A nurse at Morgan Heights Sanatorium is pictured in 1914 with tuberculosis patients on one of the verandas designed to provide them with fresh air. At the time, rest, good nutrition and fresh air were the extent of the treatment available to TB patients. Morgan Heights was one of several locations in Marquette County where seriously ill patients were treated. (Photo courtesy of the Marquette County History Museum)

It spread fast because it was an airborne disease. Symptoms were coughing, sneezing, fever, sore throat and a rash.

Smallpox was spread by close contact with an infected person. Those most affected were pregnant women and those who were immunocompromised. In early July 1871, a smallpox epidemic broke out in Negaunee, in the Iron Cliffs Location at Foster Mine.

Dr. MacKenzie courageously did all he could to control it. He would move the stricken patients into the isolation of the woods, day or night. (No note of what kind of shelter they had). Fear spread and many miners fled from the area.

New cases kept popping up and Mr. Isham, the Iron Cliffs manager at the time wrote, “one dead, and two more expected to die.” Just when they though the epidemic was over a new case broke out in the middle of July and by the end of July it appeared that all things were on the mend. In

Here is a photo taken about the same time of the grounds at Morgan Heights. (Photo courtesy of the Marquette County History Museum)

December of that same year, 1871, smallpox broke out again.

By 1874, Negaunee decided they needed a special house for such epidemics, and for it to be far-removed from other houses. So, in 1874 they bought a parcel of land from the Cliffs Iron Company for that purpose.

A small stone house for epidemics was built. It was called the “The Pest House” and feared by all.

In 1878, another smallpox epidemic broke out in the location of the Jackson Mine. At this time there were nine cases And Dr. Cyr took care of them. Dr. MacKenzie, was the Negaunee health officer and after the epidemic, he commended Dr. Cyr for his work.

The stone was located near the east end of town. History states that small house was near Morgan Pond.

An area named for Lewis Henry Morgan. This would eventually become the site for the Morgan Heights Sanatorium, which was built in 1911, on Marquette County Road 492. This would house patients suffering from tuberculosis, which was a dreaded and feared lung disease. These patients were isolated so as not to spread the disease.

The first patient was admitted on April 9, 1911. He was Albert Collins, age 21, a resident of Negaunee.

In the early 1930s and 1940s, a TB testing program was done in all county schools. Children who were tested positive were admitted to Morgan Heights. Children were not allowed to go home on visits and were only allowed visitors on Sunday.

Many adult patients stayed there for years. To know if a patient was cured, the patients sputum was injected into a guinea pig. After a few weeks if the guinea pig was alive, the patient was pronounced negative. If the guinea pig died, the patient was still positive.

By 1970, TB cases began to drop and tuberculosis was being controlled by testing and drug therapy.