National Jewish Hospital and Research Center/National Asthma Center (U.S.)
Dates
- Usage: 1978 - 1985
Biography
In the late nineteenth century, Denver, Colorado, faced a severe social problem when hundreds of people severely ill with tuberculosis converged on the city, attracted by the reputation Denver had already acquired as the "world's sanatorium." Because of the onslaught of consumptives, beds for patients in city and state general hospitals were so scarce that the poor were frequently left to their own devices, often dying in the streets. One of the first people to conceive of a free hospital for the indigent tuberculosis victims in Denver was Frances Wisebart Jacobs. She launched a relentless campaign to arouse public awareness on behalf of the indigent consumptives, seeking the support of businesspeople and political leaders to raise funds for a new hospital. Jacobs found an ally in a young rabbi, William Sterne Friedman. Rabbi Friedman enlisted the financial support of some of the trustees of his congregation, Temple Emanuel, insisting that concern for the sick and indigent had always been a vital tenet of Jewish tradition. The original hospital, the Frances Jacobs Hospital, was not completed because of the silver panic of 1893. The hospital received financial assistance from the International Order of B'nai B'rith. This vital support came mainly through the efforts of Louis Anfenger, a local Jewish citizen who was also a founder of both Temple Emanuel and the Denver chapter of B'nai B'rith. National Jewish Hospital for Consumptives (NJH) opened its doors to Jews and gentiles alike in 1899 as the first sanatorium in Denver for tuberculosis victims. Samuel Grabfelder of Louisville, Kentucky served as president from 1899-1920; Seraphine Pisko was executive secretary (Director) from 1911-1938. Some of the physicians associated with the hospital included Dr. Saling Simon, Dr. Robert Levy, and Dr. John Elsner. The NJH adopted a program that emphasized the benefits of fresh air, proper nutrition, and rest.
As a result of national support, NJH introduced a revolutionary concept to tuberculosis treatment by offering free services to indigent consumptives. The motto was, "None can pay who enter, and None who enter can pay." Only patients with incipient tuberculosis, where treatment could be most effective, were to be admitted to NJH, and the length of stay was limited to six months. These conditions reflect the medical opinion of the time and the scarcity of hospital beds for consumptives. It was commonly thought that attempting to treat advanced cases only wasted time and money that could be more profitably directed toward patients who had a good chance of recovery. National Jewish Hospital for Consumptives changed its name several times, subsequently being known as National Jewish Hospital (1925-1964) and later becoming National Jewish Hospital and Research Center (1965-1977), National Jewish Hospital and Research Center/National Asthma Center (after merging with National Asthma Center in 1978), and National Jewish Center for Immunology and Respiratory Medicine (1986-1996). In 1997, the organization changed its name to the National Jewish Medical and Research Center and focused on lung, allergic and immune diseases. It was renamed National Jewish Health in July 2008. The facility continues to treat patients from throughout the country, using cutting-edge medicine and research.
The National Asthma Center (NAC) also existed under a series of names. It was founded in 1907 by Fannie Lorber as the Denver Sheltering Home for Jewish Children; from 1928-1952, it was called the National Home for Jewish Children in Denver; from 1953-1956, it was the Jewish National Home for Asthmatic Children in Denver; from 1957-1972, it was the Children's Asthma Research Institute and Hospital (CARIH); and from 1973-1977, it was the National Asthma Center. In 1978, it merged with the National Jewish Hospital to become the National Jewish Hospital and Research Center/National Asthma Center (1978-1985.) It evolved from sheltering home for tuberculosis "orphans" to become a residential treatment facility for children with intractable asthma and a research hospital.
Found in 64 Collections and/or Records:
Children in the Dining Room at the National Home for Jewish Children in Denver, between 1930-1940
Children eat in the dining room at the National Home for Jewish Children in Denver, which later became part of the National Jewish Hospital. Standing in the rear of the room are Superintendent William Cohen and William R. Blumenthal, and Executive Director of the National Home for Jewish Children.
Children in the Nursery at the National Home for Jewish Children in Denver, between 1930-1960
A group of children in the Nursery at the National Home for Jewish Children at Denver, which later became part of the National Jewish Hospital.
Children in the Nursery at the National Home for Jewish Children in Denver, between 1930-1960
A group of children in the Nursery at the National Home for Jewish Children at Denver, which later became part of the National Jewish Hospital.
Dr. Otto Einstein, 1933-1991
Contains article by Tanja Britton about Dr. Otto Einstein who escaped from Nazi Germany in 1939. He and his wife joined their eldest son Dr. Robert Einstein in Denver and then moved to Colorado Springs. He was a pediatrician in Germany, but became a tuberculosis specialist, first at National Jewish Hospital and then at Cragmor Sanitorium. At Cragmor, he treated Navajo women from Arizona who had contracted tuberculosis. Dr. Otto Einstein was a third cousin of Albert Einstein.
Exterior of the first National Jewish Hospital building (The Frances Jacobs Hospital), circa 1895
Exterior shot features a sign over the top front porch, which reads, "The Frances Jacobs Hospital". The name was changed to National Jewish Hospital in 1899. Two men (unidentified) stand in front of the building.
Female juvenile patients playing on the lawn at National Jewish Hospital for Consumptives, circa 1907
Four girls in dresses sit on the lawn at National Jewish Hospital for Consumptives in Denver, Colorado. Three girls are playing with toys, while one is sewing. The National Jewish Hospital (NJH) worked to prevent tuberculosis by accepting children who seemed susceptible to the disease, while offering good nutrition and plenty of fresh air to keep them healthy. The hospital was founded in 1899.
General Correspondence: Memorial Tablets, 1981
General correspondence related to memorial tablets
Gershtenson and Mock Correspondence, 1980
Correspondence related to Jack Gershtenson, Executive Vice President of NJH, and Roberta Mock, Director - West Campus (NAC)
Gershtenson Correspondence, 1978
correspondence related to Jack Gershtenson, Administrator of NAC
Gershtenson Correspondence, 1979
correspondence related to Jack Gershtenson, Administrator of NAC