Tuberculosis Preventorium for Children

Tuberculosis Preventorium for Children in Lakewood Township, New Jersey was the first preventorium in the United States. It opened in July 1909, as an expression of Nathan Straus' desire to prevent the spread of tuberculosis among children. The children were selected mainly by the Association of Tuberculosis Clinics and were passed upon by the Department of Health of New York City. There were 32 of these clinics, to the nearest of which the parents applied. No discrimination was made as to race or creed, and there was no charge for transportation or board.

In 1910, the institution was removed to Farmingdale, New Jersey. What marked the buildings here were the dormitories, which were made without sash or glass, so that the children at night were sleeping practically in the open air, even in the winter. In 1914, there were at one time 200 children in the preventorium; these children represented 120 families. The executive committee of the preventorium, at first with some hesitation, determined to help the general tuberculosis campaign by giving employment by preference to tuberculous patients with the arrested disease—those who had been discharged from the various sanatoriums. In 1917, there were at Farmingdale 15 people in this class. Occasionally, one of these cases relapsed. The plan on the whole was successful, and the preventorium felt encouraged in what was called its auxiliary work.

One could become a member of the preventorium by payment of US$1 to US$1,000 per annum. The municipality of New York City contributed liberally.

This preventorium was a precursor of other similar institutions founded throughout the U.S. in connection with the larger municipalities. A number of them were subsequently established. The Tuberculosis Preventorium for Children closed in 1970, its services no longer being needed.