This handsome fellow (Freeman Webster) was my
grandfathers brother,
b. Aug 1892 - d. May 1916 (of consumption)
I mentioned earlier that my mother was a patient in a hospital for tuberculosis (consumption) from 1938-1941. She didn't talk about it much, but one thing I remember her saying was that they slept outside (on balconies) both winter and summer. 'Fresh air' was the only cure they seemed to know of in those days. She said that many mornings she had to dig herself out from under a pile of snow. Hard to imagine.
Even harder to imagine was the fact that only the more affluent patients were allowed to live in the main buildings. If you were poor, you were placed in tents throughout the grounds. It's no wonder the death rate was so high. My mother never mentioned the tents (her memory was affected by a serious car accident when I was little), but I read a very interesting book about the hospital she was in and that's where I found the information about the tents.
(btw - there were a couple of lovely comments that were left that I wanted to acknowledge... first, thank you to V.E.(Wales) who left a very informative comment about how that sweater was made; and also to Gloria Elizabeth who suggested I find a book called 'The Plague and I' which is about the experience of having TB in the same time period as my mother. I have put in a request for it through our local library and hopefully they can locate a copy for me. Thank you to you both - unfortunately you are both 'no reply' and I can't respond directly.)
This is another of the entries that are in the autograph book belonging to my mother. This one is dated June 3, 1939...
Be reserved, but not sour;
Grave, but not formal;
Bold, not not rash; Humble, but not servile;
Patient, but not insensible;
Constant, but not obstinate;
Cheerful, but not light;
Rather be sweet-tempered than familiar;
Familiar rather than intimate,
and intimate with very few,
and upon good ground with all.
