Saving Sickly Children: The Tuberculosis Preventorium in American Life, 1909-1970 (Critical Issues in Health and Medicine)

Known as "The Great Killer" and "The White Plague," few diseases influenced American life as much as tuberculosis. Sufferers migrated to mountain or desert climates believed to ameliorate symptoms. Architects designed homes with sleeping porches and verandas so sufferers could spend time in the open air. The disease even developed its own consumer culture complete with invalid beds, spittoons, sputum collection devices, and disinfectants. The "preventorium," an institution designed to protect children from the ravages of the disease, emerged in this era of Progressive ideals in public health. In this book, Cynthia A. Connolly provides a provocative analysis of public health and family welfare through the lens of the tuberculosis preventorium. This unique facility was intended to prevent TB in indigent children from families labeled irresponsible or at risk for developing the disease. Yet, it also held deeply rooted assumptions about class, race, and ethnicity. Connolly goes further to explain how the child-saving themes embedded in the preventorium movement continue to shape children's health care delivery and family policy in the United States. The 'preventorium', an institution designed to protect children from tuberculosis, emerged in the USA during the Progressive era. In this book, Cynthia Connolly explores how the institution reflected assumptions about class, race and ethnicity, and explains that its effects live on today in child health care and family policy Child-saving in the United States -- Tuberculosis: a children's disease -- Founding the preventorium -- The preventorium goes nationwide -- Science and the preventorium -- Tuberculosis in the "world of tomorrow"--Conclusion: saving children, yesterday, today, and tomorrow Child-saving in the United States Tuberculosis: a children's disease Founding the preventorium The preventorium goes nationwide Science and the preventorium Tuberculosis in the "world of tomorrow" Conclusion: saving children, yesterday, today, and tomorrow.