The Swiss resort of Davos knew its first wave of prosperity a century ago, when doctors declared that its cool, dry air was effective therapy against tuberculosis. The grand hotels familiar to visitors today—the Belvedere and Seehof among them—trace their origins to those lazier days.

After science overturned the supposed benefits of Davos air, patients were slow to abandon the resort. Some stayed loyal out of belief, others out of hope. Eventually, reality prevailed over perceptions, and the patients stopped coming.

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