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Sanatoriums in Pennsylvania Treated Thousands for Tuberculosis
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Abstract
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| “To the patients housed there, it was called simply ‘the san,’ a part of Pennsylvania history that has nearly been forgotten. The Cresson Sanatorium for tuberculosis patients was located a few miles to the east of the small town of Cresson.
“Records show that between 1913 and 1964 when it ceased operation, more than 40,000 men, women, and children were admitted for treatment. The majority of them stayed for years before being discharged as cured, but a number of them died there. Its 2,600-foot altitude assured an abundance of fresh air.
“Up until the mid-1940s when antibiotics were discovered, there were no drugs available. Before the introduction of drugs in 1945, lung-collapse therapy brought new hope to the physicians and patients to help speed recovery. The theory was that a collapsed lung would achieve more rest and heal quicker.
“One method was a surgical procedure in which sections of several ribs by the infected part of the lung were removed, with the remaining rib sections allowed to sink in and collapse the lung, a procedure that often left the patient disfigured. Another method, called pneumothorax, which had no serious side effects, consisted of injecting air into the pleural cavity to collapse the lung.
“My knowledge of the Cresson Sanatorium comes from firsthand experience. In 1955, when I was 17 years old and a senior at Towanda Valle High School in Towanda, I was looking forward to graduating from high school and enrolling at Penn State that fall.
“But my plans suddenly changed when in March 1955 I was diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis and was sent to Cresson Sanatorium where I spent 18 months recovering.
“I was fortunate that in 1955, effective drugs, such as the antibiotic streptomycin, were available. I also received pneumothorax treatments during my 18 months at the sanatorium and continued them at a local hospital for an additional year after my discharge.”
“A year in bed can seem like an eternity to a 17-year-old. To its credit, the sanatorium did its best to provide entertainment and recreation for the patients.”
The author has been researching the history and personal stories of Cresson Sanatorium, which he has compiled at a website; visit www.feltondesignanddata.com/cressontbsanatoriumremembered/.
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Article Category
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| Editorials and Commentary |
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Disclaimer: NPIN provides this information as a public service only. The views and information provided about the materials, news, funding opportunities, organizations, and conferences do not necessarily state or reflect those of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, CDC, or NPIN.
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cdcnpin.org News Record #55784
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