Contact Artefacts please if you have any comments or more information regarding this record.	Menu Home Upfront Now Up Books Towns Structures People Firms Lexicon		Miners' Phthisis Sanatorium Johannesburg, Gauteng Philip Edward TREEBY: Architect

Date: pre-1912 Type: Sanatorium Status: Unknown

Also called Springkell Sanantorium During 1908 to 1910, discussions took place between representatives of the Transvaal Colony Government and the Transvaal Chamber of Mines, and an Association called the Transvaal Miners Phthisis (TB) Association was formed to treat miners with respiratory ailments. The Government donated a piece of land of approximately 8 Ha with buildings, in Springkell near the Modderfontein Dynamite Factory. The Chamber of Mines then erected a sanatorium to deal generally patients suffering from TB. The Certificate of Incorporation was signed by the Colonial Secretary of the time – JC Smuts who later became Prime minister of South Africa. Springkell Sanatorium (Heritage House) was opened in 1911 and patients were encouraged to do gardening, bricklaying, poultry farming, painting and carpentry. A billiard room, bowling green were added and The Pavilion – a concert hall, in 1925. In July 1980, Springkell was transferred to the Chamber of mines as a rehabilitation center It was then sold to Educor to be developed as an educational facility. Scenes from the movie “Hotel Rwanda” were filmed there on location in 2004. (See Heritage Estate). [See also Miners' Phthisis Bureau]. [Anecdotally, an Afrikaans poem In die Hoëveld, by Toon van den Heever related to the topic of miner's phthisis: In die Hoëveld, waar dit oop is en die hemel wyd daarbo, Waar kuddes waaigras huppel oor die veld, Waar 'n mens nog vry kan asemhaal en aan 'n God kan glo, Staan my huisie, wat ek rnoes verlaat vir geld. En as ek in die gange van die myn hier sit en droom Van die winde op die Hoeveld, ruim en vry, Dan hoor ek die geklinkel van my spore, saal en toom, Sawens as ek bees of skaap toe ry. Op die Hoëveld, waar dit wyd is, waar jy baie ver kan sien, (Die ylblou bring 'n knop dan in jou keel) Staan my huisie nog en wag vir my, wag al 'n jaar of tien, Waar die bokkies op die leigrafstene speel. Maar as die tering kwaai word en ek hoor die laaste fluit, Dan sweef ek na die Hoëveld op die wind Ek soek dan in die maanlig al die mooiste plekkies uit Waar ek kleiosse gemaak het as 'n kind. (Eugene Marais en ander gedigte. J.L. van Schaik. 1939 en 1961.)] (Afr Archt Sep 1912:48) All truncated references not fully cited below are those of Joanna Walker's original text and cited in full in the 'Bibliography' entry of the Lexicon.