By Wayne Norton

A Whole Little City by Itself
Tranquille and Tuberculosis

For more than fifty years, victims of tuberculosis in British Columbia received treatment at the Tranquille Sanatorium near Kamloops. Once regarded as amongst the finest hospitals of its kind in North America, the facility closed when drug therapies made its combination of rest, sunshine and fresh air seem out of fashion. Today, as the abandoned buildings continue to fall into disrepair, their demolition seems imminent. Already, the history they represent is largely forgotten by historians, the medical community and the residents of Kamloops.

A Whole Little City by Itself reveals the struggles of the British Columbia Anti-Tuberculosis Society to establish and operate British Columbia's first sanatorium. Financial problems and a difficult relationship with the community of Kamloops made the task more challenging. Against the background of politics and changing medical theory, under both private and public ownership, the institution treated thousands of patients before its closure in 1958. The book reveals much about provincial politics, the medical history of British Columbia and the experience of Kamloops over a period of seventy years.

Especially highlighted is how the perseverance of Dr. Charles Fagan resulted in the establishment of a privately run sanatorium, while provincial politicians stood aside. Also examined are the soldier revolts and the establishment of the precursors of the Tuberculous Veterans' Association. This is the story of a medical institution and the people who brought it to life-a story containing surprising drama and many lessons for those working and volunteering in the field of health care today.

"Excellent reading for anyone interested in...the history of medicine and medical politics in British Columbia."
--British Columbia Medical Journal
(Volume 41, number 10)