Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-01-26
State tuberculosis Sanatorium at Dunseith, North Dakota, Doing Good Work
STATE should
note BENEFITS
sanatorium at Dunseith in Need
of Large Appropriations.

The State tuberculosis Sanatorium
has an ideal location on the south
slope of the Turtle mountains, about
two miles north of Dunseith. The al
titude of 1850 feet, the dry atmos-
phere and other climatic conditions
made the location even mora favor
able than many Of the famous north
ern sanatoriums.
Round, turtle shaped" hills, from
which the mountains take their name,
extend north Of the institution and
from the south of the town of Dun
seth a level plain stretches giving an
excellent view, and on which several
towns can be e e on a clear day. "A
lake about a mile from the sanatori-
UNI affords excellent skating and an
abundant supply OF ice, and in the
summer time diversion in the form
Of swimming and boating. Several
springs give a constant supply OF fine
water.
The site of the institution covers
24O acres. There is a large main
Uullullls dLlu Ju4CC NOCIA5CS' tcA SAS
patients; the WOmen's, mems and,
Masonic; also, employees cottage, va
rious barns, ice house, pumping and
light station. The buildings were
erected at an approximate cost OF
$4,000.
In the main building are located
the office, reception room, main din
ing room. employees dining room,
kitchen, laundry, nurses office, labor
atory and wards for the patients con-
fined to bed.
1t has been the evident purpose OF
the legislature to have treated only
those cases which have good chances
for improvement or compete recov'
cry, such cases as the i1cipient or
moderately advanced. AS there has
been no infirmary building provided,
more than 10 per cent of those re-
Questing admission have been neces-
sarily refused. However, where there
is the least chance for improvement,
admission has not been Withheld, a.
though the institution has not been
equipped with the purpose Of treating
tina far advanced or hopeless cases.
Quite a number of people come for
diagnosis, as the experience = op-
portunities for observation in that
line of work is naturally much great
er than that possessed by the gen.
eral practitioner. .....
Thera is considerable scepticism
evinced as to the value of sanatorium
treatment. Many people are still OF
the belief that the disease is i1cura-
BILE. The admirable results attained
at this institution show the fallacy
of that idea.
While the number of cases of cures
is almost impossible to obtain, as
the patient must live two years un-
der normal conditions of life without
the return Of any unfavorable symp-
toms, the number of cases showing
improvement or where the disease is
quite large.
The patients entering the sanatori,
UNI up to July I, 1914, have been
classified as follows: N~on-tuberculo.
sis, Ill per cent; incipient, PILL;
moderately advanced, 1888 per cent;
far advanced, 1888 per cent; i1cura-
BILE, 10 per cent.
OF the i%ncipient cases treated 100
per cent showed improvement, or
were discharged with the disease ap-
parently arrested. The moderately
advanced showed improvement or ar
rest in SO per cent of the as, while
of the far adva need '18 per cent i'm
proved. The total number of pa
TENTS received since the institution
was opened amounts to nearly 200.
Too much emphasis cannot be laid
on the necessity Of commencing treat
ment at onn1 and before the disease
gets beyond the incipient stage. A
delay Of a few weeks may mean that
several months longer will be roquir.
ed in treatment. ~
When we consider that there are
between $500 and 5000 active cases
Of tuberculosis in the state, we SEQ
the enormity Of the problem of edu-
eating the people in the treatment
and prevention of the disease.
The state saaatorium stands in
need of a large appropriation to carry
on the valuable work they are doing.
and it is to he hoped that the present
legislature will appropriate the
amount asked for. Besides the regu-
lar maintenance fund the a%ppropria.
ton would include an infirmary build
ing with wards for the "bed pa
! tie1ts," operating room. a large lab
o. atory and an assembly room for
the patients. Dairy barns and some
GER ral announcements, are also need