St. Luke's Hospital - El Paso, Texas

St. Luke's Hospital - El Paso, Texas

The image shows the St. Luke's Hospital in the 1900s. It was one of the first hospitals in town which treated tuberculosis patients. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, tuberculosis spread rapidly in the United States. Throughout most of the 19th century, pulmonary tuberculosis was thought to be a hereditary disease aggravated by humid air, damp soil, lack of exercise, inadequate diet, and overcrowded and poorly ventilated housing. However, in 1882, German physician Robert Koch described the rod-shaped organism called the tubercle bacillus that causes tuberculosis. The microscopic bacteria were impossible to destroy unless exposed to heat or light. Since most infections came from people with pulmonary TB, such people needed to be isolated to check the spread of the disease. The Southwest, including El Paso, was considered ideal for the treatment of TB because of its dry, warm climate. It attracted TB patients from all over the country. The completion of the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1881 encouraged tuberculars to come west. Early care of TB patients consisted of sitting in parks to absorb the sun and convalescence in private homes. This method was ineffective and many people died. The migration of infected persons in search of a climatic cure created a major public health problem for sections of the Southwest from the late 1890s through the 1920s. During this period, many sanatoriums and hospitals opened to treat tuberculars and this deadly disease helped establish El Paso as a health center. Dr. J. Shelton Hoseley opened St. Luke's Hospital at 199 Missouri Street in El Paso, Texas in 1900. He sold it to Dr. Charles B. Hanson in 1903 and then founded another large hospital treating mainly TB patients.

Area: Central / Downtown

Source: El Paso County Medical Society

Uploaded by: El Paso Museum of History

Comments

Add a comment
Thank you for your comment

Report this entry

Choose the most important reason for this report

Your name

Your email address

Optional detail

Thank you for your report

More from the same community-collection

In Front of the Magoffin House - El Paso, Texas

I am not a native El Pasoan, so I found this house very ...

Sun Plaza Housing Project

This is an elevated housing project for the elderly. I find it ...

El Corrido Del Segundo Barrio

This very recently created mural was created with the message ...

My uncles

My uncle Chuy on the right and my uncle Lalo on the left

John Wesley Hardin Shooting - Video

In 1895 the sheriff of El Paso tried to make the town a bit less ...

UTEP Centennial Video -2014

The UTEP Centennial Celebration, at the El Paso Museum of ...

UTEP Centennial Video -2014

The Texas State School of Mines and Metallurgy, now named The ...

Rosa Guerrero - Video Part 1

"Rosa Ramirez Guerrero of El Paso, Texas, is an artist, ...

Marshall Dallas Stoudenmire Gunfight – Video

Dallas Stoudenmire (December 11, 1845 – September 18, 1882) ...

Grand Opening of the Digital Wall

Went to the Digi Wall Grand Opening.

Old Public Library Sign

The El Paso Public Library sign on Oregon Street.

Healthy Kids Day at Southwest University Park

Project Amistad offers many free services to the community of El ...

Sixth Wall of Giants Exhibit

The El Paso Museum of History ,beginning to prepare for the ...

Sixth Wall of Giants Exhibit

Sebastian Ribas-Normand,Facilities Maintenance Lead Worker , ...

Sixth Wall of Giants Exhibit

To the Left- is Bernie Sergeant, and Rebecca Whitaker ,Circle of ...

Sixth Wall of Giants Exhibit

David Saucedo, Circle of Giants Co-Chair ,and Julia H. ...

Parade Dowtown

Soldiers marching, in the parade Downtown in honor of the new ...

Vietnam Veterans

Vietnam Veterans, marching in the parade Downtown.

Fort Bliss Parade

Soldiers holding, the flags as they make their way down to the ...

Fort Bliss Parade

Soldiers marching and playing down Oregon Street.

Fort Bliss Parade

Soldiers Playing, their instruments down Oregon Street. ...

Ethel Foster and Family 1889

3-year old Ethel Foster is sitting on the swing with her ...

Pridefest 2015

The Biggest Pride celebration in West Texas!

home.search_collection