Childs Infirmary c. 1940s. Courtesy of Karen Lewis. 
Childs Infirmary being torn down, December 8, 1966 
Childs Infirmary (1906) 
Childs Infirmary (c. 1912) 
Childs Infirmary (undated) Location: Adirondack Cottage Sanitarium/ Trudeau Sanatorium (uphill, behind Baker Chapel)
Year built: 1901
Destroyed: 1966
Architect: William L. Coulter
Childs Infirmary
Historic Saranac Lake collection
Childs Infirmary was the "first building erected at any sanatorium with rooms and porches arranged for outdoor sleeping," Scopes and Feustmann wrote, but they were critical of Coulter for "blanketing of rooms by porches [which] made the rooms extremely dark, uncomfortable and poorly ventilated." From 1894 to 1904, the patient cottages "changed from small, cheap temporary structures to larger, permanently built little homes, equipped with electricity, open fire-places, bath-rooms, and sleeping out porches for every patient," wrote Dr. Trudeau [ELT 279-280].
Courtesy of Noreen OslanderThe building was torn down by the American Management Association.
Adirondack Daily Enterprise, December 8, 1966
Trudeau Landmark Since 1901 Is Razed
Childs Infirmary, a Trudeau landmark since 1901, is presently being torn down to make room for projected AMA buildings now in the planning stage.
Gillender Cottage is also scheduled for demolition in the very near future. Lawrence Dumoulin of Tupper Lake is in charge of dismantling the buildings.
Childs Infirmary and Baker Chapel, c. 1920s. Courtesy of Lynn Newman. Childs, one of two infirmaries used up until the time of the sanatorium closing in 1954, was also one of the oldest structures in the original Trudeau complex.
It was the gift of Otis H. Childs of Pittsburgh and was built in memory of his wife, Louise Dilworth Childs. The building replaced the first Hall Memorial Infirmary.
When its doors were first opened Childs was described as "a most beautiful and permanent structure built of stone yellow brick and slate." It was designed to offer acutely ill patients every facility for carrying out the treatment of tuberculosis by open air therapy according to the modern methods of that day.
Childs was constructed like the segment of a circle facing south with all rooms opening on broad unenclosed verandas. The roof was built partly of glass offering shelter from rain or snow but admitting sun and light.
On the north side the drug room, nurses rooms, baths, lockers, dining room, kitchen, dispensary, pantry and linen closets faced into Pisgah Mountain. A large lounge bisected the patients wings on the south side.
Other Trudeau buildings which have gone down history's highway include Hoffman, Rosenfeld, Asiel, Schiff, Dodge, Hiese [sic: Heise; this may refer to the Resident Physician's Cottage where Dr. Heise lived] and Loomis. Gardner will be razed with Childs.
