City of Hope (1930s)

[Music] on a hot summer day in 1912 on a crowded Street in Los Angeles a stranger from the East Falls to the sidewalk victim of the dread white PL in the crowd that gathers around him are two kindly charitable men who come to the assistance of the stricken man realizing that he is beyond all Earthly help they pass among the crowd for funds to send his body back to his family thus begins one of America's greatest humanitarian project the Los Angeles sanatorium quickly calling a meeting of their friends they acquire sufficient funds for a down payment on ground suitable for a tuberculosis sanatorium a committee of three is formed week after week this committee TS into the surrounding country looking for a location for their projected Enterprise They search the foothills of the Southern California mountain rain inspect every acre of this semitropical country walk miles and miles at a time in the hot burning Sun whose very Rays could be doing Untold good for the thousands of tuberculosis victims lying helpless in other cities finally near the little town of Dy 18 mi from Los Angeles they find the perfect spot it is arid and covered with Sagebrush but an ideal location for their City of Hope with their meager funds they wreck two tents one for an emergency patient the other for his attending nurse a couple of old chairs two cops and a few medical supplies in the Los Angeles sanatorium is an actuality the fight against the white plague is underway as word about this sanatorium spreads Eastward to the committee in charge come pitiful pleas for admittance from stricken men with helpless dependent families from mothers too sick to be mothers unfortunate young men and women in every Walk of Life in every part of the nation but before these stirring calls for help can even be considered a sudden wind storm sweeps across the country with devastating Force carrying with it the tents and the hopes of the sorum founders undaunted by this tragedy and spurred on by the ever ringing cries for assistance a new and greater drive for funds is institu it echoes across the country rallying to the cause come groups and organizations men women and children all over the land give give and give to the Limit and throughout the campaign is heard the cry that cannot go unanswered Save a Life remove the waiting list as the first subscriptions reached the committee buildings are rushed to completion little more than tents most of them house not more than three patients but no Castle was ever more beautiful to the eyes of those poor people whose lives these buildings saved steadily the sanatorium grow the needs of the sick reached the hearts of kindly people who came forward to endow new buildings and enlarge the old ones but the everpresent waiting list is a significant reminder that the institution is still too small to accommodate all who seek its help a Committee in Philadelphia was organized and gathered funds for the erection of this Hospital unit other committees answered the call San Francisco built the first stco building Cleveland Detroit Chicago Portland Stockton all responded generously and made it possible to enlarge the facilities of the institution but each new building brought new problems for every newly admitted patient added the sum of $1,000 per year to the budget for that is the cost of properly carrying for each and every inmate a waiting list grows but each room is occupied it is evident that funds must be collected more rapidly if this Noble work is to continue prominent families and famous groups join the cause this beautiful flower filled Garden where the patients enjoy the healing rays of the California Sun was donated by Mr Al jolon this is the Warner Memorial Clinic endowed by the Warner family of Motion Picture Faith its dedication in 1930 was an event not soon to be forgotten by those who attended and here is the late Mr Benjamin Warner father of the famous Warner Brothers presenting the deed of the building to the late Dr dorin the Grand Old Man of the Los Angeles sanatorium the Goldstone family of Los Angeles also prominent in Motion Picture circles donated this building that houses the resident position the Goldstone family also endowed This Modern laundry which at the time overcame a very difficult problem when the local laundries refused to accept the sanatoriums linen for fear of contamination this laundry was equipped by the ladies consumptive relief Association of San Francisco whose Noble work will forever remain a monument to their generosity the Goodman and Rabinowitz families of Detroit solved the water Problem by giving this electrically operated well let's follow the camera through the beautiful sanatorium ground as they appear today each of these buildings is filled a capacity with men and women who sick of body but with undaunted Faith offer daily prayers for the help of those who gave their all to build this wonderful institution and to those who are still giving their all to keep it open yet despite the sanatorium 235 inmates there are still hundreds of sick plague stricken people clamoring for admittance waiting for the word that means their life waiting for the letter that says come we have a bed for you or that these buildings were twice as large every single one of these buildings is a donation from some worthy family or organization they will be doing Untold good for some poor people long after those who built them have gone from this world this large recreation hall where the ambulance patients that is the patients who are well enough to get around enjoy Motion Pictures and other get together this scene was taken during the Jubilee celebrating the 20th anniversary of the foundation of the sanatorium in 1933 the library is another of the many fine gifts it was presented by the international ladies garment Workers Union to honor the memory of their former presidents Benjamin slesinger and Morris Sigma this utility building was the contribution of another fine labor organization The Amalgamated clothing workers of America this is the spacious dining room in which the ambulance patients received their meal in this kitchen the food is cooked with the utmost Care by the finest chefs the patients not well enough to walk to the dining room are served in their rooms each has a choice of three menus from which they can select the food that is most appealing to their taste these meals are delivered on portable kitchen to the various buildings where it is kept warm until Meal Time nothing is overlooked to make these sick people as happy as possible adjoining the sanatorium grounds is a large Ranch another valuable gift to the institution here are raised the finest cows the milk they give is bottled by Machinery at this rant each patient receives an individual bottle of milk free from the touch of [Music] hand now let's look at the medical side of the sanatorium as we follow a patient from the time he arrives at the tiny dwarty railroad station until the time he leaves to return to his family this patient is so ill he must be transported in an ambulance [Music] [Music] he is immediately put to bed through his window he sees the sunlet hills of California with its fragrant Orange Grove and palm trees immediately he is inspired with a new fighting spirit for here at last is his City of Hope then follows a complete and thorough examination capable expert doctors specialists in tuberculosis commence the treatment that will rid his body of the germs that have made him an invilid nothing is overlooked the examination is complete in every detail any eye deficiency gets as much attention as any other illness he might have other than tuberculosis a resident dentist takes care of the patient's teeth to ensure his complete Health one thing is positive when this patient leaves the sanatorium he will be ready to resume his profession as a normal healthy citizen this scene shows the doctor taking a blood count which determines the extent of the infection as shown in the blood stream by this method the medical staff discovers many important things on which is based the treatment of the disease as it affects varied individuals another important step in the examination is the basal metabolism test which shows the ability of the body tissues to rebuild themselves the most vital tests of course are made with the X-ray and fluoroscope machines from the X-ray negatives the medical staff determine the exact extent of the infection each doctor is a recognized Authority on tuberculosis in no other institution can a patient receive more expert attention here you see a pumo thorax operation the Modern Trend of treatment is to collapse the disease lung allowing it to heal while the opposite or well lung carries on the breathing functions where this type of operation cannot be performed the same results are obtained in a different type of operation whereby the ribs surrounding the infected lung are removed the lung is then collapsed and allowed to heal this type of operation which is recognized as one of the truly great great contributions in the Cure of the white plague has been extensively used in the City of Hope through this operation the lives of countless patients have been saved yes a dream comes true through the untiring efforts of the many workers and Friends of the Los Angeles sanatorium and xati home our new hospital building has reached completion and on July 17th 1938 as one of the highlights of the Silver Jubilee convention this building another weapon in the never ceasing battle against the white plague is dedicated in the presence of the numerous delegates to the Silver Jubilee convention by the officers of the international ladies garment Workers Union as a lasting Memorial to the late Morris hillquit ladies and gentlemen this dedication is more than a ritual it is the Beautiful blossoming of a seed planted in the breast of mankind and nurtured by one of the nation's most humanitarian causes another feature of this convention is the announcement that three new buildings are to be erected here we see Mrs Rosa Warner Charis turning the first shovel full of Earth on the site of the building sponsored by the milk and egg League of New York in the presence of a delegation from that organization and now we see another shovel full of Earth turned by Mrs Hannah golden president of the New York Chapter marking the site upon which their new building will be erected and this is Mr Murray Weinstein officer of The Amalgamated clothing workers of America breaking ground for the building which will be erected by the New York joint Board of this organization among our many famous visitors was mayor fiorello LaGuardia who took time on his recent visit to Southern California to visit our institution accompanying him is that noted jurist humanitarian judge Ben Lindsay these gentlemen were both overwhelmed by the beauty of the place and impressed with the fine Services we are rendering here we see Mr Samuel H gter executive director of the sanatorium showing our library to May LaGuardia at this 25th anniversary Gathering old friends rededicate themselves and many new workers are added to the ranks thus this great battle against one of Mankind's most terrible enemies tuberculosis goes ceaselessly on and hope grows that help may be restored to many through the loyal and unfailing devotion of those interested in the furtherance of the Los Angeles sanatorium and ex-patient home the new unit just completed in addition to its numerous necessary facilities contains 32 rooms each accommodating two beds thus enabling the housing of 64 new patients but but before this building can be occupied it must be equipped and furnished and it's up to you and you and you to help us in our constant battle against the ever increasing waiting list which we hope to abolish and to again make an investment in the greatest project in the world human rehabilitation [Music] when the patient is well on the road to health but not yet completely recovered He is transferred to the ex-patient home in Los Angeles to make room for one of the hundreds of urgent cases waiting to occupy his bed in the sanatorium under the supervision of social workers the patient is found part-time occupation until such time as he is pronounced completely well and ready to return to his family the ex-patient home is maintained at Great expense but it is a worthy and necessary adjunct the great work being done by the sanatorium s family of Los Angeles donated the medical building at the ex-patient home it is used as a clinic for those who have left the institution and still require medical [Music] treatment near the ex-patient home is this Children's Clinic a new but vital addition to the sanatoriums fight against the White plag in this Clinic the children of tuberculosis sufferers receive periodical examinations through this clinic and its great doctors many cases of tuberculosis are prevented for if the disease is discovered in early youth it can be checked before it has a chance to spread and so the great work of the Los Angeles sanatorium goes ceaselessly on yet day after day come pleading Cries From hundreds of suffering people who can look to no other place for help these poor victims of the white plague cannot be denied the life-saving efforts of the sanatorium the undying Spirit of those who built this great humanitarian institution from two small tents in the field of Sagebrush to its present importance will continue to support it to the fullest extent of their charity the waiting list will with your help be eliminated husbands will be returned to their wives mothers will be returned to their children join us in this great work rally to the fight against tuberculosis the common enemy of mankind help save a life and earn the blessings of the suffering people who say thank God for the Los Angeles sanatorium our City of Hope [Music] [Music]