Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-03-02
The Influence Of Altitude ON Health
and Disease.

Inc various ueatises by DR.. j. NJ. Toner, OF
this city, upon matters Of Social Science, have
attracted attention and have resulted in several
instances in setting on foot very valuable re-
forms. One OF the plans Of an important SAM
tary and humanitarian nature preached by him
has been that Of establishing sanitariums on
elevated grounds for the use Of sick children in
the hot season, time Of the year when the lit
Tie ones are swept of by thousands by cholera
infantum and like diseases in our crowded
cities OF low temperature. He urges with force
that our entire thought should not be expended
upon the mere wrecks Of humanity cared for in
our hospitals, but should be directed also to the
myrtsds Of young lives now sacrificed annually
70 disease, but who might be saved to ELL careers
or usefulness in the world.
The latest work by Dr. Toner, and somewhat
in the same connection, is Dictionary of
Elevations, and Climatic Register of the United
States" containing. in addition to elevations
the latitude, mean annual temperature and
the total annual rain fall of all the cities towns
and localities in the United States, concerning
which the requisite data has been Obtainable
The geographic and other physical peculiari-
uesof North America, and more briefly of the
world, have also been noted with the care and
industry for which the author is distin guished,
and altogether the work supplies an amount
and kind OF information that makes ii uni1ue
in the field occupied. The work, he SAYS has
been undertaken chiefly for the purpose of
placing within reach of the medical profession
record that may enable and induce profess
sional men in different localities to observe, re-
cord, and contrast the influence Of elevation, if
II has any, on health and disease. Hitherto
latitude and longitude have been the chief and
almost the only conditions modifying climate
that have been taken into account in consider
ing the influences Of localities on health; but
the observations OF physicians and travellers
m yQafiu hat
extent controls the type of diseases. OF course
IL Is necessary for the observer to keep in view
the influences not only of latitude and Iongi-
tude, but slso Of dry or a humid atmosphere,
and Of high or a low barometer. The Die
tonsry points out convenient modes OF taking
observations by those feeling interest in the
subject. Heights Of localities may be deter
mined approximately with the aid of q bsrom-
eter, as the mercury falls in it about one inch
Tor every nine hundred and forty feet of eleys-
uon above the level of the sea; or by boiling
water, which at sea level boils at 2i2o but
owing to the lessened weight Of atmosphere in
ascending, bOils at the rate of one degree less
for every 40 feet OF perpendicular ascent The
thermometer, too, registers in almost any To-
cahty one degree lower temperature for about
800 feet Of perpendicular height above the level
OF the sea- These conditions or laws of the
ocean Of atmosphere in which we live and
which has depth estimated at IS miles, and
weight Of 10 pounds TO the square inch,
are nearly constant, and with the we'll known
purity OF the free circulating air and the great
abundance Of electricity and ozone, which con-
star tly Pervades elevated localities are ele-
ments too potent not to exercise an important
influence on mans well being All the data /
obtainable, points to the fact that a residence in
q moderately elevated region, either in the /
tropical or temperate zone, anywhere between
few hundred feet above the level of the sea.
and line that marks Alpine vegetation, Is |
healthier than the tide-water lands. Ii IL in
this intermediate strata of climatic and barom-
etc influence that the human race attaips its 1
noblest physical development. The most pro-
duetve States Of our Union, with the largest /
population and with the greatest aggregate /
wealth, are TO be found among those having an /
average elevation above the sea of from 400 I, !
1000 feet. The pursuits OF commerce have /
however, caused most OF our large cities to be /
placed on low ground, near navigabIe waters
The table Of 81 towns in this Dictionary show.
that the majority Of the denIzens Of our large /
American cities are living at an elevation of |
but few hundred feet above tide water; and
that there are eighty cities situated at an eleya-
ton of less than one hundred feet above sea /
level, with a combined population of 4, S6s. lO7 /
Hdoes not appear that the site Of a single CITY
In the United States has been selected becauss
OF the special salubrity of the locality. In a
hygienic sense 1t is to be regretted that the
larger commercial cities do not occupy more
elevated sites. There is a noticeable peculiarity
In the location of our American cities, at or near
the mouth Of rivers emptying into the Atlantic
ocean, in the fact that they are all situated on
the left bank; and, further, there L. scarcely an
exception TO the fact that 70 the south of all
these cities there are large marshy fats, over
which the prevailing winds blow, and carry the
missm directly across the cities
Dr. Toner seems modestly disposed to present
the data Tor investigation by others, rather than
10 give bis own conclusions in regard to the
enect OF elevation upon different diseases, but
ne notes In brief terms the fact that yellow
fever has perhaps never reached higher eIeya-
ton in the United States than four hundred
and sixty feet, and rarely above Yicksburg
(T5) and Memphis, (262) The same Is the fact
In Mexico and the West Indies. As regards
pulmonary disease there appears to be a grow
ing dstrust in the curative influence of the sea-
shore and the low and damp coast of the tropi-
cal Islands so extensively patronized in the
past. table presented in the Dictionary
which gives the per centage of deaths to the
whole population for the three last decades and
the relative frequency or consumption to total
deaths in each OF the States and Territories of
the United States, as returned in the census of /
1850 and 1870, shows that those States as a gem
eTalrule, presenting the lowest elevations and
greatest area Of ponds, lakes, rivers, and wet
lands to their whole area have the largest num-
Der Of deaths from diseases affecting the various
organs. The apprehension that high elevations,
because Of the lessened barometric pressure,
may induce hemorrhages where the lungs are
weakened by disease has not proved to be we'll |
founded From the testimony Of disinterested /
army officers and other parties, given not to |
support any theory. but recorded as interesting /
facts observed, DIR. Toner is lead to surmise that
there may be found q region in some part Of |
New Mexico, perhaps as favorable for patients |
suffering from phthisis, can be found within |
the boundaries Of the United States.
IL ga very curious idea which seems 10 have /
entered the heads Of the citizens OF Washington |
Slty, mat they are entitled 10 an appropriation /
from The National Treasury for educational |
tfsnaa. ss oecause the children Of clerks In the /