p. 20 | Geneva Lake Sanitarium by P. A. DE FOREST, M. D.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Feb 6, 1908

Geneva Lake Sanitarium

By P. A. DE FOREST, M. D.

ABOUT midway between Lausanne and Geneva, Switzerland, there is a stretch of beautiful country called La Côte (The Coast), a tract that slopes gradually toward the lake. The Geneva Lake Sanitarium is found not far from the center of this district, installed on the property known as the Lignière, a farm of about one hundred acres; about one half of this is covered with a forest of oaks. The accompanying cut gives a general view from the bank of the lake, looking north. The factory is seen to the left, and next to it a large warehouse, while behind and a little to the right of this building the white walls of the air and of a sun bath are visible.

In the middle, with the forest for a background, are the buildings of the sanitarium, and still farther to the right the summer sanitarium, which will probably be used in the future for school purposes. The road shown in the center is the high road from Geneva to Lausanne. The view from the camping-grounds, looking up the lake toward Montreux, is superb. The patients appreciate the boating, bathing, and landscape, and the ever-changing lake. Our portion of the bay extends for about three hundred twenty yards, and is lined with pines and other trees. A stone wall prevents the waves from encroaching.

We are well aware that the beautiful truths of health reform are not dependent for their acceptance on splendid scenery, yet human beings are naturally attracted to the beauties of nature, and this we believe is one reason why our patronage is steadily increasing.

The property was bought in the fall of 1904, about a month before the opening of the school at Washington. The new building was erected the following winter. Our rooms were ready about August, although patients began to arrive on the first of July, 1905. The bath-rooms were completed in January, 1906, and about that time the institution was ready for work.

Although comparatively little advertising is done, our present facilities are almost inadequate to meet the needs of our patients during the press of the season. The workers are full of courage in this work, and from time to time persons become interested in the evangelical truths and accept them. It is hardly possible to estimate the amount of prejudice against this truth which is overcome by the kindly, conscientious nurse, and the simple remedies employed in our institutions.

The training-school and the health paper established from the beginning of our work have helped to give it stability, and to spread the living principles in every direction. We have graduates scattered in the following countries: Ireland, 1; England, 1; United States, 3; France, 7 (of whom 2 are evangelists); Italy, 1 (who is also an evangelist); Egypt, 2; Syria, 1; Spain, 1; German Switzerland, 2; French Switzerland, 17 (of whom 5 are working in the sanitarium). Two of our graduates are working as evangelists in Switzerland; five young men who began their career as nurses are doing successful work in the field. Three nurses now here, two of whom have completed their studies, are destined for field work as the way may open.

Our present force of workers consists of a director, a matron, one physician who visits the institution once a week, and who is responsible legally, the writer, two head nurses, three graduate, five senior, and five junior nurses. Our other workers consist of a cook and assistant cook and seven food-factory workers. The highest number of patients and boarders at any one time was about fifty-five. During the winter the number varies between ten and twenty.

This one thing we do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth to those things which are before, we press toward the mark, which is, to bring the last call to the marriage supper of the Lamb into the homes and hearts of those who will not receive the living truths of the gospel in any other way; and as a band of workers we intend to occupy the field and push ahead with the part Christ has given us to do till he comes.

P. A. DE FOREST, M. D.