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What of sanatorium treatment in pulmonary tuberculosis? A
just attempt to judge the value of the results can only be made
if the difficulties are fully appreciated. The financial group of
difficulties —patients' and Authorities' —are many and intricate.
If they were removed a formidable group would remain that has
nothing to do with lack of money or other material difficulties, such
as bad housing conditions. In this connection there are two outstanding
features of tuberculosis. The first is that the disease is
often well established before the symptoms of ill-health are
appreciated by the patient. Hence many cases of late diagnosis
and refusal of early treatment. The second is that with sanatorium
treatment the symptoms of ill-health disappear before the disease
is really arrested in the organs affected. Hence the shoal of sanatorium
patients who give up treatment before results of any permanency
have been obtained. In spite of many disappointments
the value of sanatorium treatment properly applied is firmly
established. A steadfast patient, guided by a careful medical adviser,
in the hands of intelligent Institutional Authorities, can look forward
with reasonable hope to successful treatment provided he is not
smitten from the onset by an overwhelming attack of the disease.
But pulmonary tuberculosis is not like a broken leg. There is
no short period of rigid and enforced observance of medical orders
with complete freedom at the end of it—on the contrary, there is
a long and at times very lonely personal struggle that may cut right
into the joys of family and social life. It is little wonder that many
failures are recorded.