Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis was the leading cause of death in nineteenth century American. Almost with the arrival of the first miners, people came to Colorado to seek a cure of this dreaded disease. In fact, as much as 60% of Colorado’s population migrated to the state, either directly or indirectly, for treatment of tuberculosis.
We have a couple of publications that cover the early years of tuberculosis in the state. _Blazing the Tuberculosis Trail_ (HED6.14/6) tells the stories of the early years of four sanatoria in early Denver. _A medical gentleman : James J. Waring, M.D_ (HED6.2/W23/1993) tells the story of how Waring, who suffered from tuberculosis himself, searched for a cure for the dreaded disease and trained other doctors at CU Health Sciences.
Although tuberculosis isn’t the killer it once was, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment keeps close tabs on the disease in the state. They publish yearly reports Tuberculosis in Colorado as well as a Tuberculosis Manual for health care workers.

Virginia Inness
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