stunned by pleasure seekers. and by
many looked upon almost as a lcper
colony. The danger to the passer-by is
nothing and one can say the sarnc for
the healthy residents of the town. The
Adirondack Cottage Sanitorium which
has now been open for 20 years has never
rad n case of tuberculosis develop either
in tie staff or among the help. Certainly
this is Il good record Saranao Lake is
n most unique village. Its inhabitants
include people from all walks of life and
from every State in the Union. Much OF
the business of the town Is carried on by
persons who having come there with the
trouble. as tuberculosis Is there spoken
OF, find it unwise to attempt lifS else
| wlcrc. This is true In nearly every
vocation ollowed in the town. and for
the most part the inhabitants are cheer
full, notwithstanding specimens of man.
kind. Practically all the doctors were
tnce patients.
OF what does "the cure" as the open
air treatment is spoken Of. consist: The
answer to this ftsn-asked question Is to
many surprising in its simplicity. Its
main features are complete rest, plenty
OF pure air, and the best Of simple. nour-
ishing food. The sole secret lies in Per-
feeling the general health to the highest
degree possible and in this way nature
throws OF tina disease herself. Almost
no medicine is given. The patient rises
from seven to eight In the morning and
has breakfast Immediately. Soon otter
breakfast. by nine o'clock. ne takes up
his station in a reclining chair on a
porch or balcony. Here he remains quiet
~ until just before dinner which is
usually at one o'clock. The afternoon is
very similar to the forenoon, and supper
comes about six. The patient may or
may not sit out in the evening according
as he sleeps in a room or out of doors.
This is tn" regular life from cay to day
of n patient who is able TO be dressed
hut not able to walk. If a patient is
confined to his bed. the latter may bo
rolled onto a balcony. or If this is not
possible nc remain in his room with
the windows wide open. One who per.
sistently runs a temperature of "A hun.
drcd or over is kept in bed while many
others are able to walk from ffteer
minutes to an hour once or twice n dag
Sleeping ont of doors which is so mucl
| ttIh'l db'u VI l IL i'N 'fN'N ''Pci
by any Of the doctors. but of course
rlCnty of air in The sleeping room is re-
CURED. In fact. the doctors advise
against sleeping ont of doors unless aftel
a fair trial the patient finds he car
sleep quite as long ana restfully az IL
the house. Many sleep cut of doors il
the summer who are not able t. do so il
the winter. One should not sleep in
- T.
times quite difficult to keep the wine
from blowing onto the bed. When sleep
ing in a corner room open the window
both ways but do not put the bed he
tween them. Always open the windov
some at both top and bottom, and l
possible opcn more than one window
Cold is to most people stimulating bu
there is no particular virtue in extrem
cold. II the room Is perfectly aired
nothing is gained in having the tempera
turc below freezing. The writer has slsp
many months out of doors on n porch q
in a corner room from which the win
dows had been removed. He has repeat
eily read n thermometer hanging on tn
bed below zero, and at times from tco t
fifteen degrees below hut even undo
these conditions with the proper cloth
{ ing he never experienced the sliahtes
discomfort. 1t Is not wise to renal
V cold when either out of doors or in. hi
| one soon becomes acclimatcd to extreme
D ly low temperature. Patients are SUI
posed to go to bed between nine an
. ten and to remain in bed at least min
hours.
The diet consists Of the most nourisf
ing bat simple food. Plenty of fires
l meat such as beef or lamb and som
fowl. Largo quantities OF milk and egg
arc taken wnen possible for the patier
10 do so and this Is usually the CHS
even IL not at first. One often reads {
the most absurd accounts OF tho nun.b6
OF Eggs and amount of milk consume
by a patient in n single dey. 1hre
quarts of milk and six eggs cooked M
too long or taken raw from the shell Is
very liberal amount when he patient
eating three good meals daily beside
Some of the milk and Eggs can be take
together. 1t is best to take something hs
tween meals and WIN going to bed. an
often when sitting out In the cold all da
bouillcn or cocoa is preferable to col
milk. There is something remarkable /
the way the air at SNranac stimulat
the appetite and aids digestion. The n
titudc is not extreme. n little less tina
two thousand feet In fact. The soil
sandy although the town Is situated
the heart Of the woods. The snowfa
is not excessive. often less than in poi
--.s