E. L. Trudeau studied medicine in his early years, but when he was still a medical student and before he could become a doctor, he was diagnosed with tuberculosis. At that time, tuberculosis was far worse than cancer today and was definitely an incurable disease. In 1837, he was helpless and came to the sparsely populated Saranac Lake alone at the age of 24, quietly waiting for death... At that time, all he could do while waiting for death was recall the past, but at the age of 24, how much of the past could he remember? Therefore, he occasionally walked around the lake and up the mountains, and hunted when his health allowed...and all this was just to pass the time. But not long after, he was surprised to feel that his physical strength was recovering. Gradually, he gained the interest and motivation to learn again. Soon, he actually completed his medical studies and obtained his doctorate step by step. So Trudeau continued to return to the city to practice medicine. The strange thing is that whenever he lived in the city for a period of time, the tuberculosis would relapse; but once he returned to the Saranac Lake area, his physical strength and mood would return. In 1876, Trudeau simply moved his family to the shores of Saranac Lake in the wilderness.

In 1884, Trudeau used more than $400 donated by friends to create the first dedicated tuberculosis sanatorium in the United States - the "Cottage Sanatorium" here.

In the late 19th century, Trudeau was at the forefront of tuberculosis treatment and research and became the first person in the United States to isolate Mycobacterium tuberculosis. He also founded a tuberculosis university, and many of the physical and psychological care methods he advocated for patients are still in use today. In 1915, Trudeau died of tuberculosis—no doubt he outlived many tuberculosis patients at the time, including ordinary people, and his life span was over 100 years old. He was buried on the shores of unknown Saranac Lake in the United States. The motto of his medical career was engraved on his tombstone: "To Cure Sometimes, To Relieve Often, To Comfort Always." For nearly a century, doctors from all over the world have come here in waves to "pilgrimage" just to review this teaching and absorb some spiritual qualities!