The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-03-24
VERMONT sANAToRIUM REPORT.
NinetyTwo Patients Treated Last
Year-Rely on Rest for Cures.

PITTSFORD, March 24.-The ninth
annual report of the Vermont Sana-
torium, Just issued, shows that 90 pa
tients Were admitted during the year
ending December 81, 1916. The total
Number Of applicants was 131, as many
as p cases being rejected on account
of their unfavorable condition. 1t has
been the policy of the sanatorium to
admit only those eases which offer
some hope of permanent Improvement.
In the tables showing the result of
treatment in 80 tuberculosis patients
who were discharged during the year,
they have been divided into classes
| according to the length Of residence
into periods Of LESS than one month =
| more than one month, = more than
three months, and "more than five
| months residence A careful study of
each division shows the advantage of
| going into an institution while the dis
| ease Is III its early stages rather than
waiting until one IS unfit for work.
! Slxty-sevan patients gained an
average Of II II pounds each, while
four were stationary and d3 lost an
average Of II pounds each. Most of
the patients admitted have been be-
tween the ages of - and Sc Rutland
land had the largest number of pa
tients, % in all, while Chittendcn had
| -, Windsor II, Addison 9, and Wind
| ham county s. The average number
of patients treated during a dav dur
ing the year was 80.
OF the 80 eases studied, it was
found that 5S of them gave a family
history of tuberculosis, over one half
of these coming from families where
there were open or lucrative eases
III the household Of the patient during
| infancy or early childhood 1t is re-
called that the present teaching is that
most eases are infected in early child
hood and we should use every effort
to impress this fact upon all of our
people. The sanatorium has complct-
ed its ninth year and total of OIL
admissions has been made since its
opening.
Methods of treatment continue as in
previous years, the greatest reliance
being placed on rest. All patients are
kept in bed until they have normal
pulse and temperature In the mat
ter Of food, practically all patients
take three regular meals day. Meat
IS served only twice day and a lib
eral amount of fruits and salads is
provided. Milk is served at each
meal and n large number of the pa
tlents are also served with a glass of
mix at 10 in the morning, 3 in the
afternoon and s in the evening Coffee
IS served for breakfast and tea or co
Goa for supper. Raw eggs are not
used as routine treatment. Patients
| are required to sleep out of doors at
night and probably 20 out of the q
hours is passed on the porches.
During the past year "A patients
have been supported by the state
white two have been supported by the
!; Mary Minerva Ormsbee fund, and the
: Red Cross society has extended aid
In the case Of one patient.
The physical condition of the sana
!, forum is good. The grounds have
: been kept up. During the year a flu
migating chamber has been construct
+ ed and the dressing room of eth:
s Shack = has been enlarged so that il
|. will accommodate eight people more
comfortably than it formerly did
S while changes have been made in the
West cottage so that three more meg
/ may be accommodated. This brings TIL,
c total capacity of the institution up t.
h A. A Kny- Scheerer X-ray apparatus
a has been added to the medical equip
$ ment and installed in the basement.
Il The total cost for maintenance oil
/ patients during 1916 was $27, 279
which is . cost of $3.50 patient
week. Last year the rate charged tn
patient was only $3.50, so that ther,
has been deficit of $500 a patient ;
:. week. March !, 1917, the rate wa
c raised to SO week in the hope of re
. dueing the annual deficit The defici
/ has been met from the interest on Sc
/ curities left by friend of the in
!, ST itntinn