Sanitariums and Stigma: When TB Was Common in the U.S.

Here is a 190-word summary of the news article: The article discusses the history of tuberculosis (TB) in the United States, when the disease was much more common. In the past, people with TB were often sent to sanitariums, specialized hospitals that isolated patients to prevent the spread of the highly contagious disease. Many readers shared their families' experiences with TB, highlighting the stigma and social isolation that came with the disease. Patients were sometimes shunned by their communities, and families often kept TB diagnoses private due to the shame and social consequences. The article notes that the development of effective treatments in the mid-20th century gradually reduced the need for sanitariums. However, the legacy of TB's social stigma persists, with some people still feeling the impact of their families' histories with the disease. The piece emphasizes how TB was once a major public health crisis in the U.S., and how patients and their loved ones grappled with the medical and social challenges posed by this illness before modern treatments became available.