Deming graphic. (Deming, N.M.) 1903-1948, 1920-12-14
Conditions Pertaining to the Present and Future
Treatment Of TubercuIar Ex-SerMce Patients
Contributed)

have been showing up ever since the
close of that war. and diseases result
Ing from such "harlships" win be fully
developed In all cases, SO that, In place
Of our sick soldiers getting less they
will Increase in numerical ratio for
years Ia come. ~ that this country will
have to prepare 10 take care OF an in
creasing number each year, for years
Ia come.
II has been estimated 10y good
authority that In period Of five (5)
years. we will have 10000 tubercular
patients 10 care for and hospitalize.
Under the present existing laws
these will come under the care of the
Bureau OF Public Health Service. aud
nm immense number Of these In order
to get the proper treatment, must be
hospitalized
An immense number OF them are al
ready active, unable to take care of
themselves, besides not having the prop
or knowledge as well as means to care
for themselves, they must be placed in
hospitals where they can be- instructed
In proper hygienic methods to aid their
cure
At the time the rehabilitation com
menced, the L. $. Public Health Serv-
ice hospital facilities were very limit
ed. for that reason the government
turned over for the use Of this sery-
Ice. the base hospital facilities at the
different cantOnment camps, which
were fully equipped, 10 take care Of the
sick.
Among these hospitals was the one
here at Camp Cody, Deming, Kew Mex
leo. which cost the government In thu
neighborhood Of half million dollars
and could take care of between six ant
seven hundred patients who now nee'
disqualification.
The hospital here was opened fo
the care of tuhercular patients leccm
her II, 1919 and from that time unit
June IL. 1920. there was u MONTH.
lavcrage Of about 2G0 patients receiy
/ ng treatment The total receive'
, was about 425 treated. and Out of thi
! number. there were II deaths.
! Among those who died were me-
who were sent here for treatment Il
, far away rs Boston and Cincinnati, b
the last stages of tuberculosis. who al
, ter long hard railroad trip. unat
tended, died within - to 80 hours afte
% their arrival, showing that cantonmen
| hospitals, while not the Ideal type Ia
, the treatment OF tuberculosis, coul
p still be utilized To good advantage
and without much expense could haI
4 been changed into the * type, whic
is an ideal type.
r.. At the present time the hospital
Houston. Texas, which was the bas
4 hospital at Camp Logan during III
war. Is heing used and has about oo
o patients. Same type hospital IN
e heavy humid atmosphere, very fe
/ feet above sea level, intensely hot
}. the summer time rainy and damp du
7. ing the winter months. in secuo
!, where the annual rainfall Is, betwec
c 40 aud 80 inches II year, aud you know
II not an ideal place for "rB' patients
: While the hospital at Camp Cody, !
Il Gated as II Is, at an elevation of 43'
l. feet nm average rainfall about
inches. with mean annual temper
5. hrc between - and 6G degrees, Is
Il ideal climate for such eases, with on
. ono fnult. being as dry as II Is,
p times there must he sand storms
h These sand storms occur at dlitere
times through the spring. most eSpe
Il iallv during the months of Februal
t. and March.
d while the hospital was open and
all other times, the prevailing wind
y from the southwest, 80 that the p
{ tients could use the east porches al
It did 50 without any deleterious effect
y They could remain out doors throug
4 out the day and II thought be-
throughout the night, as we are II
afflicted with damp nights or hen'
dcws.
During the time this hospital
mnined open the results attained w
n acknowledged 10 be better than ma
r any other Public Health Service hsSl
X tol i'm the United States where tubt
e. cular patients We're treated.
While the boys kicked about {
is sand storms" especially while tn
we're going on, their principal col
e plaint was in regard to the prepai
ir lion and serving of food. While Il
fond was good, II did not seem to
le nrenared and served In palatal
Y form for tubercular patients who a
/. inclined to he "frniky' aud exceedii
" critical aud demand a great deal
attention.
In June Just passed, the army tuI
\ ed over to the Public Health Seryl
Fort Bayard. which had been !
- wears the tubcrcular hospital for !
ii regular army and Il is located % mi
VI from this point Mt an elevation OF W
feet or more.
a This hospital for years was und
~ the direction OF Colonel bushnell, T.
~ army. NJ. C.. who is conceded by
mt medical men to be one of the IN
lc authorities upon the care ana tire
II. mcnt Of tuberculosis, and who attain
II. wonderful results while in commal
This hospital Ind n capacity OF ah'
1000 beds without using tents.
,le II is located at an elevation OF "
of feet. nj the edge Of the forest resel
in in the mountains, and. as you n
M eupposc. in as dry a region as TINS,
n. overly supplied with water. tn
N wafer supply is limited ana 80 FAR u
In. have been unable To increase II so u
n therc Is limit to the number OF III
in that could he added to this hospital
IL Is four miles from the near