The Health Institute by James White

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 2, 1872

The Health Institute.

By James White

HAVING spent a few weeks at the Health Reform Institute at Battle Creek, Mich., as a patient, we are better qualified to speak relative to its superior advantages.

1. It is located in the most pleasant, healthful, and delightful part of our proverbially neat and enterprising city. The grounds are high, so that a few hours' sun, in the absence of snow, always makes the walks and roads, in and about the grounds, as dry as in mid summer. This is very important to all those invalids who have strength to move out in the open air, in the light of the sun. Already the roads and walks are dry and dusty (March 29), although they rest upon two feet of solid frost in the ground, and are in sight of snow banks. The grounds are ample, and a large portion of them are covered with shade and ornamental trees.

2. The Board of Directors have, during the past two years, added, by purchase, building, repairs, refitting, &c., more than one half to the facilities of rooming and treating patients, so that they have good accommodations for not less than one hundred patients in their own buildings, with means at their command of providing for half as many more.

3. Rooms are large, well ventilated, and pleasant. We believe them to be better furnished than at any other large institution of the like in our country.

4. The rooms and facilities for baths have been increased, and from personal knowledge of the baths given at this institution and those of several others, we do not hesitate to state our firm convictions that at no other institution of the kind in our country has the bathing system reached that perfection as at the Health Reform Institute at Battle Creek. Baths at this institute, are given with a faithfulness, thoroughness, and care for the best good of the patient such as we have not witnessed at any other place.

5. Movement Cure. At this Institute is a well-furnished room for giving the various movements, which have proved so beneficial in restoring a certain class of invalids to health. Especial attention is given to this very important branch.

6. Lift Cure. There is also in use at this Institute a lifting machine from which patients can receive all that benefit that can be derived from any other. This is an important accession to the facilities of this Institution.

7. Hot Air Bath. This is very important in cases of rheumatism and diseases of a like nature.

8. It is not the policy of the conductors of the Health Reform Institute to keep the patients long on expense; but rather to cure them as soon as possible and send them home well to advertise for them, and send their feeble friends to the Institute to receive the benefits in which they rejoice.

9. Last, but not least, are the plain practical lectures given almost daily by the physicians of the Institute, the great object of which is to teach patients how to get well, and how to keep well after they have recovered.

One great object of the managers of this Institute is to secure a high-toned and healthy, moral, and religious influence, entirely free from the loose tendencies which characterize some popular institutions of the kind in our country. The physicians, directors and helpers at this Institution, aim to be true Christian gentlemen and ladies; and while they would manifest to patients, laborers, and visitors of other religious belief that liberality in denominational tenets which they would ask themselves, at the same time they feel it their duty to urge upon all who profess to be the followers of our Lord Jesus Christ, that they manifest the spirit of true Christianity.

The Spring season is opening beautifully, and is just the time for sick people to employ those means necessary to the recovery of health.

JAMES WHITE.

Battle Creek, April 1, 1872.