National Jewish Hospital RecordsIn 1899, the Jewish community erected National Jewish Hospital (NJH), the first sanatorium in Denver, Colorado for tuberculosis victims. With the financial assistance of the International Order of B'nai B'rith, (cont.)
the hospital served Jews and gentiles alike and accepted indigent patients free of charge. The NJH adopted a program that emphasized the benefits of fresh air, good nutrition, and rest. Some of the physicians associated with the hospital included Dr. Saling Simon, Dr. Robert Levy, and Dr. John Elsner. The collection includes correspondence, limited patient records, minutes, financial statements, reports, scrapbooks, and objects from 1899 to 2007. Non-sectarian sanatorium for treatment of tuberculosis opened in 1899 in Denver, Colo. Patients from all over the U.S. were admitted free of charge. With the assistance of the national B'nai B'rith fraternal organization, the hospital was founded by group of Jewish residents of Denver who were of German descent. Early founders included Frances Wisebart Jacobs and Rabbi William Friedman of Denver's Congregation Emmanual. Samuel Grabfelder served as president from 1899-1920; Seraphine Pisko was executive secretary from 1911-1938. In 1997 the organization changed its name to National Jewish Medical and Research Center and focused on lung, allergic and immune diseases. Meeting minutes, annual reports, correspondence, limited patient records, financial records, scrapbooks, photographs and sound discs cover tuberculosis treatment, medical history, immigration and acculturation, Colorado's Jewish community and women's history.