Century-Old Time Capsule Found at Former Michigan Hospital
Time capsules are simply fascinating, especially when they come as a surprise. Now, officials at a Michigan hospital have opened an old metal box, which was a time capsule, that dates back to 1913. What they found inside is interesting and certainly historical.
Century-Old Time Capsule Found at Former Michigan Hospital
Officials at McLaren Hospital opened the time capsule Wednesday (May 1) and pulled out a black-and-white photo from 1913. The staff photo features nurses in white hats positioned outside the former Ingham County Tuberculosis Sanitorium, which opened in 1913. Other nuggets found in the time capsule included a range of Lansing, Michigan, newspapers from 1929, a city council membership, club membership and more.
McLaren Greater Lansing President and CEO Kirk Ray opened the capsule on Wednesday in the lobby of McLaren’s new hospital, which is located near Michigan State University. Workers found the time capsule in April during the demolition of the oldest section of the McClaren Hospital’s previous campus on Greenlawn Avenue. The metal box was hidden inside the building’s cornerstone, a cement block engraved with the note, “A.D. 1929.” It’s so wild to think that this time capsule had been sitting there for decades and completely forgotten.
Demolition began in April to tear down parts of the McLaren Greater Lansing legacy campus to open up more green space and a new location for Child and Family Charities. The time capsule dates back to the building’s initial role as a tuberculosis hospital in 1929. At a press conference about the time capsule, John Patterson, vice president of support services, said seeing the capsule was a “special treat” for Jimmie Currin, a carpenter who was there when they first found the capsule. “He actually built the wall that covered the 1929 stone that’s out in our courtyard.” Patterson said. He added, “[Currin] was instructed to build a wall around it and so, he knew it was there all the time.”
Hospital officials added that finding the rare time capsule has current McLaren employees thinking they should follow suit and do their own. I think it’s a great idea. This time around, they could include all kinds of things that represent today’s society. For example, on top of photographs of the current staff, they could include some smart phoner and devices, to show where technology was at in 2024. Now, I think McClaren should also search for the families of the nurses pictured in the photo found in the capsule. It’s possible they’ve never seen this photo, so it could be a treat.
Most Common Summer Illnesses and How to Avoid Them
1. Lyme Disease
Lyme Disease is a big one in the summer. Lyme disease is transmitted through tick bites, which are often living in areas with tall grass or the woods. Some common symptoms include fever, fatigue, headache and a bullseye rash. To help avoid getting tick bites, try to avoid areas with tall grass and wooded areas; wear long sleeves and pants outside; use insect repellent; and look for ticks on your skin and remove them if you find them.
Food Poisoning
Food poisoning is super prevalent in the summer. Just think about it. If you go to a picnic, chances are, that potato salad is going to be left out in the sun a long time. So, beware what you eat at outdoor events. Also, be clean with how you handle food, cook food thoroughly, wash your hands when handling food and don’t have perishable foods unrefrigerated for too long.
Dehydration
Dehydration can really be serous. It sounds like no big deal, but severe dehydration can actually lead to death. Don’t freak out too much, though. Severe dehydration usually happens if you are vomiting or have diarrhea for an extended time. In the summer months, however, being outside in the hot sun for too long and not drinking enough can lead to dehydration. Drink plenty of water. If you’re working out, sports drinks are a good choice, too.
Colds
You don’t just get a cold when it’s cold out. “Some viruses and other bacteria thrive under the extreme heat of the sun, thus increasing your risk of infection,” notes unilab.com.ph. To avoid spreading it, “Always cover your mouth when you cough and sneeze and dispose your tissues in the right receptacle.”
Flu
The flu often ticks up in the winter, but it’s around in the summer, too. Often times, if people are traveling and in close areas, the flu virus can spread. To avoid it, the CDC suggests to get vaccinated, practice good hand hygiene and avoid close contact with sick people.
Getty Images / Paul-Bradbury
Enterovirus
Enterovirus is commonly called the “summer flu.” It can cause fever, coughing, runny nose and nausea. It can also cause a rash, like with hand-foot-and-mouth disease. To prevent it, as always, good hygiene is key.
Getty Images / Dr_Microbe
More tips to avoid getting sick
“Frequent hand washing and avoiding exposure to people who are sick with fever can help prevent the spread of infection,” Dr. Michael Pichichero, a pediatrician and infectious disease researcher at the Rochester General Hospital Research Institute in New York, tells Newsinhealth.nih.gov. Dr. Pichichero adds that the best way to avoid getting sick is to block viral transmission. You can get sick by coming into direct contact with an infected person’s respiratory secretions, such as saliva or mucus, so the frequent hand washing really helps. Also, protect yourself from the sun and beware of picnics where food that’s left out in the sun can go bad.
