Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1910-02-10
Iha Year ), vermont ssnstorIum.

At the annual meeting OF the Vermont
sanatorium held at Pittsiord Jan. "a,
/ 1910, a report was submitted TO the board
Of trustees shoEing the work OF the sana-
forum for the two years ending Dec. 81,
1909. During this time 1o1 patients
we're admitted, classified as follows:-S1
we're inc.pieni, or first stage; IS were
moderately advanced, or second stage,
and 20 we're far advanced or third stage
cases. One case OF general military tuber-
euloss developed meningitis and died at
the sanatorium. This was the only death
that occurred Two cases were diagnosed
as non-tuherculous. During this same
time 1856 patients we're discharged; 80 or
20 65& we're apparently cured, 70 or
47.1G arrested. 20 or 1879 improved,
and p or 1875 Il unimproved or progress
sive. Two cases classified as non-tuber-
culous and two patients who stayed less
than one week not considered.
Taking the patients according to their
classification it was shown that of the 20
ineipient cases discharged, SO or 800
we're cured, or arrested; o. the 81 moder-
ately advanced, 36 or only 1917 were
cured or arrested; while OF the IS far ad-
yanced, only or $50 we're cured or ar
rested.
In order to show the importance OF a
longer course OF treatment, cases dis
charged during the last year were divid-
ed into two classes; those that stayed less
and those that stayed more than three
months, respectively. OF the "a who
stayed less than three months average
stay Al. daysl or 1866 were cured,
while OF the 40 patients who stayed more
than three months leverage stay 147. 8
days) 16 or 32.5 b we're cured. More
over, the average gain of those who
stayed more than three months was 1907
lbs. rs against only 1925 lbs. for those
who stayed less than three months. This
table included incipent, moderately ad-
vanced and far advanced cases.
In order to show that the benefits of
sanatorium treatment we're not merely
temporary, as full Information as possible
was obtained regarding 70 patients who
had all been discharged more than a
year. Direct replies or positive state
ments were received regarding 81 and Of
these 81 known cases, q or 50H were liv-
ing and earning a livelihood. Here
again, the incipient case show up very
much more favorably, a2.3B being alive
while $3.50 OF the advanced cases were
dead.
While the sanatorium is intended prin-
cipalIy for early cases that offer good
prospect OF cure OF arrest of the disease,
moderately advanced cases have been TAX
en- from time to time as vacancies exist,
the principal object being to teach them
how to follow the treatment themselves
and continue 1t at home and to give them
such hygienic training as would mini
mize the dangers Of infection when they
left the institution.
The figures given in this report show,
however, how much greater the changes
for cure are in the inoipisnt cases and
how important it is that treatment
shoald be begun at as early time Is pos
sible and they show, moreover, that in
order to obtain a cure, the treatment
must be carried out for a sufficient
length OF time. The mistake is only too
frequently made that patients feeling
themselves much improved and benefited,
leave the institution too soon and before
a permanent cure has been established,
with the danger OF recurrence or relapse
when they return to their former occupa-
ton and surroundings.