Monday, December 21, 2009

Timken Tank at Cunningham Sanitarium


I was recently asked about the "Timken Tank." Never having heard of it before, I imagined some sort of Army tank manufactured by the Timken Roller Bearing Company of Canton. But in examining it further, I discovered that it was this giant live-in medical treatment facility on the NW corner of Lake Shore Boulevard and East 185th Street. Looking like some Buck Rogers era space ship had landed, it was installed at the Cunningham Sanitarium (more shots) as an experimental device to deliver healthful properties through living in a high-pressure environment, the Timken Tank was a landmark until being scrapped in 1942. The metal thus recycled might have fittingly gone into actual Army tanks, who knows.

Labels: , , , ,

3 Comments:

At 4:06 PM, Blogger Bryan Marek said...

These were actually quite common in one form or another. They either were pressurized and saturated with oxygen or just filled with oxygen and circulated with fans of some sort. They were used to treat people with tuberculosis and other respiratory illness. There is one particular room at a former hospital now owned by the Cleveland diocese and used as a retreat. Its right on the lake...cant remember its name. They actually use the room as an auditorium. I will get back to you on the location and name.

 
At 8:12 PM, Anonymous John M. said...

villa angela?
that'd be at 185 and lakeshore.

 
At 6:23 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

was a girl,s orphanage in the 40,s. i was there. st josephs on the lake. we had our own song et al.became retreat house and the girls went to parmadale.

 

Post a Comment

<< Home