Tuesday 1 June 2010

T is for...

Tuberculosis Hut

During the early part of the twentieth century, a lot of people got sick and even died of tuberculosis. One of the ways to recovery was either a sanatorium or if there wasn't that much money: this hut. You could fit a bed in it and spend day after day in this hut. All four sides could collapse in real nice weather, but you could also leave any or all sides up. The hut could be turned around and that way you could be facing the sun all day. Some people would spend months in this thing (coming back inside during the nights though), even during the winter months when a small heater would be put into the cabin.

Nowadays, tuberculosis is more or less a thing of the past in the Netherlands, although there are still people suffering from it, mostly in the bigger cities. The illness is very infectious and is caused by airborn bacteria. Especially poor people used to suffer a great deal, mainly due to the fact that after contracting the disease they wouldn't have the money to see a doctor or get treatment. At one point (way before WWII), nearly the whole population was infected by TBC, however, most people never suffered or noticed any symptoms. Afterwards, they would be immune, although they would carry the disease with them until they died.

For more T-words from around the world, please check out ABC Wednesday and join in the fun!

20 comments:

  1. Never heard of a TB hut before. There used to a be a TB sanatorium not far from here - they've built a school on site now!

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  2. I've never seen a TB hut before but I do remember when TB was a scary thing and many people had it.

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  3. I had never heard of a TB hut before either, but of course, there were sanatoriums everywhere here in the states. I remember hearing people talk about it like it was "the plague" and in many instances I guess it was. Great post for the day!
    Enjoy your week!

    Sylvia

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  4. I've tested positive for TB most of my life. They always wanted me to get a chest xray. Last time, in the 80s I think, I ignored the request, and nobody bothered me about it. In fact, they stopped coming around to the schools to do those tests.

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  5. It's my first time to see a TB hut.Nice T for today.

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  6. I had never heard of a TB hut either - interesting post Mara - as always. Good to know it is rare now and can be controlled. A

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  7. Mara, That is so interesting. My Aunt died of TB when she was only 20 - she was a nursing student. It's pretty scary that it's still rearing its ugly head still.

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  8. this is novel to me.
    thank you for the information and fun!
    cool photo shot!

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  9. Didn't know about TB huts ior that people still get TB. Informative!

    On behalf of the ABC Wednesday team, thank you! - ROG

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  10. How interesting! I've never heard of this either. There are a growing number of TB cases in UK but the difference is that now there are effective ways to deal with it. It's a sad indictment of the conditions in which some people are forced to live.

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  11. One of my great aunts is said to have lived in one of these huts, in Norfolk (England) until she died. What a strange and yet practical solution to a terrible disease! We can cure it these days (my brother had it and is fine now), but I hear that it's making a strong comeback in England due to unregulated immigration - by which I mean, no-one checks the health of those coming in. And no-one checks children anymore, either!

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  12. Wow. I think you should get a prize for the most unique post of the day! A TB Hut is piece of history I didn't know either. Very interesting. Thanks for popping in over at my place and leaving a nice comment. I think I need one of those Thalassotherpy spa treatments!

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  13. I know people looked to rest and recuperate in the sun, but never a tiny hut.Very interesting history

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  14. What a quaint hut, it was wonderfully thought out. I remember seeing old photographs of rows of people in bed outside sanatoriums, brrr. Glad we can cure this disease now

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  15. I have never seen one of those.
    That seems so different. I do remember a friend of mine whose father was being treated TB place back in the early 60's.

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  16. Now that is a unique and rare "T"

    I enjoyed the read.

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  17. I've never heard of a TB hut before! my late dad contracted TB when I was a child, and the whole family had to go to the hospital for injections after that. Thanks to the good treatments at the hospital, he was ok after that.

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  18. Mara, where did you find this TB hut?

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  19. I found a job teaching preschool in the fall, and I have to go have a TB test before I can teach! I've always tested negative, so I'm not worried. Doesn't that hut look relaxing? Just add a lot of comfy pillows, some books and magazines, and I'd be set. I think I want one in my backyard! (No kids allowed!)

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Any weighty (and not so weighty) comments are welcome!