Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-12-16
At FORT STANTON.
RESERVATION IN NEW MEXICO
FOR SOLDIERS AFFLICTED
WITH TUBERCULOSIS

Soiohy VI SonSumptiveS FiouriSheS
Under Governments Supervision
croquet the Most Popular Athletic
Exercises Among Patients.
Far out IN arid New Mexico the Uni.
ted States government sustains a hos
p1tal for the treatment of the men Of
its merchant marine who have become
afflicted with the great white plague,
A few years ago when Fort Stanton,
formerly military post. was instituted
as hospital for "lungers," the build
ings mad been deserted by the soldiers
and were IN run down condition. They
nave since oeen repaired and the pop.
ulation OF the fort is now over 500. The
institution IS under the supervision OF
DR.. P. NJ. Darlington, surgeon of the
United States public health and ma
rlne hospital service. A Kansas City
paper recently published the following
interesting interview with DIR. Caring
ton regarding the colony of consump-
tives:
We have, said DR.. Darlington, "be-
tween 200 and $50 men out there TAX
ing the treatment speak Of treat
ment,' although there is no such thing
ASA course OF medical handling of the
cases. A man lands in Fort Stanton
and imm ediately his case is examined
and record made of it. He is first sent
to the general hospital, where he is
kept for few days During this inter-
val we are busy watching his condi-
ton, and at the end of his preliminary
hospital time we are able to determine
what he needs. If he Is too weak he
is permitted to stay there or live in
some of the homes around there. But
If he is able 1t is recommended that
he take quarters in one of the tents,
small village of which latter is situ-
ated 100 yards or so from the place
around which the other buildings
stand. By the way, should say that
open air, sunshine, plenty of whole
some food and rest are what are rec.
commended to the patients. The guam
titles Of these that can be regulated
are graduated according to the individ-
ual needs. After the man goes to his
permanent place he has nothing to do
except to recover himself, unless he
cares to work. This is permitted only
in the event that he is able to stand
physical labor. Otherwise he eats,
sleeps and enjoys the sunshine and
fresh air as he wishes
Many Permanently Cured.
There are at least twenty-five per
cent Of the cases which come to us
that We are able TO cure quickly and
permanently. Then there are those
that have gone long, long time for
whom there could not be much hope.
But we take them and do the best we
can with them. The thing of it is that
those we cure, when they go. out from
the institution, act as missionaries for
us after they have left us and the re-
suit is that look for great decrease
In tuberculosis in the next few years
over the country as an outcome of
these efforts which the government Is
making. OF course, it takes months
to reach results, and the more stub
born cases that we are able to handle
it requires years, but we feel that we
are doing a great humanitarian work,
SO that We are willing to keep 1t up.
Why, myself was Hunger before l
went out there. was only in the
tearlier stage Of the disease and now
seem to be rid of it entirely.
Life at Fort Stanton is far from
one dull grind of monotony. We have
our diversions, which make it not only
bearable, but actually one of the hap
piest communities ever lived in.
Now, speaking of diversions, strange
as it may seen to you, l never recon-
mend any sort of exercise for the pa
tients more vigorous than croquet. You
understand that the altitude there is
several thousand feet and the patients
have to take good care of themselves.
| We have golf course and that is
rather popular, but croquet has the
greatest place in the esteem of the
patients there as an athletic diversion.
Have Band.
There is band of sixteen or TWEEN
ty pieces which now and then plays a
concert Then the patients gather in
little groups during the evening and
play cards. We have, too, library of
$500 volumes, which is largely used.
Really the men there afflicted with
consumption are the iolliest set Of fell
lows have ever seen. Even those in
the last stages seem happy and self.
possessed. And, indeed, when they
get down to deaths door they are fair
| ly cheerful and pass cut of the world
without apparent suffering as it is
known to those dying from other NAL
aides.
Speaking Of religious affairs, a
Catholic priest comes up to Fort Stan.
ton regularly and holds a meeting. My
wife and another woman there often
get together of a Sunday evening and
hold sort of song service, which is
attended not only but Protestants, but
by a large number of Catholics as
we'll. And when man dies we have
some showing of religious service
Often there isn't any clergyman
to be had, but we have a man who is
a Catholic in religion and who for sew
eral years has read the Episcopal ser
vice. He says that he is good Cath
Ollie, but that he would prefer to read
the Episcopal burial service lest some
one might say he was trying to thrust
his own religion upon the com munity.'
Dr. Darlington says he doesn't have
much trouble enforcing the lid. II