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A Healing Place
Male Tuberculosis Patients Taking the Fresh Air Cure in Howell, Michigan
The Sanatorium in Howell
Michigan Public Act 254 of 1905 called for a state tuberculosis sanatorium to be built at a “suitable location.” Physicians supported this endeavor because they wanted a healing place for those afflicted with TB.
By popular subscription, citizens of Howell, Michigan raised the money to purchase 192 acres, located about a quarter mile southwest of their town. This land was then conveyed to the State, free of charge. The State bought additional land for a total of 270 acres. The Howell Sanatorium was soon born.
The Fresh Air Cure
The Howell site offered pure air, pure natural spring water and rolling hills about 1100 feet above sea level. It offered light, sandy, well-drained soil needed for growing fruits and vegetables, fresh food being essential for the treatment of the disease.
The Howell Sanatorium was patterned after the Adirondack Cottage Sanatorium at Saranac Lake in New York. Founded by Dr. Edward Livingston Trudeau, this New York facility consisted of shacks or cottages clustered around an administration building. Dr. Trudeau, himself a consumptive, espoused the “fresh air cure.” Cottages with open porches were built so that patients could have sun, fresh air, plenty of rest and gentle exercise—all important components of “the cure.”
Shacks were built at Howell, and the first male patients were admitted there in 1907. Female patients were admitted in 1908. Howell Sanatorium patients paid $1.00 per day for six months, the standard amount of time allowed to take the cure. Michigan counties paid for indigent patients; this provision was part of the enabling legislation.
Learning to Live with Tuberculosis
Most of the patients at Howell were classified “incipient,” that is, the symptoms were light and the patient was not bedridden. The sanatorium staff taught them good health habits: keep a clean, ventilated house; eat plain, nourishing food; get plenty of sleep; cover your mouth with a cloth when coughing. They were taught to boil and disinfect that cloth with carbolic acid. People learned to live with tuberculosis. The chief goal was to make the patient well enough to return home and not be a danger to his family or community. It is important to understand that early treatment of tuberculosis was general medical care. Thoracic surgery, supported by physicians from the University of Michigan, became a more aggressive medical option circa 1928. Effective drugs for fighting the disease, like streptomycin, became available for therapeutic use by circa 1945.
Howell Sanatorium, 1960
Changes, 1913-1982
In 1913, the State of Michigan appropriated money to establish a second sanatorium for the care of moderately advanced and far advanced TB cases. The State selected Midland, Michigan as the site. However, that city’s water supply was poor, so no sanatorium was built there. By 1919, the appropriation was transferred to the Howell facility, and the hospital expanded its admission policy to include advanced TB cases. By 1923, TB experts considered the open shacks too crude and inefficient for housing tuberculosis patients, especially during the Michigan winters. The state built a permanent, brick hospital at Howell that served TB patients until 1961.
With the introduction of drug therapy, many tuberculosis patients could be treated as outpatients. In 1954, the State enacted legislation that allowed the Sanatorium to broaden its admission policy to accept patients who were not suffering from TB. In May of 1961, the State legislature officially closed the TB Sanatorium with the passage of Public Act 111. Staff, buildings and funding were transferred to the newly established Howell State Hospital for the care and treatment of mentally ill patients. In 1971, the state hospital became the Hillcrest Center and, later, the Hillcrest Center for the Developmentally Disabled (1978). In 1982, the State closed Hillcrest, and the hospital at Howell was razed circa 1985.
Both my parents worked for the sanitorium for many many years up to the day it closed. We lived in the apartments on the west side of the hospital across from the A & B buildings as they were called when I was born. The only thing remaining there when I visit is the tree I used to swing on & play under with my dog. I’m looking for as much history and pics as I can find. Love all the pics so far,looking for many more. I was born 1961 my birth certificate location states I was born at Michigan State Sanatorium. I am 48 now and I need to remember more of my years of living on the hill!!
My cousin, Helen Grammel, spent a lot of time at the sanatorium in Howell. I have some pictures of her when she was there.
I am searching for a family member who attanded a TB Sanatorium All I have is his name. I do not have the years that he was there. Other family members are not sure either, but they do know that he was addmitted for TB. I’m not sure where either. If anyone has any info…pleas contact me. Thank you, Tonya
I know of 2 other Sanatorium in Detroit and one out further
west that one was called Mayberry. The other one was
Hermen Kiefer Hospital. My husband’s sister was at Herman
Kiefer and her children were at Mayberry. She was [name deleted for reasons of confidentiality - Editor.]
I wish it was still there beause a lot of history is still there even though it is gone .. I hope someday to go there and get a sign i find that a cool thing that it was right next to me i live in fowlerville and found this out 2 mounts ago i find the pics to be really cool and i hope i can find more facks in the area …
in 1947 my mother was in Herman Keifer and about the same time I was treated for tb at mayberry. I was about a yr & a half at the time and was there about 15 months. Interestingly, I have a few memories! I’ve been trying to get some info on mayberry, maybe some pics. My older brother, now deceased, was a resident at Hillcrest as well as another state facility in Lapeer. It’s good to see this site and hear some of your comments. Any suggestions where I might get more info? Thanks and God Bless
I work for MORC and am writing an article about the closure of all institutions in Michigan for our eMORC Magazine. Does anyone know where I can get 300dpi images of the postcard-like cover shots of the facility. I’m interested in one that is not on this site as well.
Thanks, Joe
Mr. Dzenowagis – If you are interested in Archives of Michigan photos, then please e-mail us at archives@michigan.gov
My grandmother spent time at Howell approximately 1925 and I have a few photos of her there. I also have some images with her and other women. A few are named. She died of TB in 1926.
I spent some time at the Howell State Hospital in1968 0r 9 as a nursing student. I thought the setting was lovely —- up on that hillside , large shade trees, historical buildings, etc..Patients were outside seated in wooden lawn chairs. Now inside was not as nice. The smell of urine was overwhelming, with uncovered bedpans on shelves above the beds. Sadder yet were the patients. Outside were older long term mental patients whereas inside were young children that were severely debilatated physically and mentally. A lasting impression came upon me. Perhaps that is why I was checking on the condition of the hospital, and why I can not help but feel a bit of sorrow to find that this place of history is no longer in existance…….. barbara
Could someone give me the exact location of this hospital; such as a street address or where a present building now stands in its place. Thank You.
Jamie,
I have some pictures of Matberry after it was closed but beforee it was torn down. If you will e-mail me at pecan033@charter.net, I will arrange for you to see them. They are stereo photos so I am not able to scan them and send them to you. but we can probably arrange something. My phone number is Howell 519-552-7214. Good luck
Vince