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I have already referred to the danger of the consumptive going back to his family
impoverished by his enforced idleness, and to the same unhygienic surroundings
which he had left, on entering the sanatorium. One cannot wonder that his health
does not continue to improve under these conditions.
The statistics of a sanatorium show a most encouraging proportion of patients
'eaving the institution " improved " or " much improved," but people often measure
the success of treatment by their personal observation of individual patients, after
their discharge from the institution. We cannot expect them to be impressed with
the success of the treatment, when they see the patient, who left the sanatorium
nearly well, dying within a few months of his discharge. It is not the " treatment "
which is at fault, but the conditions which render the proper treatment almost
impossible.
Maitland Sanatorium.—In all cases, patients are received for a month at firstAt
the end of this time it is decided whether or not their stay should be extended.
The average duration of treatment is three months, and it is assumed that every
patient will be able to stay for this period, if the medical superintendent and the
doctor who sends the patient, think it advisable.
The Sanatorium system consists of a graduated scale of rest, exercise, and work,
ordered for each individual according to his or her condition, with a constant accompaniment
of pure bracing air, good food, and careful supervision. The system
of graduated work has been proved to give such excellent results, that it is considered
as essential a part of the treatment as fresh air or good food.
According to their fitness, patients are graduated to various degrees of work,
after a preliminary period of rest, when necessary. For men patients, the classes
of work are as follows :—
Class A.—Light domestic work, such as cleaning of silver, brass, lamps, basins,
&c. ; tarring woodwork, painting, &c.
Class B.—Light gardening ; window-cleaning ; small repairs ; wood-chopping.
Class C.—Spade-work (light or heavy spades); wheeling barrows ; path-making ;
trenching ; farm-work ; carpentering, &c.
The hours of work, also; are graduated from one hour onwards ; in some cases,
the full test of eight hours a day is reached. When a patient can stay a sufficient
length of time to reach the full test of an ordinary working day, without rise of
temperature, or any indication of undue fatigue, he can leave the Sanatorium with
confidence in himself, and he can be recommended for employment with some feeling