February 1, 1908 – The first two tuberculosis patients are admitted to Oakdale Hall north of Iowa City.
Did you know that at the turn-of-the-century, America was facing a massive medical crisis – much like the COVID crisis of our generation?
Tuberculosis (TB) – also known during the 18th and 19th century as the White Plague or Consumption – was the #1 killer in the world during the early-to-mid 1900’s. Much like COVID-19, TB swept across America at the turn-of-the-century, getting its White Death name from one of its most visible symptoms – a deathly paleness due to the lack of oxygen getting to a person’s lungs.
While the medical community was making some slow progress at understanding the disease, the only known remedy in the early 1900’s was to move those with this deadly lung disease into sanatoriums. On February 1, 1908, the State of Iowa opened Oakdale Hall on 280 acres of farmland north of Coralville. Working alongside dedicated doctors and nurses from SUI, the Oakdale campus faithfully served those with TB over the next 50+ years.
READ MORE ABOUT THIS IOWA STORY HERE.
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