The Rich Hill tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1903-1911, 1905-06-01

tan State Hospital, East, gives a
graphic account Of tent life as tried
under his direction for a iarge number
pf insane oonsumptives. The follow.
ing extracts are from his paper IN the
Directory OF Institutions and Societies
dealing with Tuberculosis IN TIE
United States and Canada:
That consHmptive insane patients
may be kept, and treated. to their ad.
vantage and incidentally to the ad.
vantage Of their fellowinmates, In
canvas tents. and throughout the sev
sral S 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 to the
lorm OF mental disturbance. To take
irom all these classes any suffering
srom tuberculosis and put them 10
gether In one tent was a serious prob
lem. This. however. has been very
successfully done. The original plan
vas 10 use the camp only about Eve
months during each summer
The camp first established consist
Cd OF two large dormitory tents
twenty by forty feet-each containing
twenty beds, with smaller tents Of
different shapes, about ten by ten
teet. for the accommodation Of the
nurses, the care OF the hospital stores.
pantries and a dining tent for such
patients as were able 10 leave their
beds and tents, and 80 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. it was expected to
continue the camp only through the
summer and as far into the autumn
as favorable weather might render
iustifahle. But when in the late au-
tumn il was found that che favorable
experience continued, It was decided
70 attempt TO carry the experiment.
on a moderate scale. into, or even
through, the approaching winter. The
camp. as first established. had been
placed upon an elevated knoll adjacent
TO the riverside and purposely exposed
to 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
interposed to act as a wind-break TO
the evere storms from the east and
northeast which are "a be expected in
that locality. The number OF patients
was reduced TO twenty. those in whom
the disease was most active being re-
tanned and the others being returned.
for the time being. and much against
their viii. to the buildings. One large
tent sufices for the housing al night
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 TO protect the patients. and a
liberal use OF asbestos and other FIRE
proof material and arrangements for
the prevention OF FIRE.
To make a long story short. # has
remained in continuous use. not only
throughout the first winter. but
through the two succeeding winters
and intervening seasons. up 10 the
date Of the present writing. The scope
OF its employment has been gradually
enlarged until all patients Ia whom
there are active manifestations Of
tuberculosis-an average OF forty
three out OF a total census OF about
2.00O-are isolated therein. and there
has been parallel enlargement OF the
elements Of the plant.
The isolation OF the tuberculosis pa
iients has reduced to a minimum the
danger OF infection OF other patient,
and OF employees. TIE patients them
selves have suffered no injury or hard
shin. but have. on the contrary. beer
Enthusiastically benefited. This Is shown
among other ways. by a decrease in
the death rate from pulmonary tuber
e~ulosis. both absolute and relative
and by a marked general Increase IN
bodily weight. amounting IN the case
Of one patient 20 an actual doubling Of
the weight from e~ighty-three 10 oue
hundred and sixty-slx pouuds-ln f0us
teen months OF camp residence.
Mental improvement has aa a Fener
al rule been the eoneomitaut os physi
cal. not only among the patients III "a,
tuberculosis camp, but also IN ne
others. and in the former class thi.
has been somewhat OF an anomaly
Ny experience. and / think that Of
others, has been that when phthisl.
and insanity eo-exist they are apt q
alternate as 10 the prominence OF theii
several manifestations-the mental
symptoms being nor pronounced
whilst the physical are In sbeyance
and vice versa Under the tent treat,
ment we have found a general dis.
position toward accord IN the nantes.
%tatlons. improvement IN both respects
proceeding coneurrently. and some OF
the discharges from the hospital which
gave most satisfaction TO as al tie
time and most Assurance for thu ns.