General Conference Bulletin, vol. 4

COLORADO MEDICAL MISSIONARY AND BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION

W. H. RILEY

Third Meeting April 18, 4:30 P. M.

DR. W. H. RILEY in the chair. GCB April 21, 1901, page 358.15

Prayer by Dr. A. J. Read. GCB April 21, 1901, page 358.16

The Chair: I suppose you all understand who comprise the constituency of this association,—the members of the International Medical Missionary Association, the General Conference Committee, and all others who have paid $10 and subscribed to the principles of the association. GCB April 21, 1901, page 358.17

This, I believe, is the second meeting of the association. We had one meeting two years ago. I am glad to report that there has been progress made in our work in Colorado since that meeting. The purposes and objects of this association are the same as those of the International Association. Its work is to operate sanitariums and hospitals: to found and operate orphans’ homes: to educate missionary physicians and missionary nurses: and to carry on an educational and missionary work. GCB April 21, 1901, page 358.18

The Colorado Sanitarium has been in operation about four and one-half years, and during this time the work in the institution has been growing in strength and influence. There have been something like eighteen hundred patients treated. The most of these patients have remained in the institution for several months, or at least for several weeks. In other words there have been patients who have been in the institution for a period of weeks or months, and have received treatment. GCB April 21, 1901, page 358.19

Besides the work done in the institution, there has been considerable done in the field. Not so much as ought to have been done, but we have tried to do what we could. Perhaps I should say that our patients have come from nearly every State in the Union, many of them from the Southern States, and not a few from foreign countries. We have had one patient from China. GCB April 21, 1901, page 359.1

We have taken a clear-cut and decided stand on the question of diet. We have not had any meat on our tables in our patients’ dining-room for nearly three years, and have had no difficulty whatever in dealing with the patients. We have received very many compliments upon our diet, and we really have very little trouble in getting those who come to us to discard meat, and to adopt the diet that we have in the institution. We have brought this condition by educating the people, and when we have given them a reason for our faith and principles, they have been very ready and willing to accept all the reforms that we urge. GCB April 21, 1901, page 359.2

During the last winter we have had a larger patronage than any other winter we have been there. Our patronage the past winter has been as large, part of the time at least, as it has been in summers previously, so we feel encouraged; but there is a part for us to do more than we are doing if the institution was more widely known, and if our people who are scattered all over the United States would direct people to us who are coming to Colorado, it would be a great help to us. GCB April 21, 1901, page 359.3

I think some of our people have the idea that the sanitarium in Colorado treats only consumptives, or those who are suffering with lung trouble. While we have very many of this class of invalids, as a matter of fact, this class has been in the minority so far. As you probably know, there has been a growing feeling against association with this class of invalids. I think a great deal of it, however, is not warranted from a medical standpoint; but nevertheless, there is a fear on the part of the public from association with this class of invalids, on account of the supposed danger of taking the disease. I myself think we should use the necessary precaution, and that it is better to have first-class conditions, and keep these tubercular patients separate from the other classes. We have been doing this so far as we could with the facilities we have had to do with. Some provision ought to be made whereby this class of invalids can have proper care without disturbing other patients. I do not think it would take any very large amount of money to erect the necessary building, or make the necessary provision, to care for this class. GCB April 21, 1901, page 359.4

The financial report and other reports of the institution will be given by our Treasurer. Our work in Colorado is growing in strength and influence. We feel very grateful to our kind Heavenly Father for the blessings that he has bestowed upon us while there, and we know that his guiding hand has had a care for the work there. I am sure that if this were not the case, the institution would not be where it is to-day. I call for the report of the Treasurer. GCB April 21, 1901, page 359.5

F. M. Wilcox: The Sanitarium has been doing well financially, considering the difficulties it has had to meet. During the last four years the debt on the institution has been reduced about eight thousand dollars; that is, that amount in current bills has been cleared off. When the present management came into the work some four years ago, there were not only a large number of outstanding debts and notes, but there was something like eight thousand dollars in current bills. These have been entirely cleared away; and with but one exception,-and that was occasioned by our bakery fire,-there has been no increase in the indebtedness of the institution, but rather a small decrease. GCB April 21, 1901, page 359.6

During the last few months, steps have been taken to make some very necessary improvements. The building has been painted, something that has not been done before since its erection. We have done a great deal of plastering, which was greatly needed. A number of improvements might be mentioned in this connection, which we have been enabled to make because of increased patronage. These repairs have really brought the institution back to its original worth, and we feel very thankful for what has been accomplished. GCB April 21, 1901, page 359.7

I have here a resolution I wish to come before us, in harmony with the remarks of Dr. Riley:— GCB April 21, 1901, page 359.8

“Inasmuch as there has arisen a necessity for the separation of the GCB April 21, 1901, page 359.9

consumptive and non-consumptive patients of the Colorado Sanitarium, we recommend that steps be taken to provide for this exigency.”

I move the adoption of this recommendation. GCB April 21, 1901, page 359.10

A Delegate: I second the motion. GCB April 21, 1901, page 359.11

The Chair: You have heard the recommendation. Any remarks? All favoring this, manifest it by saying, Aye; contrary the same sign. I would be glad to hear from Dr. Read, who has visited the Colorado Sanitarium. GCB April 21, 1901, page 359.12

A. J. Read: I could speak of the Colorado Sanitarium more from the standpoint of a visitor than one of the laborers of the institution, because my stay there was very short. I was very favorably impressed with the general appearance of the institution, and as I had a friend who was there as a patient, I had a good opportunity to know how the institution impressed outside people. The young man of whom I speak was a New England boy, and had been brought up to use all the abominations that are so common among people in the way of diet. He knew nothing as to what healthful living consisted of, until he went to the Colorado Sanitarium. He told me that he could stand almost anything, but he did miss that beefsteak in the morning. He said if he could only have his beefsteak, he would get well. But I went to the table with him for two meals while I was there, and called his attention to some of the substitutes, and the foods that were before us. The other day I received a letter from him, saying that he was getting along nicely without the beefsteak, and did not feel as if he wanted to eat any again. GCB April 21, 1901, page 359.13

I was interested to see the way in which this young man entered into the family life of the institution. A feature of our smaller institutions is that the family life is more like that of the home. I was pleased to see that he had been only a short time a patient when he entered into the family prayers, and really had become a member of the family. He was even exerting a good Christian influence in the home. There seems to be that feature of the work in small institutions. The patients come nearer together, and if there is a good Christian influence exerted, it is certainly an opportunity for doing good. GCB April 21, 1901, page 359.14

Another thing which impressed me in the Colorado Sanitarium was the neatness with which the various departments were kept up. I visited the bathroom and various other departments of the institution, and the cleanliness and neatness of every department were certainly impressive. Cleanliness outside is a certain indication of cleanliness inside. GCB April 21, 1901, page 359.15

I feel sure that the work of the Colorado Sanitarium, if it continues as it is, certainly can not fail to make itself felt in the great work which our Master is doing in this world. GCB April 21, 1901, page 360.1

The Chair: There is another line of work that we are trying to extend in connection with our sanitarium work in Boulder, and that is the opening of treatment rooms in the larger cities,- Denver, Colorado Springs, and other large cities in the State, and also vegetarian restaurants. There is a large opening in Colorado for this work, particularly the vegetarian cafe. GCB April 21, 1901, page 360.2

The Chair: I think perhaps I ought to have stated when the resolution was up in regard to providing and caring in some way for the consumptives, that several thousand dollars have already been donated for this use. It is not the wish or the mind of the board in any way to increase the indebtedness of the institution through increasing our facilities for this class. What we wish this afternoon is to bring the matter before you, so that you may know what the situation is, and be given a chance to express yourselves in regard to it. GCB April 21, 1901, page 360.3

G. F. Watson: I would say a word right on this point. I have traveled over the city of Denver time and again, being located in the work there, and I know that many people could scarcely find a place to stay in the city. We have had them come to our house, dozens of them, asking for a place in which they might live. They are turned away from the doors of the people, they can get no place in the city, save the cheap boarding-houses, where cheap food is put before them. I do hope that some steps may be taken to provide a home for this class. GCB April 21, 1901, page 360.4

The Chair: It might be interesting to you to have a few remarks from our Chaplain, F. M. Wilcox, in regard to the religious influence and work of the institution. GCB April 21, 1901, page 360.5

J. H. Kellogg: Before leaving this subject, I might say a word in order to get something before you. Colorado is a country of invalids. It is a sort of a “Pool of Bethesda,” and it was reported that out of the two hundred thousand people in Denver, one hundred thousand are invalids. Denver has become so infected by the continual coming in of consumptives there at the present time one fifth of the consumptives found in Denver contracted the disease right there. The boarding-houses and the hotels and other places are so thoroughly infected that it is about the most dangerous place you can go in the United States. It would seem from the statistics that there are more people who take consumption in Denver than in any other city in the United States. There is a large number there, a larger proportion than in any other place, because so many come in; and yet one fifth of the entire number there have contracted the disease right on that spot. That is according to the statistics reported in the State Board of Health by the very last report. I was astonished when I saw this. I first heard that the proportion was one sixth. I could hardly credit that, but when I saw the official report, it was one fifth instead of one sixth. I was perfectly astonished that this should be true. It is not because the climate is not good, but simply because the boarding-houses and the tenements there are so bad. The disease is conveyed by dust; so Denver has become almost a pest-house. Boulder is a very different place. It is not at all infected. The air is pure, and there is no danger of contracting the disease there. But the people of Denver, whether they have the disease or not, need to get out of Denver as soon as they can. But there is a great crowd of invalids there,-at present a hundred thousand, -and we have no treatment-rooms there of any sort. Our principles are not yet represented in that city. There are bath-rooms there, but they are conducted as a private interest entirely. GCB April 21, 1901, page 360.6

I would offer, Mr. Chairman, this resolution:- GCB April 21, 1901, page 360.7

“Resolved. That the interests of the work of this association demand the establishment of creditable branches, including vegetarian restaurants, in Denver and other important centers in Colorado, as soon as possible.” GCB April 21, 1901, page 360.8

I move the adoption of this resolution. GCB April 21, 1901, page 360.9

C. McReynolds: I second the motion. GCB April 21, 1901, page 360.10

The question was called, and carried. GCB April 21, 1901, page 360.11

J. H. Kellogg: I would also like to offer another resolution:- GCB April 21, 1901, page 360.12

“Resolved, That we approve of the plan of a tent-colony, for the treatment of consumptives, and recommend that the trustees of this association organize and operate such colonies, providing the suitable equipments, as fully and rapidly as possible.” GCB April 21, 1901, page 360.13

The tent-colony plan gives to every patient his own house. A tent cottage, which can be lived in at all seasons of the year, can be made for about sixty dollars, and you can have a hundred of them for six thousand dollars; whereas to put up a building which would accommodate a hundred, would require at least forty or fifty thousand dollars. Six thousand dollars will build houses for one hundred persons. These tent-houses can rent for a sufficient sum to pay the entire cost in one year’s time. There is very little expense for repairs. There is no painting, no shingling, no refitting, no repairs of any sort except putting on a patch now and then. GCB April 21, 1901, page 360.14

This has been tested. During last winter there have been two or three tent-colonies in Colorado, where the very feeblest individuals have spent the entire winter. A doctor in Denver told me of a case,-a woman who was very, very feeble. He said she did not improve at all until the temperature dropped all of a sudden to twenty below zero, and then she began to get better right away, and made wonderful improvement. GCB April 21, 1901, page 360.15

People can live there. The air is dry in Colorado. Though sometimes it is very cold, yet sometimes it is sunshiny. There are scarcely a dozen days in Colorado as bad as this one. People get the idea that it is very cold out there, because there is sometimes a blizzard. After the blizzard comes, there are weeks of beautiful weather. We have only a few days of cold weather, but then we have heating facilities, and there are scores and hundreds of people living in tents all winter. I think this is a plan we ought to take up. A central building can be erected, to furnish a place for cooking and dining-room, but a tent can be provided for small cots, and outdoors a gymnasium can be arranged with sandbags. The people can also go out and sun themselves by basking in the sunshine. A French doctor told me of a woman who wanted to know what to do with her children. He told her to roast them,-to roast them in the sun. That is what the American people need to do; they need to roast in the sun. A shower bath is provided so that they can rotate between the sun and the shower bath. In other ways we could provide facilities for getting the benefit of dry, pure air. I talked with a doctor in Denver about this matter. He said, “I gladly send you my patients.” GCB April 21, 1901, page 360.16

The motion was seconded, called for, and carried unanimously. GCB April 21, 1901, page 361.1

J. H. Kellogg: I would like to state that if there are those here who would come forward and loan funds to be used for this purpose, the money could be paid back to them readily. For instance, a man offers fifty tents, and he could take the rental for these tents until he gets his money back. He would get the money back in the course of a couple of years, and the association would have the tents. It does seem to me that the is the plan our people could take up in Colorado and New Mexico. There are facilities along the Rocky Mountain routes, and we could have a colony to take charge of consumptives. A man could go along and take his tent with him, and live there in the air, and live on a healthful diet, and his chances of getting well would be excellent. GCB April 21, 1901, page 361.2

F. M. Wilcox: I wish to present the following resolutions:— GCB April 21, 1901, page 361.3

“Resolved, That the State of Utah shall be considered as belonging to the territory of the California Medical Missionary and Benevolent Association. GCB April 21, 1901, page 361.4

“Resolved, That the interests of the work of this association demand the establishment of creditable branches, including vegetarian restaurants in Denver, and other important centers in Colorado, as rapidly as possible.” GCB April 21, 1901, page 361.5

F. M. Wilcox: I move the adoption of these resolutions. GCB April 21, 1901, page 361.6

The Chair: The first resolution refers to Utah’s being placed under the direction of the California association. Is there a second to the motion? GCB April 21, 1901, page 361.7

A Delegate: I second the motion. GCB April 21, 1901, page 361.8

The question was called, and unanimously carried. GCB April 21, 1901, page 361.9

The Chair: Do we have a second for the other resolution? GCB April 21, 1901, page 361.10

O. A. Olsen: I second the motion. GCB April 21, 1901, page 361.11

The question was called, and carried unanimously. GCB April 21, 1901, page 361.12

F. M. Wilcox: In the religious work of the Boulder Sanitarium we have been endeavoring by the help of God to do what we can. We hold regular services for our patients every Sunday afternoon. I preach to them, and oftentimes there are ministering brethren in from the outside who kindly assist us in that work, or we invite some of the city ministers in to speak to the patients. This has been very agreeable to the patients from the fact that thus have all denominations represented, and we have been able to let them hear some one from their own churches. GCB April 21, 1901, page 361.13

In addition to these we have a regular prayer meeting every Friday night. This has been attended very liberally by our patients. They come in, and seem to enjoy the services very much, and they also feel very free to take part. We also hold evening worship for our patients in the main building, and also evening worship for our consumptive patients. GCB April 21, 1901, page 361.14

In addition to these we have morning worship for our helpers. So far as I have been able to discern, there has been an earnest spirit among our young people in the sanitarium, and they have done what they could to present the Lord before their patients, and they have had an interest in laboring for the patients personally and praying for them, and I have been moved to tears many times to hear the incidents they have related of the work they have been endeavoring to do for the patients. We have a missionary class that we have been carrying on every week, where there have been reports of personal experience in missionary work, and some of those experience have been very interesting. GCB April 21, 1901, page 361.15

The Chair: We are late. Perhaps we would better bring our meeting to a close, if there is no further business to come before us. GCB April 21, 1901, page 361.16

R. M. Kilgore: I move that we adjourn sine die. GCB April 21, 1901, page 361.17

O. A. Olsen: I second the motion. GCB April 21, 1901, page 361.18

The motion was carried. Benediction pronounced by Elder J. N. Loughborough. W. H. RILEY, Chairman. GCB April 21, 1901, page 361.19

F. M. Wilcox, Secretary.