As frightening as our recent experience of a world-wide viral pandemic, the experience of all respiratory disease outbreaks in the years before antibiotics was equally terrifying.

(Many genealogists note the devastation in families who experienced multiple deaths during the great influenza pandemic of 1918-1920.)

Throughout the early twentieth century, the scourge of tuberculosis (or “consumption”) was a constant threat to all age groups.

https://www.lung.org/blog/how-we-conquered-consumption

In 1914, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania opened three “sanitariums” for the isolation and treatment of tuberculosis.

Each of these campuses has a cemetery on the grounds; recovery was uncertain and unpredictable.

One of the Pennsylvania sanitariums was built in Hamburg, Pa, in Berks County.

https://www.pennlive.com/news/2015/11/white_death_memories_from_pa_n.html

This hand-colored postcard photograph was mailed from the sanitarium in Hamburg on August 26, 1918.

Addressed to Jacob Weidman of Manheim, PA, the postcard bears a plaintive message, “This is the place where I am staying…”.

The message is signed, “Harry B. Shaeffer”.

(I cannot find Harry B. Shaeffer, although the surname can be found in the Manheim area.  Because the Pennsylvania sanitariums served discrete geographical regions, I believe that the writer was a native of Lancaster County.)

One hopes that Harry recovered from tuberculosis, even as we hope for complete recovery from our current pandemic.