Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-09-17

can 20 back home with health and
restored. Six months is the
minimum in which the disease can b
arrested ana ii it cannot be done with
in a year In" case is hopeless. Occa-
sionaliy there is a patient who is not
DO Melted by tn" treatment and whom
it becomes the sad duty of DR.. Nichols
to send home to die But such instances
arc happly rare.
III" half hundred patients now at
tn" Sinat"!1um, in their appearance
and c"n!uct, give the vi iitGr Tie, i'm
~ <Ai"n that hc has arrived at II
summer hotel. Nrt that they IRE
hni+t'rnuS. but their eyes are clear
with hope. III, il checks are brown
~ tn" sunshin" ana their voices ring
ont with laughter. There is nothing
t. suggest the hospital or infirnary.
Herr are 4 dozen young people on the
c"oqu"t grounds: there is Il group
str"llinG off into the field: many mc
seated On the piazza reading, convcr;-
ing or doing fancy work.
The four great factors in the treat
mont are the open cir. rest, dict ana
supervision which secs that everything
is Gone according to the prcscribed
schedule. Except fur the hour or 20
sp'nt at morning ana night in the
WARM dressing room ana bath room,
al Tire Tim" day ana night is passed in
tn" open air regardless of the
T. mpcraturc. TO be sure the slceping
pavilion is covered and in n measure
prOtt ctcd, but to all intcnts and
purposes it is out Of doors. To most
Of us it seems pretty harsh treatment
to sleep in such a place, but the
patients not only soon realize that it
benefits them but they grow to like it
50 that the very thought Of ever
sleeping again in q closed room, or one
with the window open an inch or two.
becomes intolerable. There is no
trouble in keeping warm on the coolest
nights, they say, as they wear night
caps and often socks in bed and
frequently their bath robes over their
nightdrcsss or pajamas, and there Is
always Il good amount of covering IN
the bed. Winter air is more effective
than summer air, it is asserted, IN
arrcsting the progress Of the disease.
As for possible bad effects Of sleeping
practically out Of doors. DR.. Nichols
HtiS tll'y IlINt IItNtI ~ Ilsit al C'tSC
Of pneumonia since the Sanatorium
was opened.
Absolute rest is usually enforced for
q number Of weeks and perhaps
months after a patient is admitted.
That is, no long walks are allowed
and no exercise which would tire one
out ar strain the lungs. And at no
stage of the treatment is any great
amount of exercise allowed. CrOquct.
cards ana checkers are the most
strenuous games permitted and
occasional short walks ana drives for
the patients whose condition is inn
proving. Most If the time is spent III
sitting still-always out If doors. No
smoking is allowed and candy is on
the forbidden list along with liquors or
all kind.
Diet in tuberculosis. is perhaps the
most important factor. and the forced
feeding with milk and eggs. and a good
mixed diet is practically more essen
tial than the climatic open air life. but
if it was not for the stimulating effect
Of the out-of-door life. patients could
never take the extra amount of food re-
CURED in their early residence. Their
digestive apparatus would rebel, if it
We're not for the effect If the cold fresh
air, which stimulates all the functions
OF the body. even though they take no
exercise ut all. BESIDES the three rcgu-
lar meals which are abundant in guam
ity and excellent in quality and variety.
the prticnts arc required To report at
the assembly room three times daily
term i not at al inappropriate, for il
consists as regularly as these three
times come around each day. Of 4 glass
Of milk containing 4 raw egg. These
nouri>hmcnt periods are in the middle
Of the forenoon. the middle rf the after
noon ANA Just before bedtime. Thus
the patients get six pretty good meals
daily. hut no complaint is heard that
they lr. forced to eat more than they
want The Hebron air is Il great
appetizer.
"EdTly to bed and not too early to
rise is another part of the program.
Everybody must be in bed before . 80 p.
VI. and nobody must gcj up before 6
a. NJ breakfast is at s A. NJ. and
nobody is late. Punctuany at a. NJ.
anu ) y. VI All gather III lHt dSStiiIois
hall to have their temperatures taken.
1T has the simple life beaten 10 y
stanlStill." remarked one young man
whose life has not always been along
such simple lines. hut who is firmly re-
solved To follow them in the future.
OF course. the routine. like any
routine, occasionally gets irksnnie, and
sometimes Il patient frets under the re-
strictions and tn" inactivity. But in
most cases they promptly realize that
it is all for their own good and pro-
coed t. cooperate with the staff in
following rules and carrying out the
regular program. Occasionally some
thing occurs to break the monotony.
There are books to read and letters to
write
The weather is 4 never failing
resource. There IS a visitor or a
party of visitors to the insti-
tuition. and-happiest day of all
n friend or relative comes to see the
patient Cheerfulness reigns. The
newcomer is welcomed, encouraged and
made to feel at home. The patient
discharged as cured is given a warm