Page 20 - Wallingford Magazine Issue 59 Spring 2026

THE GAYLORD FARM by Celeste Yanni

SANATORIUM

Wallingford’s Historic Role in the Control of TB in Connecticut

Almost forgotten now, Tuberculosis - contact. Those who lived in the same ed breathing as well as long dresses
called the “great white plague,” was crowded household seemed to be more that dragged on the ground. Children
a terrifying diagnosis and the leading likely to share the disease. They also learned that washing their hands, eat-
cause of death until the middle of the were often more likely to live in crowd- ing nutritious meals and sleeping with
20th Century. This disease has sick- ed cities, with polluted air, poor hous- a window open were healthy pursuits.
ened and killed human since ancient ing, unsanitary working conditions, and
times. Signs of it have been found in inadequate diets. Individuals with tuberculosis who could
Egyptian mummies. The Greeks and afford a “travel cure” relocated on ex-
Romans wrote about it. In modern panding railroad routes to seek drier
times important figures like Eleanor and warmer climes. Towns where the
Roosevelt and Bishop Tutu were af- newly developed railroad stopped, like
fected. Individuals who suffer from Denver and Colorado Springs in Colora-
Tuberculosis, or “TB,” have symptoms do, Albuquerque in New Mexico, Phoe-
typically affecting the lungs causing a nix and Tucson in Arizona, and Los An-
cough, fever, bloody mucous, pain and- geles in California grew. Many of those
in the final stages- dramatic weight loss who came seeking health remained
culminating in death. Thus, one of TB’s when they improved and made signif-
many names was “consumption.” icant contributions to their communi-
ties.

In 1882 Robert Koch discovered the tu-
bercule bacillus, the rod-shaped Myco-
bacterium, found in the mucous of the
ill, caused TB. However, efforts to com-
The diagnosis of TB caused widespread pletely arrest the disease would not
discrimination, often with loss of em- exist until the mid-1940s during WWII.
ployment and housing. Because of the In 1946 the antibiotic, Streptomycin,
possible threat to others, people who was made available for use to treat TB
developed TB were reported to health and other diseases. As with many new
authorities and removed to local and drugs, it was expensive and not pro-
remote institutions for extended pe- duced in enough quantity to treat the
Angel of Death riods of time to recover or, sadly, die. entire population with a TB diagnosis
Diagnoses and deaths from tubercu- until after WWII.
Prior to the understanding of “germ” losis became so high in cities like New
theory as the cause of many illnesses, York that public health officials used After the mid-1800s and prior to this
including TB, people held common be- ferry barges as “day camps” to manage scientific discovery Europe relied upon
liefs about tuberculosis and other dis- short term isolation of those with the “sanatoria,” named from the Latin verb
eases. Numerous unsuccessful medical disease. “to heal.” These facilities were usual-
treatments were tried focused on rest- ly constructed in remote mountainous
ing the lungs. Bleeding, purging, as well Public health workers initiated educa- regions with “clean” dry, cold air and
as surgeries were performed to remove tional campaigns to make the public strong sun. These sites were chosen
ribs, deflate the lungs and prevent the aware of social conditions contributing because the climate provided the op-
expansion of the diaphragm. Never- to the spread of the disease. Spitting in timal conditions for at least slowing
theless, the disease often recurred. public was outlawed in many cities and the course of TB. Those who came ad-
spittoons required. Disposable hand- hered to a defined and strict medical
Tuberculosis was considered heredi- kerchiefs were introduced for use with treatment program including: extended
tary, a “family” disease until 1868 when sneezing. Men were discouraged from periods of exposure to sunlight (helio-
scientific research proved that it was wearing long beards that might harbor therapy), regular exercise, prescribed
contagious: capable of being spread the germ. Women were discouraged periods of rest, and high caloric nu-
from one individual to another in close from wearing tight corsets that limit- tritious diets. The overall goal was to

20 WALLINGFORD MAGAZINE - SPRING 2026