Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-10-17
A Patients Impressions of the Modern
Woodmen's Tuberculosis Sanatoriu1n

J has made a substantial gain in avoir-
| dupois. He has become acquainted
with his fellow patients and has been
/ initiated into their social circle. II
! he is fortunate he will have become
ready to take short walks. He be
gins to look about him for something
TO occupy the time when the regula-
tons do not require him 70 be
chasing the bugs" or, in other
words, sitting quietly in the open
air. The first walk starts the IN
folding of the Astounding delights OF
Colorado scenery. After q month
has passed, the patient, If he is pro-
crossing satisfactorily. will have &C
quired few knots on his abdomen to
show where tuberculin, popularity
known as bug juice" has been in
jected. To sum it all up, il takes
fedged patient. After that the rest
is easy. Some become so enamored
Of the life here that they are reluc-
tant to leave when the doctor tells
them they are fit to go home, or
when their nine months. the maxi
mum period for a patient, have ex-
pired.
An adequate knowledge Of the
proper manner to care for ones self
is perhaps the most important thing
the patient gets, for not only will he
apply it personally while here, but,
if he is of average Intelligence and
determination. he will carry his new
habits with him in after years and, in
addition. will become a missionary in
the world fight against ignorance,
which favors the spread of the white
plague.
One Of the first things a patient is
taught is the necessity of resting. The
general idea seems to prevail that the
sort of treatment a consumptive re-
quires is plenty of exercise in the
open air. Science long ago upset
this theory, but the public is just be-
ginning to become aware of that fact.
Learning to rest is not the least diff
ficult of the new habits a patient
must acquire. Those who come here
are drawn from many occupations
They are engaged in the most active
pursuits and at the busiest period of
LIE. IltliIt- dl lISI II - uT-l u lOl
them to sit still in an easy chair for
hour after hour, doing nothing,
thinking nothing as nearly as may be.
The muscles rebel at inactivity. The
spirit frets at being thus thrust tenn
porarily out Of the worlds affairs
But the cultivation or repCse is nee
essary, and in the end few fail in the
art.
And this very repose gives one time to
reflect upon his past and to order his
affairs anew. Determination is born
out of the battle against disease and
the enforced freedom from tempta-
ton, and so it happens that a major
ity of the patients leaving the sana-
torium go out with a firm resolve TO
correct their former mistakes and
live a cleaner and more temperate
life
Every patient brings to the sana-
torium a story of wasted strength h
of a physical crisis-tkat is worth the
telling and that bears a moral Of its
own. It may have 10 do with unsant-
ary living. dissipation, worry. over
W rk. or some other form of neglect
or abuse of the body, but. whatever
it is. in nine case out of ten il has
taught its subject a lesson and he
realizes that he must correct his err
rors and live right if he is to con
inue his mortal existence.
limitations into sanatorium life
are made to suit the individual.
Usually the new patient is spared
while he is in the receiving colony
and he is never mOlested till his
physical condition is such that it is
certain no harm can come TO him as
result. If he fares we'll usually at
he end of a week or so he is remoy-
ID from the receiving colony into
me of the other aggregations of tent
and there his initiation
axes place. AS he marches TO his
lew home he is quickly spotted and
III down the line the cry is raised.
o b-o-o-y-s-; here he comes" Don't
10 anything to him now, fellows,
Wait till tonight says one. Bet
QUILL have pleasant dreams tonight,
ffers another. If the newcomer
lands the gaf without wincing the
hances are that that will be the last
f it. but if he shows irritation or
ears ne - very likely " bt VOL htO
n" He may find his door locked
hen he returns from the dining
DOM, his roof may be bombarded
18th gravel. a thistle may be put un-
er the sheet in his bed. or his stove
lay be filled with stones or his lamp
18th water. He may find pan of
-ater set above his door so that he
nocks it down and baptizes himself !
hen he comes in. II he grows too
ugnacious he may get the paddle
egTee. the severity of which will be
raded to suit his needs. Rest assur-
d that he will eventually be brought
} the proper state of submission;
nd IT nearly always turns out that
ne one who is the hardest to subdue.
hen he finally is humbled, becomes !
le biggest "rough-neck" as anyone
no starts something is instantly
Come on b-o-o-y-s-"
the rallying cry when there is any
IN afOot.