Heliotherapy, or sunlight treatment, was one of the key therapeutic measures used by sanatoria to tackle tuberculosis and in this respect Stannington was no different. Most sanatoria were built in the countryside where patients could benefit from fresh air whilst receiving plenty of rest and a good diet. In addition to this sunlight, whether real or artificial, was an essential component in aiding recovery based on the principle that it would strengthen the patient and better enable them to fight off the disease. Many of the photographs of children in the sanatorium from the collection show them to be outside on most occasions whether they be in school, in bed, or taking part in leisure activities.
HOSP/STAN/11/1/34
Stannington had been using arc lamps since 1920 in the treatment of skin lesions and ulcers with the aim of speeding up the healing process of such lesions by exposing them directly to the light. In 1926, however, a large artificial light department was introduced and equipped with ultraviolet apparatus to allow patients suffering from various forms of TB to be treated and to continue to receive light treatment even in adverse weather conditions. Patients may have been required to spend time in the artificial light room for several minutes each day for as long as it was seen to be beneficial. For many patients with mild cases of tuberculosis, or where there were no surgical options, this may have been their main and only active course treatment.
HOSP/STAN/11/1/31 Children at rest in the vita glass pavilion
One very notable part of the sanatorium buildings was the vita-glass sun pavilion, built in 1927 thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor, and opened by the Duchess of Northumberland. It had the capacity to house 50 patients and was used primarily in the treatment of those with pulmonary TB. Vita glass is designed to allow ultraviolet rays to penetrate easily and the pavilion meant that the children could enjoy natural sunlight whilst being protected from the elements.
Sources:
T. C. Hunter, ‘Associations and Institutions: Stannington Sanatorium, Northumberland’, The British Journal of Tuberculosis, 1930, 24, 28-32.
R. A. Hobday, ‘Sunlight Therapy and Solar Architecture’, Medical History, 1997, 42, 455-472.
Yesterday the Stannington Sanatorium Project Team visited Durham University to attend this year’s UK Archaeological Sciences (UKAS) Conference. The conference is being hosted by the University’s Department of Archaeology and runs from 8th-11th April. We were fortunate enough to be able to present a poster presentation to demonstrate the potential of the Stannington Collection as an academic resource for those in the field of archaeology, see below.
(Click to enlarge)
During the course of the day we spoke to several people interested in the collection and the poster will continue to be displayed for the duration of the conference for delegates to view. We also had the opportunity to view other posters and hear various presentations on some of the interesting research currently being carried out by those in the field of archaeology. The topics covered were varied and included investigations into Iranian pottery production, the origins of agriculture, entheseal changes, and the migration of red deer to the Outer Hebrides and the Orkneys in the Neolithic period. All in all it was a very interesting day and a great opportunity for us to promote the collection further.
Captain A. Findlay, of the steamer Helen, of Glasgow, reported to the ship’s owners, Messrs G. T. Gillie and Co., of Newcastle, an exciting experience off Blyth.
“About 7.10a.m. on Monday,” he said, “a large steamer passed us, flying his code number and a Dutch ensign aft. I was on watch myself, and thought it curious, as we could see nothing to make him fly his number.
“About 7.20 a.m. we sighted a submarine coming straight for us. We were then about seven miles off Berwick, and I at once headed the ship straight for the land and told the engineers to get the utmost speed they could out of the steamer. We worked up to top speed, and the submarine followed, trying hard to get on our quarter. I kept porting out helm to keep him right astern. He gradually got nearer, but as we were drawing close to Berwick he gave up the chase at 7.50a.m. and stopped. We got a fine sight of the submarine as she was only half a mile from us then. He was flying no flag, and I could not see his number.
PIRATE’S RIFLE SHOTS OFF LONGSTONE
Firing Without Warning at Trawler’s Crew
The German U-Boat U-10 was reported as being the submarine which attacked the Acantha 5th April. Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, [LC-B2- 3292-11]The Grimsby trawler Acantha, owned by Messrs Horris and Chapman, was torpedoed and sunk off Longstone, Farne Islands, on Monday afternoon. The crew of thirteen hands took to the small boats and were picked up by the Swedish steamer Tord and landed at Blyth.
The Acantha was on a return journey from the White Sea with a cargo of fish valued at £2,000. On Monday afternoon about one o’clock the crew were astonished to hear the report of guns and of shots striking the trawler. A submarine was then sighted heading for the Acantha at high speed and firing from rifles and a small gun on her deck as she came on. A zigzag course was steered by the trawler with the intention of avoiding any torpedoes which might be discharged, but against the greater speed of the submarine the trawler could not escape.
The Germans were content to rely on their small gun, and shots from this holed the Acantha so badly that she began to fill. Captain Pederson, of the Acantha, ordered the crew to the boats, and while the life-boat on the weather side was being launched the pirates peppered the trawler with rifle shots, but as J. Oatley, the chief mate, observed, the shooting was bad and no one was hit. After the small boats had cast off those on the submarine continued firing at them with their rifles, and several shots struck the boats, making holes in the gunwales. None of the crew was struck.
The Acantha apparently did not sink speedily enough for the Germans, for when the crew’s boats were
four or five hundred yards off a torpedo was fired at the trawler, which sank with a large explosion. Captain Pederson said the submarine did not give any warning, but opened fire at once. He saw it quite distinctly. It was painted white, but there were no numbers or letters on the sides.
The submarine stayed in the vicinity for some time after sinking the Acantha, and then went south. After being in their boats an hour and a half the crew were picked up by the Tord.
BAMBURGH
Bamburgh Work Party.-During the first three months of the year the ladies of the above party have been busy making garments, etc., for our troops at home and abroad. The articles made are as follows:-Shirts, 44; socks, 90 pairs; mufflers, 24; mittens, 36; beside bed socks, helmets, slippers, etc…
…The work has been forwarded to the Northern General Hospital, to Major Beal, for the 11th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers; and the Miss Grey, at a hospital in France.
Bamburgh Red Cross Society.- The members of the above have since the arrival of the Northern Cyclist Battalion in Bamburgh undertaken the cooking for the hospital of that section of troops. They have, in addition to the army rations, been able to supply the invalids with many extras, which have been kindly contributed by the following:- Misses Morpeth, Mrs Macaskie, Mrs Williams, Mrs Shields, Mrs Littlefair, Mrs Thompson (Shoreston Hall), Miss Broadbent, Mrs Laing, Mrs Smeedle, Miss Hutchinson, Mrs Keys, Mrs Marshall, Mrs Little, Miss J. Weatherston, Miss Ross, Miss Hall, Mrs McDougal, Miss M. Ross, Miss M. Wallace, Mrs Hart, Mrs Freeman (Bells Hill), Mrs Dryden and Miss J. Clarke.
Advert for Redpath and Son, High Street, Berwick, from the Berwick Advertiser 9th April 1915
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