The early years at Oakdale Sanatorium, Iowa City, IA
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In 1908, Iowa created the Oakdale Sanatorium. At that time, the sanatorium consisted of an administration building and two cottages. Each cottage had a nursing station in the center, which was flanked by two wings of housing for patients. Because fresh air was considered one of the treatments for tuberculosis, the cottages had open-air porches that were used in all months of the year except January, when Iowa weather is at its worst. On the back of one of the postcards on this page is this message: “These sheds are built high up off the grounds and are unplastered. The winds can howl under them and pretty much through them, I should think. But it is nice as it can be and not an asylum-like place.” At its peak population in 1926, Oakdale held 814 patients, according to University of Iowa Archives. Oakdale closed in 1981, but the site is now home to the Iowa Hygienic Laboratory. Thanks to Robert Hibbs for the pictures on this page.
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