The San in the Welsh mountains
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#1: The San in the Welsh mountains Author: RobinLocation: London PostPosted: Tue May 17, 2005 5:24 pm


I'm just wondering why they decided to put the San there - surely the damp climate and mists of Wales would really not have been great for TB?!?
I know it's sunny sometimes but I just can't see it being that healthy!

or was it just another EBD plot device, do we think?

 


#2:  Author: KatLocation: Swansea PostPosted: Tue May 17, 2005 5:39 pm


The Welsh mountains are different to the flats you know! I'm guessing EBD thought anything mountainous would be good - it's the best they could do seeing as they couldn't be in the Alps. Better that than nothing at all :S

Brecon Beacons etc are very much different from being by the coast where we do tend to get bad seamists at certain times of the year. The air is much better up there too, away from what at the time would have been the pollution coming from the coal and copper mines which the Valleys are famous for, and which certainly wouldn't have been good for any TB sufferers!

 


#3:  Author: JoeyLocation: Cambridge PostPosted: Tue May 17, 2005 6:12 pm


Never seemed remotely odd to me. There used to be a san near Brechfa on Llanllwni Mountain, about 12 miles away from my home (before my time, though).

I grew up half way up a Welsh mountain, and though it rained a bit, I only remember mist / fog once in my first eighteen years, and that was on the way back from the seaside! The air is really clear and healthy. I don't think it is particularly damp, except when it is actually raining.

I think Cambridge is a much less healthy place to live - unnaturally flat, and horrible cold winds from Siberia. But I admit I'm probably prejudiced.

I agree that a san in the Valleys would be a bad idea, but there were quite a few sans in the Welsh mountains. It wasn't just EBD's idea.

 


#4:  Author: KatLocation: Swansea PostPosted: Tue May 17, 2005 6:14 pm


Yup; I think there still is a privately one run somewhere, but I can't find it Sad

Will keep looking!

 


#5:  Author: AlexLocation: Hunts, UK PostPosted: Tue May 17, 2005 8:06 pm


Papworth village was founded as a TB place, that's in Cambridgeshire:

Joey wrote:
unnaturally flat, and horrible cold winds from Siberia

 


#6:  Author: KatLocation: Swansea PostPosted: Wed May 18, 2005 4:18 pm


Laughing

Do you know if it's still running? As a general medical type place rather than specifically for TB.

*Off to research because I'm nosey and curious!*

ETA: Came up with this - http://www.papworth.org.uk/about_history.shtml

Still can't find the Welsh one though Sad


The general idea seems to be that any sort of fresh air would do the patients some good, whether it was mountainous of flat land area.

 


#7:  Author: patmacLocation: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Wed May 18, 2005 6:07 pm


There were sanatoria all over the country, largely the decision to site them depended on population demand for them.

Good article on the various Sans connected with the CS here http://www.rockterrace.demon.co.uk/FOCS/tb.html

 


#8:  Author: RachelLocation: Plotting in my lair PostPosted: Wed May 18, 2005 6:23 pm


There's a report HERE from 1904/05 detailing all the sanatorium in the UK. Interesting to see how many patients each one could cope with and some of the titles!

I think "Benenden Sanatorium Kent of the National Association for the Establishment and Maintenance of Sanatoria for Workers Suffering from Tuberculosis" has to be one of the longest names for an establishment!

 


#9:  Author: AlexLocation: Hunts, UK PostPosted: Wed May 18, 2005 6:49 pm


Kat wrote:
Do you know if it's still running? As a general medical type place rather than specifically for TB.


As well as the Papworth Trust which your link goes to, Kat, there is also Papworth Hospital which is a specialist heart hospital:

http://www.papworthpeople.com

 


#10:  Author: KatLocation: Swansea PostPosted: Wed May 18, 2005 10:02 pm


I noticed! I read the whole site I think Embarassed And various links from it!!

I like the name Rachel Laughing Wonder how they expected people with TB, and therefore extreme shortness of breath, to say all that?!

 


#11:  Author: RobinLocation: London PostPosted: Thu May 19, 2005 10:16 am


Fair 'nuff!

Didn't mean to cast aspersions on the welsh climate - had a bad experience in the brecons involving a lot of rain (wet through to my underwear in 2 hours on Gold DofE expedition) - think that has clouded my judgement Smile

 


#12:  Author: RosieLocation: Huntingdonshire/Bangor PostPosted: Thu May 19, 2005 11:52 am


*giggles*
You mean occasionally Welsh weather ISN'T like that?? Has anyone informed Bangor of this?
Ok, it was sunny last week. But it was decided that that was it for the year apparently!

 


#13:  Author: PollyLocation: Essex PostPosted: Thu May 19, 2005 8:20 pm


I also got soaked in the Brecons - up Pen Y Fan (sp?) actually. It rained, hailed, was misty and my then BF fell in a stream!! We were so soaked through (and the YH was shut during the day!) that we had to go to Millets in Brecon and by some clothes to change into!! Laughing

BTW, read the TB article - very interesting!

 


#14:  Author: KirstieLocation: Ayrshire PostPosted: Sun May 22, 2005 3:46 am


There was a sanatorium outside the village I live in in Ayrshire. It was situated in the hills but Ayrshire is wet-and I have lived in Wales. The air can be bracing but it does love to rain here although lovely in the sun.
I love the name The London Open Air Sanatorium in Pinewood, from Rachal's report thing, must have been very chilly not to mention all those actors running about.

 


#15:  Author: JennieLocation: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Sun May 22, 2005 12:42 pm


There used to be a San just outside Mansfield in Nottinghamshire. I'm sure that being situated in the middle of a massive coalfield was good for the patients.

 


#16:  Author: AnnLocation: Newcastle upon Tyne, England PostPosted: Sun May 22, 2005 7:57 pm


Wandering slightly OT here, but I once read somewhere that at one time Leicester was considered the least healthy place in the country because it's so far inland and doesn't have much altitude that it rarely gets any 'fresh air'.

 


#17:  Author: LadyGuinevereLocation: Leicester PostPosted: Sun May 22, 2005 10:39 pm


Ann wrote:
Wandering slightly OT here, but I once read somewhere that at one time Leicester was considered the least healthy place in the country because it's so far inland and doesn't have much altitude that it rarely gets any 'fresh air'.


Wouldn't surprise me! Smile

Though it gets ever so windy here.

 


#18:  Author: PollyLocation: Essex PostPosted: Mon May 23, 2005 7:48 am


I think (?) that part of Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford used to be a TB hospital. I remember my BF mentioning it when we went to visit his granny there a while ago. I have no idea what it might have been called, nd the old buildings have lots more built onto them now. Broomfield is now a major centre for specialist burns treatment as well as the only A&E for miles. (I have had the luck (?) to end up there a couple of times Wink )

 




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