Portrait of Healing: Curing in the Woods

by Victoria E. Rinehart

Portrait of Healing chronicles the life and passions of the gifted and visionary physician, Edward L. Trudeau. Hope, courage, and unselfish devotion to others most certainly describes this man who founded the Adirondack Cottage Sanitarium, later to be renamed the Trudeau Sanitorium, in Saranac Lake, New York.

Hardcover

Published April 1, 2002

Reviews

[Nancy Kilgore · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent book about the founding and principles of the first tuberculosis sanatorium in the U.S. What makes it most engaging is not only the simple writing and stories about the illness and the people, but the beautiful interior design with historic photos engagingly interspersed.

The fresh air cure–fresh air, rest, and nutrition–really created healing, the mood in this facility was upbeat and cheerful, and the stories were optimistic and heartening. Many people wanted to stay or go back and work there after they were "cured."

I was left wondering, though, about the underside of being in a sanatorium where people were dying and you could be next.

[Anne M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since I live near Saranac Lake and drive through there often, I bought this book after hearing about it. My mom was a nurse, born in 1920, and passed away over 20 years ago. We never talked about TB and she trained in VT but it would be so interesting to talk to her about this time period. The book certainly taught me a lot about the culture of the time and the treatment. I enjoyed the photos and stories.