Napa County CA Archives History - Books .....Rural Health Retreat 1891
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Book Title: Memorial And Biographical History Of Northern California

RURAL HEALTH RETREAT.—This institution, which is admitted to be the largest and
best equipped of all of that kind on the Pacific coast, was established in 1878,
on a small scale by a few philanthropic gentlemen for the purpose of providing
places where invalids could have the best of medical attendance under the most
advantageous circumstances It is not a money-making institution, and although
owned and conducted by an association incorporated under the State laws, yet no
dividends have ever been or ever will be distributed among the members of the
association every dollar contributed by the shareholders being virtually a
donation and all the net proceeds being expended in enlarging the facilities and
in charity treatment. The location of the sanitarium is an excellent one, being
on the westerly slope of the Howell Mountain, over 300 feet above the level of
Napa Valley, an arm of which (Pratt's Valley) it overlooks. Its altitude places
it in the thermal belt, ensuring it an almost absolute freedom from frosts, etc.
The salubrity of the climate and equability of temperature, the absence of fogs
and uniform dryness of the atmosphere, render the locality more favorable than
most of the institutions of its kind in the Southern States or elsewhere. The
buildings consist of a main structure, four and a half stories, with two rear
additions, each four stories, a large new two-story chapel with gymnasium on
lower floor, and several outside cottages, besides the usual offices, barns,
etc. The site occupied is in the form of a crescent and sloping, so that all
parts are in full view at any point. Winding roads and walks, walled with
quarried rocks and fringed with a great variety of flowers, run here arid there,
while close to the Retreat are beautiful groves of fir, manzanita and madrona
trees, under which in the summer season are hammocks, swinging chairs, etc.
Croquet lawns and recreation grounds complete the opportunities for outside
enjoyment. Upon the roof of the main building is a platform, a favorite spot,
whence magnificent views of valley and mountains, tree-covered heights and
vine-clad slopes, are to be had. Mount St. Helena nobly closes the prospect to
the north, while near by are Thimble Mount, Glass Mount, and a range of beauty
that is rarely equalled. A hydraulic elevator with safety attachments connects
the different floors. A large parlor is found on the ground floor, where are
also the offices, dining-room, etc. A central parlor on each floor is in the
front of the main building affords a splendid outlook. Fire escapes in the shape
of covered ways lead from each floor to the hill at the hack. A like cohered
passage leads also to the chapel and gymnasium. In the rear part of the second
floor much space is taken up with the gents' bath-room with its various
departments. About a score of different baths are given, among them Russian
vapor, electric, electric vapor, sulphur vapor, alkaline, Swedish shampoo, steam
inhalations, douches, fomentations, etc. On the third floor are similar
arrangements for the ladies; while on the fourth is the surgical office and
dispensary. In a separate building at a little distance is the boiler and engine
house, whence the establishment is heated by steam and all necessary motive
power supplied. The bakery is a complete establishment where are turned out the
"Health Foods'" so well known in connection with, the Rural Health Retreat. It
has revolving ovens with six trays, cracker kneaders; four kinds of bread and
thirteen of crackers are baked, about two barrels of the latter per day being
the average. Large shipments of these health foods are being constantly made to
all parts of the coast. The laundry is a complete establishment also in a
separate building. In the commodious stables are kept eight horses, some being
for livery use by guests. The employes in all number between thirty and forty,
and the accommodation for patients admits over 100, and is always pre-engaged.
Additional rooms are contemplated at once.

  To the medical and surgical skill and pleasant manner of Dr. W. P. Burke, the
medical superindent,[sic] not a little of the popularity of the Retreat is due.
He is a native of Missouri, born in 1850. In 1854 he crossed the plains to
California with his parents. After a common-school education he attended the
Santa Rosa College for a time, but soon followed his natural bent for medicine
by taking up studies in that line and duly received a certificate to practice;
later on, attending the Eclectic College, Chicago, and from thence to Ann Arbor,
Michigan. At the celebrated Battle Creek (Michigan) Sanitarium he perfected
himself in surgery and general treatment of cases. Returning to California in
1885 he graduated at the Cooper Medical College in San Francisco, and in the
following year came to the Rural Health Retreat to take charge. After fourteen
months, however, on account of friction of others he withdrew, practiced a short
time in St. Helena and then founded the well-known Sanitarium at Napa City,
which has now been merged in the Rural Health Retreat. He was recalled to the
medical superintendency of this latter on October 6,1889, and still holds the
position. Dr. Burke makes a specialty of abdominal surgery, the removal of
cancers and abnormal growths, in all of which he has a marked success. Many
cancers that had been abandoned by the ordinary practitioners have been treated
and cured at the Retreat, the care, physical and constitutional treatment,
regular hours, wholesome food, etc., of the establishment, no doubt contributing
under the physician's direction to much of the benefit.

  Dr. M. G. Kellogg, the retired assistant physician, now in Los Angeles, is a
native of Massachusetts, where he was born in 1832. He went with his parents to
Michigan in 1835, and graduated in medicine at New York city in 1868. Previous
to this latter, however, he saw some of the adversities of life, and also of the
triumphs that await the hard-working and determined men. Early in the spring of
1859 he crossed the Missouri River with, his wife and family of three children,
with two-yoke team of oxen, and a wagon containing one week's provisions, and
when he reached Omaha, April 1, he had a ten-cent piece only in his pocket. They
crossed the plains, and on September 10, 1859, brought up in Marysville, all
sound and well, and Dr. Kellogg had then a fifty-cent piece, but was minus his
team and wagon. Suffice it to say that he made his way, completed his course in
medicine, supporting his family meantime in comfort, and was one of the founders
of the Rural Health Retreat, was its first physician, and has the warm regards
of hosts of people. Feeling desirous of relegating the more onerous duties of
his position, however, to younger shoulders, he prefers to take the post of
assistant. He is the author of "The Hygienic Family Physician," a valuable work
published in 1874. The well-known physician and author, J. H. Kellogg, M. D., of
the Battle Creek Sanitarium, is his brother.

  John Fulton, the popular Secretary and Superintendent of the Retreat, is a
native of Nova Scotia, born in 1846. He spent fourteen years in Minnesota, but
failing health induced him three years ago to seek the softer airs of
California. For two years now he has efficiently managed the affairs of the
Rural Health Retreat and has aided more than a little to its popularity.

  In conclusion, it should be stated, that the Rural Health Retreat is conducted
under the auspices of the Seventh Day Adventists, a body that has proved its
conscientious obedience to right by doing an immense deal of good wherever its
members are thrown. Under their management the Rural Health Retreat has a long
record of good deeds, and possesses the warm gratitude of hundreds of people.
The Pacific Health Journal and Temperance Advocate, a paper that is doing much
to enlighten under its motto of "Physical Reform the true Basis of Mental and
Moral Reform," is edited at the Retreat. It is a spot that must be sure to be
appreciated, and those who are sick can not do better than experience its
benefits.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from

Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California.

Illustrated, Containing a History of this Important Section of the Pacific Coast
from the Earliest Period of its Occupancy to the Present Time, together with
Glimpses of its Prospective Future; Full-Page Steel Portraits of its most
Eminent Men, and Biographical Mention of many of its Pioneers and also of
Prominent Citizens of To-day.

"A people that takes no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will
never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote
descendents." – Macauley.

CHICAGO
THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY
1891.


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