Tuberculosis had no regard for wealth. It struck the rich and famous, as well as the poor and working classes. For a time, it was the leading cause of death in America. From 1880 to 1940, New Mexico attracted "health seekers" with its high elevation and abundant sunshine. By 1920, people seeking the cure were estimated to represent 10% of the state's population. Instead of fearing the tubercular sufferers, they were sought with advertising such as Albuquerque's slogan "Heart of the Well Country," Silver City's title "City with the Golden Climate," and Santa Fe calling itself the "Land of Sunshine." Pamphlets advertised "hotels well-furnished, bright sunny rooms...at very reasonable rates," and for those invalids with less money, a pamphlet suggested an invalid could "pitch his tent or build his cabin where he pleases without fearing a land owner's interference. Even ranches were suggested, with the caveat that while the outdoors and sunshine were desirable, the rancher might not be welcoming.
The treatment of that time consisted of rest, fresh air, ample good food, and a positive attitude. If the patient did not improve, the next types of treatments might be far less pleasant.
In the early years, those with tuberculosis were welcomed, but by the early 1900s the attitude had begun to change. The back page of the Albuquerque Commercial Club pamphlet read: "Albuquerque does not invite indigent or hopeless cases."
Another group of health seekers had poured into the state. Discharged soldiers with tuberculosis arrived hoping to find treatment, overwhelming the already stressed population.
The discovery of streptomycin, and eventually other drugs, at last proved effective for treating tuberculosis, but it was too late for Nora E. Larabee, who died in 1904. Unable to have saved their beloved daughter, the family decided to honor her with a beautiful library donated to their home town, Stafford, Kansas.
(Thank you to Santa Fe Trail Magazine, "The Lungers and Their Legacy," Nancy Owen Lewis.)
1 comment:
Antibiotic TB is making a comeback in parts of the former Soviet Union if not elsewhere. Prisons are especially dangerous and people have caught TB from riding in airplanes with former prisoners who are infected. The rider of the pale horse is always with us.
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