La Junta tribune., 1905-07-15

graphic account OF tent NE a. IArI
under his direction for large number
of insane oonsumptiyes- 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 consumptiye insane patients
may be kept. and treated. to their ad-
vantage and incidentally to the ac-
vantage OF their fellow inmates. in
canvas tents. and throughout the sew
ersl 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 GOV
cred a period OF forty months
In all hospitals for the insane the In
mates are classified according 10 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 nye
months during each summer.
The camp first established consist
ed OF two large dormitory 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 a dining tent for such
patients as were able 20 leave their
beds and tents. and 70 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.
As has been said. II was expected 10
continue the camp only through the
summer and as far into the autumn
as favorable weather might render
iustifable But when In the late au-
tumn II was found that the favorable
experience continued. IL was decided
20 attempt to carry the experiment.
on a moderate scale. into. or even
through. the approac hing winter. The
camp. as first established. had been
placed upon an elevated knoll adjacent
to the riverside aud purposely exposed
90 the full force OF the summer
breezes. For the winter experiment
its site was removed TO the center OF
the island, where trees and buildings
in'erposed to act as a wind break to
the severe storms from the east and
northeast which are to be expected In
that locality. The number OF patients
was reduced 10 twenty. those In whom
the disease was most active being re-
tained and the others being returned.
for the time being, and much against
their will. to the buildings. one large
tent sufiees for the housing at nigh;
OF the reduced number OF patients.
and one was set apart as a sitting
room for day use. With the accessory
tents before mentioned. and large
stoves were placed In them. here and
there. with wire screens surrounding
them 10 protect the patients. ami
liberal use OF asbestos and other fire.
proof material and arrangements for
the prevention Of Ere.
To make long story short. II has
remained In continuous use, not only
throughout the FIRST winter. but
through the two succeeding winters
and intervening seasons. up to the
of lis employment has been gradually
enlarged until all patients In whom
there are active Manifestations of
tuberculosis-an average Of forty
three out Of total census OF about
..00o-sre isolated therein. and there
has been parallel enlargement Of the
elements Of the plant.
The Isolation OF the tuberculosis pa
tients has reduced 10 a minimum the
larger Of infection of other patients
and OF employees. The patients them
selves have suffered no injury or hare
ship. but have. on the ratrary. been
unmis,akably benefited This is shown.
among other ways. by . decrease ir
the death rate from pulmonary tuser-
cu'osis. both absolute and relative.
and by marked general Increase in
bodily weight amounting in the case
of one patient to an actual doubling OF
the ~eight-fron eixhty-three to one
hundred and sixty six pornds-in four
teen months of camp residence.
Mental Improvement has as a Eerer-
a. rule been the concomitant of physi-
cal not only among the patients in tae
tuberculosis camp. but also In ,he
others. and IN the former class this
tas been souewha. Of an anomaly
Ny experience. and I think tha. of
others. has been that when phthi<is
and insanity co-exist they are apt to
alternate as to the prominence Of their
several manife~tations-the mental
symptoms beine more pronounced
whilst the physicai are In seeyance.
ant vice versa Under the tent treat
nent ve have found q general dis
position toward aecord in the manifes-
tations. Improvement in both respects
proceeding concurrsntiy. and some Of
the discharges from the hospital which
gave most satisfaction to Us ~ the
time and mcst assurance FOE the -