>> In the days before antibiotics, the only treatment for tuberculosis was sunlight, clean air, and good food. What better place than an airship?
I'm not sure that people with lung infections would appreciate the reduced 02 associated with high altitude. Perhaps the substantial advantage would have been that, given these things floated on bags of hydrogen, this would have been the only non-smoking medical ward circa 1930.
It appears that the hospital area is pressurized, given that an "open air promenade" is separately called out as such.
Also, the main threats from chronic tuberculosis were lung hemorrhage and inanition (wasting) -- not hypoxemia.
For whatever reason, the term "antibiotic" is customarily not applied to anti-tuberculous medications, even though, technically, it applies. "Antibiotic" usually refers to anti-bacterial drugs that are given for a short period of time (a couple weeks), but the definition is hard to pind down. Anti-tuberculous treatments go on for months.
Just because they're in an airship doesn't mean they have to have reduced 02 right? Can't you just pump more into the ship? They're only up there for the sunlight
Pressurization would add significant weight. Metal and glass but also the mass of the air. And there would need to be some heavy equipment. Modern planes get cabin air from their jet engines. An airship of the 1930s would probably need dedicated systems --> more weight.
Long-term, helium looks to have issues though, especially if we slow down natural gas mining. Perhaps we could find a tenable balance between helium and hot air.
I'm not sure that people with lung infections would appreciate the reduced 02 associated with high altitude. Perhaps the substantial advantage would have been that, given these things floated on bags of hydrogen, this would have been the only non-smoking medical ward circa 1930.