[2] He had planned to use the cave for medical purposes, as well as tourist use; he expected that its steady climate could benefit tuberculosis patients.
Visitors during this experiment reported hearing constant coughing from the patients who appeared as pale, skeleton-like figures inside the huts.
Croghan's experiment added much to the medical profession's knowledge of tuberculosis and helped lead the way for control of the disease.
Following plans of the owner from the prior year, John Croghan used the services of Stephen Bishop, and other slaves, to conduct extensive mapping of the caves and provide guided tours.
Dr. Croghan's own declining health, due to tuberculosis, led him to spend more time at his family's estate, Locust Grove, but he remained involved in the development of Mammoth Cave.