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One of the remaining turrets of the Grunwald Sanatorium (now Sokolowsko, Poland).

A sanatorium (also spelled sanitorium and sanitarium) has different meanings depending on the region of residence. Historically for Americans and most of European countries it is a medical facility for long-term illness, most typically associated with treatment of tuberculosis (TB) before antibiotics. A distinction is sometimes made between "sanitarium" (a kind of health resort, as in the Battle Creek Sanitarium) and "sanatorium" (a hospital).^[1][2] On the other hand, for most Eastern Europeans including Russians, Ukrainians, Czechs, and other national cultures sanatorium mostly means kind of a hotel with health resort facilities and various available services (such as massage, pool, sauna, aroma, oxygenotherapy, etc.) not covered by medical insurance. It is mostly without any double connotation is a SPA resort where relatively healthy business people can rest and recuperate well-being during a regular job vacation. For example, Sanatorium Astória ^[1] and others located in Karlovy Vary Czech Republic, or Geneva Sanatorium Hotel in Ukraine may serve the purpose. ^[1] Usually in this case a doctor's prescription is not required. However, a general practitioner is available and recommended for guests to check their health status in the beginning and at the end of their staying in a hotel.

History[link]

The rationale for sanatoria was that before antibiotic treatments existed, a regimen of rest and good nutrition offered the best chance that the sufferer's immune system would "wall off" pockets of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) infection. In 1863, Hermann Brehmer opened the Brehmerschen Heilanstalt für Lungenkranke in Görbersdorf (Sokołowsko), Silesia (now Poland), for the treatment of tuberculosis. Patients were exposed to plentiful amounts of high altitude, fresh air, and good nutrition.^[3] Tuberculosis sanatoria became common throughout Europe from the late 19th century onwards. The Adirondack Cottage Sanitarium, established in Saranac Lake, New York, in 1885, was the first such establishment in North America. According to the Saskatchewan Lung Association, when the National Anti-Tuberculosis Association (Canada) was founded in 1904, its members, including renowned pioneer in the fight against tuberculosis Dr. R.G. Ferguson, believed that a distinction should be made between the health resorts with which people were familiar and the new tuberculosis treatment hospitals: "So they decided to use a new word which instead of being derived from the Latin noun sanitas, meaning health, would emphasize the need for scientific healing or treatment. Accordingly, they took the Latin verb root sano, meaning to heal, and adopted the new word sanatorium."^[1][actually, according to Merriam-Webster, sanatorium is the older word, from 1839]

Switzerland used to have many sanatoria, as health professionals believed that clean, cold mountain air was the best treatment for lung diseases. In Finland, a series of tuberculosis sanatoria were built throughout the country in isolated forest areas. The most famous was the Paimio Sanatorium, built in 1930 and designed by world-renowned architect Alvar Aalto. It had rooftop terraces where the patients would lie all day on specially designed chairs, the Paimio Chair. In Portugal, the Heliantia Sanatorium in Valadares, was used for the treatment of bone tuberculosis between the 1930s and 1960s.

In the early 20th century, tuberculosis sanatoria became common in the United States. In the early 1900s Arizona's sunshine and dry desert air drew many people (called "lungers") suffering from tuberculosis, rheumatism, asthma and various other diseases. Wealthier people chose to recuperate in exclusive TB resorts, while others used their savings to make the journey to Arizona and arrived penniless. TB camps in the desert were formed by pitching tents and building cabins. During the tuberculosis epidemic, cities in Arizona advertised the state as an ideal place for treatment of TB. There were many sanatoriums in the state of Arizona modeled after European away-from-city resorts of the time, boasting courtyards and individual rooms. Each sanatorium was equipped to take care of about 120 people. The greatest area for sanatoriums was in Tucson, with over 12 hotel-style facilities in the city. By 1920, Tucson had 7,000 people who had come for treatment of tuberculosis. So many people came to the West that there was not enough housing for them all. In 1910, tent cities began to pop up in different areas; one of which was described as a place of squalor and shunned by most citizens. Many of the infected slept in the open desert.

The first tuberculosis sanatorium for blacks in the segregated South was the Piedmont Sanatorium in Burkeville, Virginia. Waverly Hills Sanatorium, a Louisville, Kentucky, tuberculosis sanatorium, was founded in 1911. It has become a mecca for curiosity seekers who believe it is haunted.^[4] Because of its dry climate, Colorado Springs was home to several sanatoria. A. G. Holley Hospital in Lantana, Florida is the last remaining freestanding tuberculosis sanatorium in the United States.^[5]

In 1907, Stannington Sanatorium was open in the North East of England to treat tuberculosis in children. The sanatorium was opened using funds raised by a local charity, the Poor Children's Holiday Association, now the region's oldest children's charity, Children North East.

After 1943, when Albert Schatz, then a graduate student at Rutgers University, discovered streptomycin, an antibiotic and the first cure for tuberculosis, sanatoria began to close. As in the case of the Paimio Sanatorium, many were transformed into general hospitals. By the 1950s, tuberculosis was no longer a major public health threat; it was controlled by antibiotics rather than extended rest. Most sanatoria were demolished years before.

Some, however, have been adapted for new medical roles. The Tambaram Sanatorium in south India is now a hospital for AIDS patients.^[6] The state hospital in Sanatorium, Mississippi, is now a regional center for programs for treatment and occupational therapy associated with mental retardation. In Japan in 2001, the ministry of welfare suggested changing the names of a leprosarium to a sanatorium.

The term "sanatorium" was often used throughout the 20th century in the US as a socially-acceptable term for psychiatric hospitals.

Resort[link]

Palace of Princess Anastasia Gagarina — now the administrative centre of the sanatorium "Utyos", located in the seaside town of Utyos, in Crimea, Ukraine.

In Russia, Ukraine, and other former Soviet Union republics, the term "sanatorium" is generally used for a combination resort/recreational facility and a medical facility to provide short-term complex rest and medical services. It is similar to spa resorts with medical services.

In How the Universe got its Spots, (pp. 63-70), physicist Janna Levin describes a scientific meeting in a sanatorium near Moscow at the end of 1999. She discusses mathematics and general relativity but mentions no medical care.

See also[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Tuberculosis hospitals

• Adirondack Cottage Sanitarium
• Losheng Sanatorium
• Waverly Hills Sanatorium

Notes[link]

References[link]

• The Sanatorium Age: "Sanatorium" vs. "Sanitarium", The Saskatchewan Lung Association.
• Waverly Hills Sanatorium still source of local curiosity, Douglas Kleier, Jr., Louisville Cardinal Online, Oct. 21, 2003.

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (March 2012)

Plastic Tree is a Japanese visual kei rock band which was formed in December 1993 in Chiba Prefecture, Japan.^[1] They released their first mini-album in December 1995, and in 1997, they released their first single on a major label.^[2]

Biography[link]

Plastic Tree, also known as PuraTouri (プラトゥリ^?) or Pura (プラ^?) to fans, was formed in December 1993. Early in their career, they frequently performed live and handed out free copies of their demo tapes.^{[citation needed]}

In 1995, they released their first mini-album Kimyou na Kajitsu: Strange Fruits after changing drummers twice.^[3] Two years later, they released their first single, "Wareta Mado", with Warner Music Japan, their first release on a major label.^[4]

Plastic Tree made their first overseas tour in 2006, named the Chandelier Tour, and performed concerts in France, Germany and Finland.^[5]

On February 23, 2009, Hiroshi Sasabuchi announced his resignation as the band's drummer after having been with the band for seven years. On July 3, 2009, Kenken Sato was announced as the band's new drummer. Since forming, the band has had four drummers.

Sound and style[link]

Early in their career, their music had heavy visual kei influences. As time went on, their sound seemed to change and evolve with every album. Due to this, the band does not think that they should be placed into any specific genre.^[6] Plastic Tree claim that their sound has been considerably influenced by British bands such as Radiohead and The Cure.^[6]

The most easily recognizable signature of Plastic Tree's music is the melodic, child-like voice of Ryūtarō Arimura. Their sound is also aided by Arimura's abstract lyrics. All four band members collaborate to write songs and lyrics, with Arimura writing most of the lyrics.^{[citation needed]}

Plastic Tree's current^[when?] sound revolves around alternative rock.^{[citation needed]}

Band members[link]

Arimura at an autograph session at Japan Expo 2007

Current members[link]

Former members[link]

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

• Kimyou na Kajitsu: Strange Fruits (11 December 1995)
• Hide and Seek (10 October 1997)
• Puppet Show (26 August 1998)
• Parade (23 August 2000)
• Cut: Early Songs Best Selection (27 March 2001)
• Plastic Tree Single Collection (14 November 2001)
• トロイメライ (TRÄUMEREI [toroimerai]) (21 September 2002)
• Best Album (Premium Best) (7 November 2002)
• シロクロニクル　(Shiro Chronicle) (22 October 2003)
• Cell (25 August 2004)
• 白盤 [Shiro Ban] (greatest hits) (26 October 2005)
• 黒盤 [Kuro Ban] (greatest hits) (26 October 2005)
• Chandelier (28 June 2006)
• 「ネガとポジ」(Nega to Poji) (27 June 2007)
• Plastic Tree (EP) (What is "Plastic Tree"?) (13 July 2007)
• B面画報 (B-Men Gahō) (5 September 2007)
• ウツセミ (Utsusemi) (24 September 2008)
• ゲシュタルト崩壊 (Gestalt Houkai) (26 August 2009)
• ドナドナ　(Dona Dona) (23 December 2009)
• Ammonite (6 April 2011)

Singles[link]

• リラの樹　"Rira no ki" (25 September 1996)
• 割れた窓　"Wareta Mado" (25 June 1997)
• 本当の嘘　"Hontō no Uso" (15 February 1998)
• 絶望の丘　"Zetsubō no Oka" (25 June 1998)
• トレモロ　"Tremolo" (10 March 1999)
• "Sink" (25 August 1999)
• ツメタイヒカリ "Tsumetai Hikari" (10 December 1999)
• スライド　"Slide" (19 April 2000)
• ロケット　"Rocket" (12 July 2000)
• プラネタリウム　"Planetarium" (7 January 2001)
• 散りユク僕ラ　"Chiriyuku Bokura" (14 September 2001)
• 蒼い鳥　"Aoi Tori" (26 June 2002)
• バカになったのに　"Baka Ni Natta Noni" (21 May 2003)
• もしもピアノが弾げたなら　"Moshimo Piano ga Hiketanara" (25 March 2003)
• 水色ガールフレンド　"Mizuiro Girlfriend" (1 October 2003)
• 雪蛍 "Yuki Hotaru" (12 January 2004)
• 春咲 センチメンタル "Harusaki Sentimental" (10 March 2004)
• メランコリック　"Melancholic" (28 July 2004)
• 讚美歌 "Sanbika" (11 May 2005)
• 名前のない花 "Namae no Nai Hana" (12 October 2005)
• "Ghost" (16 November 2005)
• 空中ブランコ "Kūchū Buranko" (14 December 2005)
• ナミダ ドロップ "Namida Drop" (10 May 2006)
• スピカ "Spica" (23 January 2007)
• 真っ赤な糸 "Makka Na Ito" (16 May 2007)
• アローンアゲイン、ワンダフルワールド "Alone Again, Wonderful World" (9 April 2008)
• リプレイ/DOLLY "Replay/dolly" (13 August 2008)
• 梟 "Fukurō" (10 June 2009)
• サナトリウム "Sanatorium" (28 October 2009)
• ムーンライト ――――。 "Moonlight-----" (28 July 2010)
• みらいいろ "Mirai Iro" (15 December 2010)
• 静脈 "Joumyaku" (29 February 2012)
• くちづけ "Kuchizuke" (20 June 2012)

DVDs[link]

• 二次元ヲゴール③ Nijigen Orgel 3 (22 December 2004)
• 黒テント② Kuro Tent 2 (18 December 2002)
• 黒テント (21 March 2002)
• 二次元ヲゴール② Nijigen Orgel 2 (22 November 2000)
• 二次元ヲゴール Nijigen Orgel (28 July 2005)
• 花燃えて、亡霊の涙、天幕に堕ちる。- Live & Clips 2005 (9 March 2006)
• Zero 10th Anniversary Live at Budokan (8 September 2007)
• Merry Go Around The World (24 December 2008)
• Tent (Tento) Live performance at Budokan (30 August 2009)

In popular culture[link]

• "Sink" was used as the eighth ending song for the anime Kindaichi Case Files.
• "Namida Drop" was used as the first ending song for the anime Garasu no Kantai.
• "Mirai Iro" was used as the fifth ending song for the anime Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's.

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Plastic Tree

• Official website
• Official blog