Figure 1.--This photo we believe was taken in the 1920s. It shows children hospitalized at the Leysin sanatorium in the French-speaking Swiss Canton of Vaud. The sanatorium was founded and run by Dr. Auguste Rollier (1874-1954). His name is associated with the treatement of tubercolosis by heliotherapy. He was graduated in medicine in 1898. He spent four years working under Professor Kocher in Berne. At that times his fiancee became seriously ill with tuberculosis. Dr. Rollier took up a rural general practice in Laysin (1903). He hoped that the mountain air would aid in her treatment. Madame Rollier recovered her health completely. Dr. Rollier was confirmed in his belief in the curative power of fresh air and sunshine by his observations. While some of his ideas did not gain universal acceptance, many hundreds of patients who came to Leysin, particulary children, made remarkable recoveries under his care.During the helioterapy sessions the children didn't wear any clothing. They had also many open-air activities wearing just brief underpants.

Some authors have described Switzerland as a health paradise because of all the sanatoria that were built there. Many sanatoria after the pioneering work by German doctors were opened in Switzerland. There was from the beginning strong connections with Germany and the Germam medical establishment. Switzerland bordered Germay and easily accessible by German patients. German doctors believed that clean, cold mountain air was the best treatment for tuberculosis and other lung diseases. We notice French-speaking Swiss dictors also opening sanatoria. Sanatoria were opened by both government agencies anbd private individuals. Authors describe a golden age during the first hlf of the 20th century. No country had the sane reputation for health that Switzerlad developed. Actually it did nit even begin with sanatoria movement, but the 18th century Enlightenment. Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Albrecht von Haller both championed the Alps as a healthy place of well-being. The small Swiss population was not large enough to support all these sanitoria. Germany was, however, a very populace country and many Germans sought treatment in the Swiss sanitoria. A HBC contributor tells us about growing up in a small Swiss village where his father ran a sanatorium. Swiss sanatoria developed a very strong health reputations. Not only Germans, but people from mauy other countries came to Switzerland for treatment. At any given time there were thousands of foreign patients in Swiss sanatoria. Some of the santoria were luxurious and frequented by wealkthy patients, but there were moderately priced sanatoria as well. Thecregome at the various sanatoria varied. All emphasized fresh air, sunshine, and a healthy diet. The actual diet varied, but often emphasized dresh fruit abd vegetables--often served raw.

Created: 6:00 AM 4/14/2012
Last update: 6:00 AM 4/14/2012