In the 1840s, Dr. John Croghan set up a tuberculosis clinic
inside Mammoth Cave, Kentucky. Noting
that the cave environment was highly effective at preserving artifacts as well
as dead bodies, he hoped it would be equally effective at preserving the lives
of those suffering from a then-cureless disease. Specifically, he believed the air to be purer
than most—something that would be highly beneficial to those whose lungs were
not in good health. However, the
dampness of the air combined with the buildup of smoke from torches and cooking
fires actually worsened his patients’ condition, and none of them were
cured. Croghan was forced to end the
experiment, and he himself died of tuberculosis six years later.
But he
sure tried, didn’t he? The end result
was failure, but he sure as hell tried.
