The Grit-advocate., 1905-02-10
Battle Creek Sanitariurrl.

name cOnJuTes up-memOTlsS OF other
days-eyen the pioneer days. when the
redmen of he northern lake region
bent the bow and smeared their faces
with keal-braided their flowing locks
with feathers of the porcupine and
wild eagle. that they might appear
more wild, if possible. than before
And as they painted the cheeks and
braided the hair. the squaw-women
sharpened the flint arrow heads and
shaped new bows. that their lords
might do battle to the death with
other redmen.
And here at Battle Creek. way up
in Michigan, great battle one day
did occur, and when it was over, and
the sun kissed the range 20 the far
west. the tomtoms were muttied and
the squaw women wrapped their heads
in vari-colored blankets and wept, for
with the going down OF the sun. many
braves passed to the proverbial happy
hunting grounds.
But that was many, many moons
ago. as the Indians measure time and
new era has long since dawned.
True. it is Battle Creek" to-day. just
as it was decades ago, but. instead of
the cry of the savage, is heard the
hum of industry: the throb of life;
the greeting of men and women Of
the Anglo Saxon race-the shouts of
happy boys and girls, who know of
Battle Creeks former history only
by tradition. And here on the site
OF the famous battle between the red
men stands now one of the fairest
cities of the great Northwest: a city
sought out among thousands. for in it
dwell month after month. as the
years come and go. men and women
who find within the charmed circle
that which they have long sought else
| where-health.
When one speaks of health. the
mind naturally wings itself 10 Battle
/ Greek for up there health is To be
found as ut few other places on earth.
Forty years ago there began in Bat
| tie Creek return TO nature move
ment. with purposes and pricinples i'll
many respects similar to those which
LED to the famous Brook Farm EXpcr-
| imenl' twenty years before and to he
Grahamitc movement of that period.
This movement. while religious. was
avowedly non-sectalian. and was in a
broad sense philanthropic. altruistic
and rciormatory. The immediate re-
suits were the establishment of a
monthly Journal now known as Good
Health and shortly afterwards ;he
erection of a health institution called
The Health Reform Institute The
CHIEF features of the institute at this
early period were diet reform, dress
reform and the use of water as a cura-
tive agent.
IN 1876 the present management
took charge of the institution and with
the consent and cooperation of !he
Board of Directors tthe institution
having been incorporated ten years
before), a thorough reorganization was
effected. Broader plans were intro
duced. the methods of treatment were
placed upon substantial and thor
oughly scientific foundation, and the
name was changed to the Battle Creek
Sanitarium. Since this time ;he
growth of the institution has been con
stant and rapid.
From year TO year accommodate
tions for patients and facilities for
treatments were enlarged TO meet
the increasing patronage until Feb
ruary. 1902, when a great fire swept
away the . two principal build
ings of the establishment. The erec-
ton OF new building was speedily
begun, and the following year, May 81.
| 1903, the present fireproof main build
ing, erected at cost of more than
100000. was dedicated. The cost of
the entire establishment, including
equipment, twenty dormitories, cot
tages and othel buildings has amount
| ed to more than $l200,000.
The Battle Creek Sanitarium as it
stands to-day is recognized the world
over as the most complete and thor
oughly equipped establishment of its
| sort and the Headquarters for DhysiO-
| logic therapeutics or natural methods.
Connected with the Sanitarium is
Training School for Nurses. in which
! from two to three hundred nurses are
constantly under training.
| These principles and methods have
| penetrated to the rcmOtest parts of
| the civilized world, and scores of men
| and women who have been trained in
! these methods are devoting their lives
| to medical missionary work in heatncn
| lands.
The Battle Creek Sanitarium may be
| regarded as an epi'omc Of the return
to-nature' idea in practical operation
! Its success III the restoration of sick
people to health brings to ii annually
many thousands OF men and women,
many of whom have been pronounced
| incurable. but who, nevertheless, with
rare exceptions, return few months
later to their homes prepared to enter
again upon the battle of life.
There are many sanitariums in the