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Chasing the Cure at Cragmor Sanatorium: The Archaeology of a Tuberculosis Sanatorium

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Abstract

Tuberculosis (TB), a leading cause of death from the 18th century through the early 20th, was often treated in specialized facilities called “sanatoriums.” Despite their prevalence, archaeology examining TB sanatoriums is sparse. The fact that many sanatoriums fell out of use by the 1950s and were repurposed for other functions helps explain this lack of archaeological research. Cragmor Sanatorium in Colorado Springs, Colorado, was a premier facility in the West for treating wealthy tuberculosis patients. In 1964, Cragmor Sanatorium was sold to the University of Colorado system, after which much of the original history was subsumed under a growing campus. This article combines archaeological and archival data to better understand standard and alternative health practices employed at the sanatorium in context and to illuminate institutional practices and healing strategies employed by physicians and patients during the first half of the 20th century.

Resumen

La tuberculosis (TB), una de las principales causas de muerte desde el siglo XVIII hasta principios del XX, a menudo se trataba en instalaciones especializadas llamadas "sanatorios". A pesar de su prevalencia, es escasa la examinación de los sanatorios para TB en la arquelogía. El hecho de que muchos sanatorios cayeron en desuso en la década de 1950 y fueron reutilizados para otras funciones ayuda a explicar esta falta de investigación arqueológica. Cragmor Sanatorium en Colorado Springs, Colorado, era una instalación de primer nivel en el oeste para el tratamiento de pacientes ricos con tuberculosis. En 1964, Cragmor Sanatorium fue vendido al sistema de la Universidad de Colorado, después de lo cual gran parte de la historia original quedó incluida en un campus en crecimiento. Este artículo combina datos arqueológicos y de archivo para comprender mejor en su contexto las prácticas de salud estándar y alternativas empleadas en el sanatorio y para iluminar las prácticas institucionales y las estrategias de curación empleadas por médicos y pacientes durante la primera mitad del siglo XX.

Résumé

La tuberculose (TB), une cause majeure de décès entre le 18ème siècle jusqu'au début du 20ème siècle, était souvent traitée dans des établissements spécialisés appelés « sanatoriums ». En dépit de leur prévalence, l'étude des sanatoriums de tuberculose par l'archéologie est rare. Le fait que nombre de sanatoriums n'aient plus été utilisés vers les années 1950 pour être réaffectés à d'autres fonctions permet d'expliquer cette absence de recherche archéologique. Le Sanatorium de Cragmor à Colorado Springs, dans le Colorado, était un établissement de premier plan dans l'Ouest pour le traitement de patients tuberculeux fortunés. En 1964, le Sanatorium de Cragmor a été vendu au système de l'Université du Colorado, après quoi la plus grande partie de son histoire d'origine a été engloutie sous un campus en expansion. Cet article associe des données archéologiques et d'archives pour mieux comprendre les pratiques de soins standards et alternatives utilisées au sanatorium en contexte et pour éclairer les pratiques institutionnelles et les stratégies de guérison utilisées par les médecins et les patients au cours de la première moitié du 20ème siècle.

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Acknowledgments:

This research was funded through History Colorado’s State Historical Fund Grant and UCCS Facilities. Archaeological work included students in the UCCS field schools in 1998 and 2016. The field work was a collaboration among UCCS, Avalon Archaeology, and Alpine Archaeological Consultants.

Funding

This project was funded by History Colorado’s State Historical Fund (grant # 2016–M2–002).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anthropology, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, 1420 Austin Bluffs Parkway, Colorado Springs, CO, 80918, U.S.A.

    Karin Larkin

  2. Statistical Research Inc., 416 W. Oak Street, Fort Collins, CO, 80521, U.S.A.

    Michelle Slaughter

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  1. Karin Larkin
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Correspondence to Karin Larkin.

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Author Slaughter had multiple affiliations during the project funding, including owner of Avalon Archaeology and employee at Metcalf Archaeological Consultants. Author Larkin states that there is no conflict of interest.

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Larkin, K., Slaughter, M. Chasing the Cure at Cragmor Sanatorium: The Archaeology of a Tuberculosis Sanatorium. Hist Arch 57, 743–763 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41636-023-00406-2

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