Chicago State Tuberculosis Sanitarium

Chicago State Tuberculosis Sanitarium
Established	1947
Opened	1953
Closed	1971
Current Status	Closed
Building Style	Single Building
Location	Chicago, IL
Alternate Names

History

The Illinois state legislature approved "An Act to Establish State Tuberculosis Sanitariums" on July 8, 1947 and placed the TB hospitals under the jurisdiction of the State of Illinois Department of Public Health.

The Chicago State Tuberculosis Sanitarium (CSTS) opened for service in 1953, at 1919 W. Taylor St., Chicago, in the heart of the University of Illinois hospital and medical school complex. Dr. Karl H. Pfuetze, M.D., led the sanitarium as Medical Director and Superintendent until 1962, when he left to become General Administrator at Suburban Cook County TB Sanitarium in Hinsdale. Dr. Marjorie Pyle was Chief of Medical Services at CSTS and co-authored a number of articles about tuberculosis with Dr. Pfuetze. Dr. Herbert Neuhaus, formerly Chief of the Cardio Respiratory Laboratory at CSTS, assumed the title of Medical Director from 1963 or 1964 until 1982.

In September 1971, CSTS closed its tuberculosis center and converted to an accredited general hospital in December 1971, still under the direction of the State of Illinois Department of Public Health. Roalda J. Alderman was Executive Director, presiding over a facility which provided geriatric care and referral to about a thousand elderly patients each year. In 1972, the hospital opened a forty bed alcoholism treatment center, and developed out-patient clinics for birth control, sickle cell, and drug abuse.

On July 1, 1975, ownership of the Illinois Department of Public Health Hospitals and Clinics transferred to the University of Illinois. The University continued the geriatric and alcoholism services, and announced plans to expand operations to provide a primary health care center for residents of Chicago's West Side.

In 1982, the University of Illinois closed the facility and suspended operation of the unit.