A century ago, a patient diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB) had less than a 50% chance of surviving five years. To make matters worse, the disease was contagious, the cause of more than 10% of all deaths in Madison County prior to World War I. Often called the white plague because the patient became so pale, it was also known as consumption. To combat the disease, Madison County built a hospital where TB patients could be quarantined and receive care.