Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1906-08-08
The tuberculosis Hospital Problem.
tpy Bayard Holmes, MD

l
ed communities. DIR. Bodington, of
England, over half century ago,
was one Of the first, if not the first,
TO advocate the treatment of tuber-
culosis by fresh air in properly
regulated sanitoria; but it is APP
parently authentic that before he
could substantiate his opinions the
poor man ended his days in an in
sane asylum. Whether he was
placed there by friends on account
of his advanced theories, which
doubtless at that period were re-
garded as symptomatic Of madness,
or for genuine reasons. is thought
by some to be matter Of doubt. 1t
remained for Herman Brehmer not
many years afterward, however. in
the mountains of Silesia, to prove
that consumption could be cured,
and although ridicuied at first by
his own profession, he. had the hap
piness Of living to see his ideas well
established in his own country and
finally take root and grow in other
lands.
For years his followers abroad
and in this country patiently carried
out his ideas, finally convincing the
skeptical that the new methods were
holding out hopes of recovery to
many who, in former years, would
have been thought, by most observ-
ers, to be in the grasp Of hopeless
disease To Trudeau is the credit
rightly given of having been the
first in America to give practical
proof Of what can be done to lessen
the ,avages of consumption when,
not long after Brehmcr, he began
his noble work in the Adirondack
mountains. Gradually theories be
come facts, and the so-called fresh
air treatment began to be zealously
adopted. This was farther de-
velopment of the ideas taught by
Brehmer, and was chiefly the in
sistance Of the necessity of abso.
'utely fresh air for every moment OF
the twenty-four hours while the
patient was under treatment. In
latter years it came to be shown that
the same method could be successful.
y used not far from home; that sur.
prising results could be obtained in
large percentage of cases at com
parativelv low attitudes and in
what were formerly thought TO be
climates unfavorable for cure. Fac.
ing the popular cry that it was sim.
ply fad that would sooner or later
lie down and disappear, to be placed
With the forgotten histories Of man y
'o-called cures for consumption, this
modern method has not only lived
Town this prejudice, but has given
sufficient proof OF its efficacy in large
numbers of sufferers who, under
'ther conditions, doubtless would
nave succumed to the disease.
Within the last decade these ideas
nave taken sudden and surprising
hold upon the community, and have
spread like prairie fire in every
direction throughout the country
! fortunately the smile holds in the
rapidity Of its growth only, for Its
fleets are beneficial not disastrous
With this rapidity of growth, how
ever, come its attendant dangers
from haste and ill-judged zeal
Those who have been preaching fol-
years the doctrine OF sanitorium
treatment in properly selected cases,
are obliged now to take a conserva
| tive position in order to counteract
the extravagant statements of en-
thusiasts who, with too little know
ledge, do harm to the cause by
claiming too much. We have, as
| yet, no panacea for the treatment OF
consumption, although we are JUST
| fed in the hope that we are on tn,
we Of still greater advances than
heretofore in this direction. w,
must remember, moreover, that IL,
sane advocate of modern methods
will ever claim that they are suitabl,
| tor all classes Of diseases. Fresh
iii treatment pushed to an extreme
with often marvellous results in cases
in which the vitality can still resist
the rlgors of a northern winter,
would be foolish and cruel for the
far-advanced cases or in old people
in whom vitality is low. Exper-
fence and judgement must be used
IN this as in every branch of medical
or surgical science, otherwise disas,
ter ensues. disappointment, reaction
Of feeling, and condemnation follow
quickly, and with them the pen.
dulum swings far in the other di-
rection, and great harm comes to a
cause which, when judiciously ad.
vocated, can be Of untold good to
the human race. In this connection,
the ineiscriminate and hasty use Of
the word cure" must be strongly
condemned, for it only brings harm
to the patient through the probabil-
NY OF relapse from disregard OF
watchfulness and care necessary for
months after cessation of active
symptoms. To others, also, it is
apt to bring encouragement and
listrust of methods which, fully
understood, can, with time and
patience, bring about lasting results.
Many thoughts and suggestions
come to me as we touch on these
matters, but it would be impossible
within the scope Of this paper to do
more than suggest those which from
experience have learned to believe
are most vital. With knowledge
gained in over seven years as at
tending physician to the large State
sanltoriuln. at Rutland, Mass, from
It's lnclpiency up to comparatively
recent date, and recognizing the
| II liz, ~