Economy in the Sanatorium Treatment of Pulmonary Tuberculosis

¹ Ridgewood, N J

1. "Tuberculosis" sanatoria should admit only cases of diagnosed pulmonary and extra-pulmonary tuberculosis.

2. Every sanatorium should have "pre-diagnostic" or observation ward treatment should be instituted until positive diagnosis of chest involvement is made.

3. The present diagnostic methods should eliminate all other cases which require treatment in general hospitals home farms, and state mental institutions.

4. Rest for diseased lungs is the basis of the modern treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis.

5. In any case with positive sputum even if cavitation is not demonstrated the limiting time for conservative bed rest treatment should be three months.

6. Positive sputum and cavitation on admission require immediate collapse therapy together with prolonged bed rest.

7. Old apical tuberculosis with open lesions and intermittent positive and negative sputum should receive some form of collapse treatment.

8. If sputum is negative for six months after artificial pneumothorax and there is satisfactory collapse of the lung the patient may be discharged from the sanatorium and instructed to return for pneumothorax refills.

9. The maximum time for the employment of any single collapse measure should not exceed one year. If at the end of this period the disease fails to show negative sputum and improvement, some other surgery should be adopted.