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.

Área: Central / Downtown

Fuente: El Paso County Medical Society

Cargado por: El Paso Museum of History

Comentarios

Hacer un comentario
Gracias por su comentario

Reportar esta entrada

Elige la razón más importante para este reporte

Tu nombre

Tu correo electrónico

Detalle opcional

Gracias por su reporte

Más sobre la misma comunidad-colección

Estrella de El Paso

El Paso skyline with the Star on the Franklin Mountain

2014 Polish American History Weekend City Proclamation

In 2014 a historical exhibit sponsored by the Senate of Poland ...

Pequeños Pingüitos

First time at the museum. Abril, Isis, Victor y Diamond

Reenactors

Reenactors

Belly Dancer

El Paso Snake Charmer Senee'

Yoga

Teacher Monica after giving the community a free yoga class at ...

Southwest University Park - El Paso, TX circa 2017

Southwest University Park is located in downtown El Paso. The ...

Polish Exhibit in El Paso 2014

The opening ceremony, photo shows from right: Julia Bussinger , ...

Exhibit from Poland, 2014

Grand Opening, cutting the ribbon, Director of the Museum Julia ...

Exhibit from Poland, 2014

The exhibit was brought to El Paso by Joanna Sikorski, former ...

Exhibit from Poland, 2014

Grand Opening, June 2014

Exhibit from Poland, 2014

The exhibit panels display

Exhibit from Poland, 2014

Exhibit on display, with Polish folk and national costumes

Exhibit from Poland, 2014

Traditional Polish welcome- with fresh baked bread and salt

Exhibit from Poland, 2014

The exhibit was designed, composed and produced by Warsaw Public ...

Mapa pictórico de El Paso, Texas y de Juarez, México

Visitor guide with pictorial map of El Paso, Texas and ...

Mapa de la Ciudad de El Paso, Texas

Map of the City of El Paso, Texas with addition names and ...

Mapas de seguros de El Paso, Texas

Sectional street map with index and key to indicate building ...

Taft/Diaz Meeting - El Paso, Texas

View of the 100 block of San Antonio. This photo is a good ...

Southern Pacific Railroads, El Paso,TX circa 1905

Southern Pacific Railroad (E. P & S W. ) railroad yards, Photo ...

Johnson's Automobile Repair Shop - El Paso, Texas

Johnson's Automobile Repair Shop located at 326 Texas St. This ...

Downtown Street Scene, El Paso,TX, circa 1906

St. Louis St. (Mills St. Today) facing west. The Federal ...

home.search_collection