John Harvey Kellogg's Sanitarium

OK how many of you would go to the Sanitarium for the treatment if it were still available and you didn't have to pay?

The movie "Road to Wellville" portrayed Kellogg as an eccentric, and he probably was. It might have been "enlightening" to spend time at the sanitarium, going through treatments like colonics and yogurt enemas. (Make mine lemon, please!) However, Kellogg's overall approach to health and wellness, emphasizing exercise and diet, became the basis for sanitariums started by the Seventh-day Adventist Church throughout the country. Patients got a lot of enemas (called douches in some of the literature) and other "hydrotherapy" treatments, but they also had a daily regimen of exercise, healthy foods and rest. JHK may have been weird and some of his treatment methods far out, but the guy had some decent ideas about what makes us healthy and physically fit.

As a lover of all things medical as well as historical things I found the movie and the actual story behind Mr Kellogg quite fascinating, entertaining, educational, and just plain interesting. I love reading and learning about things like that from the past. I also love looking at, owning, and touching old medical stuff.

However in answer to your question, "would I go if it was free and if it was still available"? My simple answer is hell yes I would, I would go even if it wasn't free. Would love to get away with Doc for that sort of an adventure.

Mashie

the guy had some decent ideas about what makes us healthy and physically fit.

I always had the impression that he was nutty as a fruitcake. And moreover sexually obsessed, but repressed about the whole business.

I also have the feeling that he had decent ideas about health, but somewhat in the same way a broken clock is right twice a day ... ha ha

One may wish to remember that Kellogg advocated

- circumcising boy without anesthesia to cure them from masturbation

- applying carbolic acid (phenol?) to girls' clitoris to cure them from masturbation.

His sanitarium probably did not involve only enemas... I fear what would happen to a boy or girl sent there by worried parents.

One may wish to remember that Kellogg advocated

- circumcising boy without anesthesia to cure them from masturbation

- applying carbolic acid (phenol?) to girls' clitoris to cure them from masturbation.

His sanitarium probably did not involve only enemas... I fear what would happen to a boy or girl sent there by worried parents.

Like I said - nutty as a fruitcake, maybe even batshit crazy. Don't let the yummy breakfast cereal fool you. It was his brother who was smart enough to market the stuff and make a fortune from it anyway.

Addendum:

Kellogg made sure every patient's colon was plied with water, from above and below. His favorite device was an enema machine that could run 15 gallons of water through the bowel in a matter of seconds. Every water enema was followed by a pint of yogurt – half was eaten, the other half was given by enema. The yogurt served to replace "the intestinal flora" of the bowel, creating what Kellogg claimed was a squeaky clean intestine. Imagine...nurses had to administer these treatments every day.

. His favorite device was an enema machine that could run 15 gallons of water through the bowel in a matter of seconds.

In seconds? Certainly there must be a misreading here ... running 15 gallons through a thin tube like the intestine in seconds would necessitate enormous pressure .. that would be Gestapo-like torture, unless I have completely forgotten my high school physics classes.

^^^ Kellogg (oddball or otherwise) was an early pioneer & proponent of the Enema chair...His version of a flushing "device" believed to be created from his research based on German prototype schematic diagrams....This said "device"/chair had a soft rubber nozzle protruding upward from an open crescent style seat on which a persons backside was impaled....ooooh !...In it's original form "Chair" had something similar to a large cistern mounted overhead with a pull out waste drawer immediately under patient seating.

Later modifications saw "device" become mains regulated & the pull out drawer replaced by a hopper style collector diverting purged bowel matter direct to an effluence drain...Further improvements along the lines of colonic equipment saw this unit become obsolete...Taken from old grainy B&W photographic images set in what looked like a re-purposed asylum basement.

Like I said - nutty as a fruitcake, maybe even batshit crazy. Don't let the yummy breakfast cereal fool you. It was his brother who was smart enough to market the stuff and make a fortune from it anyway.

@agracier ... OMG ...!!! i love technical talk ...! ... i actually understand what u say ... 😉 ... kewl ...

I'll stay with the ole bag and tubing or syringing thank you...

Absolutely! Even if it wasn't free. I have actually looked for a place like this.

I think I would have liked to have met Mr Kellogg - and his flushing device.

I think I would have liked to have met Mr Kellogg - and his flushing device.

You may also have gotten quite a lecture and haranguing about your foul and dirty masturbatory habits you know ... ha ha.

Just from the little I've read about him, he sounds like a Purity of Essence type of guy, someone who could compare notes all night long with general Ripper should they ever have met ... whenever you hear of or read about doctors who go all out wacko on the evils of masturbation and propose types of surgery to correct the urges, I wouldn't go near them with a ten foot pole. From all the things I've read so far he seems to have been something of a sex obsessed crank.

Google John Harvey Kellogg Masturbation and you'll find some interesting stuff.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/10/23/1331075/-The-Strange-History-of-Corn-Flakes

http://www.historyofcircumcision.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=48&Itemid=0

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Harvey_Kellogg#Masturbation_prevention

In some of the articles, the writers talk of 'Porn Flakes' invented by Kellogg since they were meant to be an anti-masturbatory food ... that really takes the cake ... ha ha

And as an aside to his salutary character, there are his enlightened ideas on eugenics and race. He founded the 'Race Betterment Foundation', which was prominent in the propagation of eugenics in the US. Kellogg was in favor of racial segregation and believed that immigrants and non-whites would damage the gene pool.

Here's a title of an address he gave, it's available as a reprint on Amazon. 'The Influence of Dress in Producing the Physical Decadence of American Women: Annual Address Upon Obstetrics and Gynecology' ..

There is an emerging pattern in his obsessions ... ha ha ha

It's a good thing that the company selling corn flakes was founded by his brother, cause otherwise I think I would refuse to pop a spoonful into my mouth ever again.

There is an emerging pattern in his obsessions ... ha ha ha

It's a good thing that the company selling corn flakes was founded by his brother, cause otherwise I think I would refuse to pop a spoonful into my mouth ever again.

A funny and entertaining post as usual.

The man was so obviously mad as a hatter, sex obsessed and so riddled with guilt that he actually believed in what he advocated. His influence still remains, but at a low level.

Sounds like the guy was one step left of crazy.

If the staff was adept at giving enemas and other therapeutic treatments, and were as cute as the gal who gave Broderick his treatment in the movie, I'd probably make an appointment. If it was free, all the better!

One might surmise that some may view the local colon hydrotherapist in a similar vain.

On the other hand...life would suck if we couldn't enjoy the treatments with some degree of masturbatory effort or other assistance from a caring partner.

Cool. Well I learned something new today. Hot. Thanks

Absolutely would have enjoyed his enema treatments.

I am thinking that I would run screaming far, far, far away from this place!! LOL

Http://www.nytimes.com/books/98/02/08/home/boyle-wellville.html

I saw the movie but haven't read the book - I would be very interested to attend and enjoy the therapy offered - the victorian nurse uniforms were wonderful in the movie - only draw back would be the male influence of the doctors in charge.

LOL, I'll never forget the part in the movie where Kellogg said ...."What's in a sausage? A sausage is an indigestible tube, riddled with tuberculosis....Eat it and die!"

As others have stated John Harvey Kellogg could have described as very eccentric or weird or as mad as a hatter or nutty as a fruit cake. But like Mashie said :

I found the movie and the actual story behind Mr Kellogg quite fascinating, entertaining, educational, and just plain interesting. I love reading and learning about things like that from the past.

Its s always interesting to reflect and observed how society views and practices changes over time.

Kellogg believed that most disease is alleviated by a change in intestinal flora; that bacteria in the intestines can either help or hinder the body; that pathogenic bacteria produce toxins during the digestion of protein that poison the blood; that a poor diet favors harmful bacteria that can then infect other tissues in the body; that the intestinal flora is changed by diet and is generally changed for the better by a well-balanced vegetarian diet favoring low-protein, laxative, and high-fiber foods; and that this natural change in flora could be sped by enemas seeded with favorable bacteria, or by various regimens of specific foods designed to heal specific ailments.

He encouraged a low-fat, low-protein diet with an emphasis on whole grains, fiber-rich foods, and most importantly, nuts. Kellogg also recommended a daily intake of fresh air, exercise, and the importance of hygiene

So some of his ideas were not entirely wired.

As Agracier and Pecan nutjob has stated he also had some radical views with regards to masturbation and race:

You may also have gotten quite a lecture and haranguing about your foul and dirty masturbatory habits you know ... ha ha.

And as an aside to his salutary character, there are his enlightened ideas on eugenics and race. He founded the 'Race Betterment Foundation', which was prominent in the propagation of eugenics in the US. Kellogg was in favor of racial segregation and believed that immigrants and non-whites would damage the gene pool.

One may wish to remember that Kellogg advocated

- circumcising boy without anesthesia to cure them from masturbation

- applying carbolic acid (phenol?) to girls' clitoris to cure them from masturbation.

So in answer to the OP question, I dont think I would have been interested in vising the Battle Creek Sanitarium as a patient , but would loved to have had the opporunity to listen to some of his lectures .

I wonder what his ideas on eugenics and race were? I sincerely doubt very much in the way of anything halfway enlightened.

One thing of his that i have found to be somewhat ironic. He is said to have invented Corn Flakes as a food to help keep people regular and their bowels empty. Now perhaps it may be something personal in my metabolism, but if there is any food that blocks me right up overnight, then it is a bowl of Corn Flakes or Frosted Flakes. They do just the opposite for me what the wacky doctor intended them to do. That is why i avoid them both, even though I find both quite yummy and crunchy.

@agracier postulates :

I wonder what his ideas on eugenics and race were? I sincerely doubt very much in the way of anything halfway enlightened.

One thing of his that i have found to be somewhat ironic. He is said to have invented Corn Flakes as a food to help keep people regular and their bowels empty. Now perhaps it may be something personal in my metabolism, but if there is any food that blocks me right up overnight, then it is a bowl of Corn Flakes or Frosted Flakes. They do just the opposite for me what the wacky doctor intended them to do. That is why i avoid them both, even though I find both quite yummy and crunchy.

There might have been some method in his madness,if one was to think in those terms, that if Kellogg was aware of the possibility based on averages (from undisclosed research data - he was obsessive) then there would be a likelihood that the general public might have taken heed of his utterances & subject themselves to his "exclusive treatments". .Furthering his business ambitions & cementing his position amongst the medical fraternity as a stalwart of community spirit

I wouldn't say he was ahead of his time. .definitely a zealot that had good business acumen. .more a man of his time that just happened to be a bit of a fruitcake

Another mentions it was not J Kellogg himself that gave the world supposedly nutritional cornflakes, but his brother,which is correct. JHK had the financial means at the time employing his brother (on a pittance) as researcher / developer for which Kellogg was to claim the accolades. .What is little known is Kellogg at the time had come to the attention of the authorities for his extraordinary claims & the medical board of the time was considering he be struck off

Looking back at the timeline (1907) one would be forgiven for thinking that possibly his crazy attitude to intestinal health became the future vehicle for Colonic Therapy. .Gershon was to later (1946 ?) advocate & incorporate Kellogg's "treatments" into their business model heralding yet another advancement in "good health" practices of the day. This is borne out in a youtube film of Madam'e Gershon extolling the virtues of proper bowel habits

It's quite ironic that Kellogg's manufactures of Kellogg's Cornflakes was pioneered through his Sanitarium connection. Sanitarium was to become the registered trademark name & holding company of Weet Bix (Sanitarium Health Food Products) Australia in the mid 1920's & invented in Sydney, Australia. Both staunch supporters sharing the same "religion" / health philosophy. .Sanitarium by definition is not a healthy environment, which is a place for long term illness !!. .Yet both subscribing to & ad-minstering to our needs

Another mentions it was not J Kellogg himself that gave the world supposedly nutritional cornflakes, but his brother,which is correct. JHK had the financial means at the time employing his brother (on a pittance) as researcher / developer for which Kellogg was to claim the accolades .

I've always read that JHK invented corn flakes as a food, but that it was his brother who manufactured them and successfully marketed them to the general public. I have no idea how the rights to manufacture and sell corn flakes passed hands between the 2 brothers though.

Sign me up for the experience.

Hell I will try anything once sign me up

F$*% John Harvey Kellog, I hope he knows I like to masturbate while eating a bowl of cornflakes just to spite him.