Our Days at Mount View Sanatorium, Lockport, NY
Growing up in western New York (North Tonawanda), as a middle class family of 4, Dad (John) worked in maintenance for Pennwalt, Mom (Veronica) worked Wurlitzer and Judy and Johnny attending local schools.
In 1958 Mom’s TB test came back positive, meaning she had to be quarantined or hospitalized at Mount View, a ½ hour drive from our house. As I remember we were not able to visit, but Dad made the weekly trip by himself. Mom had given some recipe instructions for us to follow weekly and some friends and neighbors brought dinner to the house for us.
After Mom’s release, Judy’s TB test came back positive and she was admitted to the hospital in 1959. Dad continued making weekly trips to the hospital to visit Judy. Johnny’s TB test came back positive in 1960, his senior year of high school. 3 members of our family in the hospital, Dad continued his visits and his TB tests were always negative.
Mount View Hospital was on a 5 acre campus like setting, with rolling hills and meticulous landscaping. A tribute to some patients like Guzman who did a lot of hand hedge trimming. I think of Guzman today when I do trimming work and his attention to detail giving me fond memories.
The hospital building itself was a modern 3 story brick structure that may have housed 60 patients. The basement had a candy and what not Shoppe managed by patient Eunice and Brownie. The remainder of basement had a leather craft workplace managed by former patient Joe Altman. Again attention to detail in putting together wallets, key holders and belts. I believe I still have a handmade wallet tucked away somewhere. I also have a bag of leather making tools used by my mother, Veronica.
Each patient room was private, with its own toilet and showers were located down the hall. Delicious Meals were delivered to our rooms, 3 times a day, along with 7 pills, to be taken with meals or 21 pills per day.
Each day consisted of being greeted by a student nurse whose main concern was to keep the patient happy. This was accomplished by a sweet smile and most usually a back rub. (They needed to practice). Usually after breakfast was time for leather working or other forms of rehab-sewing, pottery making. Lunch time came around pretty quick and back to our rooms for a relaxing lunch. Hamburger, ff and salad as I remember. Again very tasty. After lunch was quite time1pm-3pm followed by some walks and socialization mainly on the same floor. Men were on separate floors from women. Dinner was similar with trays brought up to each room .Seconds were usually available if requested.
Some names of other patients I remember were Herb Tober, Peanuts Reynolds, Big Frank, Archie, Gillespie, Eunice, Betty, Marion, Ernie, Brownie. Week end church services available in the basement. All denominations. As your health improved (oh yes sputum samples taken daily) you were allowed a week end pass. Chance to visit family and some friends.
Mom’s release came about 1960- Judy about 1961 and Johnny about 1961- all of us received clean bill of health- no more pulmonary TB. We all went back to our normal life style. No complications ever came up about our sickness either.
And so this is my association with Pulmonary TB and eventual cure. There were no roof top beds, but in reading about Dr. Trudeau principles - Healthy Eating, Socialization and Attentive Care, were his guides to conquering this disease, along with the medicines he developed.
I am glad to have become a member of the Saranac Historical Society, as it brought home the principles and values to this cure, in a way that I did not realize, until some 53 years after my cure.
Respectfully Submitted, Johnny M. Kohan, July 5, 2014
In an email to Historic Saranac Lake on July 20, 2014, John added: "I started my senior year of H.S. September 1960 and TB test came back positive about November, missed my entire senior year, and released from hospital about November/December of 1961. One year was the amount of time spent at Mount View as I remember. Each floor had a Solarium- a glass enclosed room with lots of sunshine and windows that opened for ventilation. There were lounge chairs, couch and reading materials. A place to relax, meet with a friend or complete some personal craft. The grounds around the building were beautiful and this was our place to enjoy and take a walk. There were some pathways and passenger car drives that we would follow, taking in the late afternoon air. We were on a honor system and curfew time was 8pm to be back to our rooms."
