FISHERIES, GAME AND FORESTS. 35 1 



and general sitting-rooms, superintendent's and doctor's offices, rooms for servants and 

 nurses ; while the upper floor of the building is devoted to large rooms for a limited 

 number of patients. The library, recreation pavilion, doctor's cottage, chapel, and 

 infirmary are all separate buildings. Should any patient in one of the cottages become 

 rapidly worse or be taken suddenly ill, he is at once removed to the infirmary, where 

 every convenience for his care and proper treatment is at hand. The separation of 

 those who are failing rapidly, or are acutely sick, from the comparatively well, not 

 only furnishes the former with a constant and necessary attention and nursing which 

 they require, but withdraws them from the daily observation of their more fortunate 

 cottage mates, and prevents in these the depression which would otherwise occur from 

 contact with the very sick. The success of the plan is attested by the general cheer- 

 fulness of patients while in the institution, who, contrary to what might be supposed, 

 are very rarely depressed in spirits at their enforced exile. 



In order to attain success in curing consumption, the first rule is to make as early 

 a diagnosis as possible ; for the earlier the disease is detected the better will be the 

 prospect of effecting a cure or arresting the progress of the destructive process. The 

 first few months after the onset of the disease present often the one golden opportunity 

 of re-establishing the balance of health, and many lives are constantly sacrificed by 

 the neglect of this opportunity. If the curability of the earlier stages of tuberculosis 

 could be more generally accepted, and for this reason the grave responsibility which 

 rests on the physician in making an early diagnosis better realized, the patient's best 

 chances of recovery would not be so constantly sacrificed. That consumptives are 

 rarely sent away in the earlier stages of their disease is shown by the fact that most 

 applicants for admission to the Sanitarium have had symptoms of ill health for at least 

 a year before they apply, and that it is necessary to refuse as unsuitable cases five out 

 of every six who present themselves for admission. It has been found that sixty- 

 eight per cent, of the truly incipient cases were discharged as apparently cured, while 

 only eleven per cent, of the advanced, and none of the far advanced cases recovered. 



The exact results obtained at the institution by the combined climatic and sanita- 

 rium treatment are difficult to express in figures, because they are generally influenced 

 by the class of cases accepted. With advancing familiarity with the disease, and 

 improved methods of diagnosis, our standards have also steadily altered, so that what 

 would have been considered an incipient case fifteen years ago would be classed as an 

 advanced one to-day in most instances. Furthermore, the term " cure " can also be 

 used only in a relative sense, time as measured by years being the only criterion of 

 cure. Of late the results obtained have been better than formerly, and this is due, no 

 doubt, not only to improvements in methods and plant, but to the fact that more 

 really favorable and early cases are available than formerly. 



