Why did people with tuberculosis go to Arizona?

Tuberculosis may have lured more people to Arizona than mining, ranching or commerce. Those increased numbers would eventually help Arizona achieve statehood in 1912.

How was tuberculosis treated in the 1930s?

During the 1930s, dedicated sanitaria and invasive surgery were commonly prescribed for those with the infection — usually caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which the editors describe as “the most successful human pathogen of all time.”

When did TB sanitariums close?

The end of the sanatorium movement Trudeau’s sanatorium closed in 1954.

Where was the first TB sanatorium in the US located?

In 1884, Dr. Edward Trudeau, a consumptive himself, opened the first public tuberculosis sanitarium in Saranac Lake, New York. His first open-air cottage, “Little Red,” inspired the design of a number of institutions throughout the country that prescribed fresh air and sunlight as a cure for tuberculosis.

Why did TB patients go to sanatoriums?

Tuberculosis sanatoriums offered patients fresh air, entertainment, and socialization—for those who could afford them. When Ruth Reed fell ill, she left behind her home, her job as a teacher, and her husband and young son to enter a contained medical facility.

Why did fresh air help tuberculosis?

Although their beliefs about TB were not entirely medically sound, they were kind of right in this regard: Fresh air does prevent TB from spreading, and the high altitude stops TB bacteria from spreading as rapidly through the lungs.

How was tuberculosis treated in Tucson in the 1940s?

The influx of tuberculosis patients to Tucson waned in the 1940s as scientists discovered the first of several medicines now used to treat the disease. But before the antibiotics that became an effective treatment for tuberculosis, patients were treated in sanatoriums, where therapy included plenty of fresh air, sleep, wholesome food, and exercise.

What did the Desert Sanatorium do for tuberculosis?

Historical status sought for sites TB patients used. The Desert Sanatorium was also the first medical institute in the U.S. to attempt to cure tuberculosis through “heliotherapy” – an attempt to use the sun’s powerful radiation in Arizona for therapy. The Farness Patio Building was the sanatorium’s research facility.

Where was the first tuberculosis sanatorium in the US?

Est. Name Location 1934 Arizona State Tuberculosis Sanatorium Tempe, Arizona 1934 Glenn Dale Hospital Glenn Dale, Maryland 1939 University Tuberculosis Hospital Portland, Oregon 1940 Edgewood State Hospital Deer Park, New York

What did tuberculosis sanitariums look like in the 1920s?

These initial open-air shacks progressed into well-designed pavilions and cottages, often consisting of two- or three-bedroom dormitories with private screened porches. In the 1920s and ’30s, states began passing laws that required state hospitals to provide beds equal to the number of tuberculosis-related deaths in each region.