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Archiver > CODENVER > 1998-07 > 0901754632


From: "JOHN A. (JACK) DAVIDSON" <>
Subject: Re: question about TB and Colorado
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 1998 17:23:52 -0600


Dawn wrote:
>
> I had thought it was strange that my Great-Grandfather left Oklahoma and
> ended up in Colorado, since he left his family to do this, and it was known
> that he had TB when he left. However, recently I was researching my fiances
> family, and his great-Uncle was told to go to Colorado because he had TB,
> and the climate was better than Kansas.
>
> Have others ran across this? Was Denver the area to send people with TB?
> What was it about that area that made Doctors think that it was better for
> people than other areas?
>
> Thanks for any responses.
>
> Dawn.

Dawn,

Extremely common to sent TB patients to CO. Not sure why-possibly low
humidity and cool temps. Some of the major hospitals in the Denver metro
area had their start as institutions designed to treat TB patients. Some
of these hospitals still exhibit tent-like structures in which the
patients lived in all weather conditions. Literally a fresh (& cold in
winter)air cure. Many biographies say individuals came with a very
limited
projected life span and lived many decades ! The treatment and/or the
care seems to have been at least somewhat effective, especially if the
disease was caught early enough. This "go West" TB practice dates at
least to the 1880's. How wide spread TB treatment institutions were I
dont' know, but they were common in the Denver metro area and Colorado
Springs.

My wife's SPENARD line and my MASON line both have examples, directly
or indirectly, of individuals who came to CO for the "cure".

Jack Davidson
Lakewood, CO

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