South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-06-25
Consumptive Sanitarium At Ford
Factory Brings Hopeto Many Afflicted
Fifty TuberCuIar Workers Are
Now Being Treated in the
Detroit Factory Hospital
With Good Results.
BY OTTO McFEELEY.
Copyright. 1910

STAFF Special.
DETROIT. Mich. June 25.-The
most amazing thing in the Ford au-
tomobile works is the ward for con-
sumptives.
Think Of it! factory that is a
tuberculosis sanitarium
only these cOnsumptives work and
are gaining in health as they work!
While walking about the factory
with Judge Neil. the mothers pension
advocate who has just held a lengthy
conference with millionaire Ford on
the latter's methods, Ford shyly drew
a document from his pocket and said;
II have just received a report
which indicates that our plant here
may cure it's employees who have
tuberculosis
Judge Neil wanted to know all
about it right away, sc Ford sat down
and told us.
Dry Factory Air.
1T is known that dry air aids men
suffering from tuberculosis TO recover.
/ knew that we had a place in the
shop where the cir is very dry. 1t
is the steel tempering room. The hot
metal is laid out on the floor to cool.
Investigations proved that the air is
very dry there. 1 consulted with the
doctors and they agreed that the ex-
pertinent should be made. We be-
gan about the first OF this year"
'Discouragement caused by poverty
makes mothers sick and breaks up
families" said Judge Neil and no
hospital treatment can make them
we'll. The treatment, in my opinion,
must include assurance of food and
the other necessities of living. In
this mechanical hospital do I under
stand that the men work and feel
that they are useful and are made
hopeful?"
I'VE have brought men back to the
shop from Arizona sanitariums.
where they were not improving. In
the steel tempering room, where we
now give our heat treatment these
same men work every day and are
gaining weight strength and con-
fidence.
AT other sanitariums every one is
sick. They talk about their trouble.
for they have nothing else to do.
They get discouraged and are sep
arated from their regular work. But
I'm our heat treatment part of the idea
is TO have the sick men work They
earn wages. They are part of the
working organization, and the feel
ing that they are getting back into
the regular affairs of life aids in OBJ
tanning the beneficial results"
What Sanitarium Looks Like.
From the office Of the plant. the
conference, which included members
Of Ford's sociological and surgical
STAFF. adjourned 10 the steel temper
ing roOm-the tuberculosis sanitar-
ium. II you please.
1t is a building $50 feet long. It
has glass sides. and is flooded with
daylight when the sick men are at
work. The floor is of iron. Along
one side is a row OF annealing fur
naCes. From these furnaces the hot
metal is taken and laid on the floor
TO cool
The temperature is high and the
air as dry as in the desert country
where tuberculosis patients are taxi
en- 10 be cured.
Many OF the men at work were
evidently suffering or the disease. but
on their faces were looks of hope
and the entrance OF Ford, their lead
er brought smiles and mods OF IA
miliarity and good will
Two Typical Cases.
Charles Frizowski, one of the sick
men. was met. His sleeves were roll
ed up and he YVES busily at work
The surgeons referred 20 their rec
ords OF his case and II shows the re-
suits as follows:
Age. &c years: married.
Transferred to heat treatment de-
partment March II, 1914; weight at
that time, 145 pounds; troubled with
night sweats.
June 10. 1914. Weight. $50 pounds;
feels well; no night sweats. Tempera-
ture az IL a. M, 90; pulse, 76; res
piratlon. IS.
Gain OF FIVE pounds since being
transferred"
Kohl Blatz, another sick man. ap-
peared In an apron, sleeves rolled up
and face grimy. an unusual appear
ing hospital patient. The doctor re-
ferred 20 his reports and this is what
has been done for Kohl In this heat
treatment department.
Aged 81 years, single.
Transferred 20 heat treatment de
partment Feb. 3. 1914 Weight at
that time. $50 pounds Troubled
with night sweats at intervals; appe-
tite fair
June 10 1914. Weight. 131|
pounds; appetite good feels Well:
morning temperature 30. pulse 90:
respiration Is
Has not been troubled with night
sweats except during hot weather
spells. Gain OF one pound"
BAY CITY.-Mrs. Rose Johnson.
charged with arson, was acquitted by
order Of the court. She was former
miliiner and was charged with con-
spiracy In burning her own home TO
secure the insurance