The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-09-26

[For the Daily Globe.l
Tcxas-SupcriOrity of its climate for
Consumption.

lrOI int Duily plouc'J
Texas-Supcriority of its climate for
Consumption.
The superiority of the climate of West
ern Texas over that of other sections,
which have heretofore been resorted to for
the cure of pulmonary diseases, is certainly |
very great To me it is the most impor
tant feature which Tex 5 presents. | am
induce to believe that if fully understood
and appreciated by tie country at large,
Western Texas wo,ll speedily bee ONE the
most favored resort on the continent for
persons afflicted with diseases of the throat
and lungs.
AS tar back as can remember. the med
cal faculty in the United States have been
in the habit of recommending patients af-
flicted with pulmonary diseases To cross the
ocean, or take trip on the sea, to visit
Cuba, or take up their residence in Florida
or some other southern state.
The discovery of gold IN California led
to the discovery of the beneficial effects of
the rarfied atmosphere of the plains on
pulmonary disease Many cases of laryn-
CITES, bronchitis, and of confirmed con-
sumption were said to have been entirely
cured by crossing the continent to CalifOr
MIA. The facts, sustained by reports re-
ceived since from the interior of Asia,
aroused the medical faculty, and the re-
suits that the most intelligent of
them now believe that sea breezes
and humid atmosphere are very in
furious in cases of pulmonary diseases, and
that the best localities for these are those
where rarifcd atmosphere prevails.
Such localities are not to be found near
the Atlantic or gulf coast. The atmos-
phere there is necessarily humid and of
course, too heavy for the weak lungs of a
consumptive to respire with case. II is
also impregnated with salt, which is eX-
tremely irritating to the throat and lungs.
1t is said that in the interior of Cuba and
Florida this irritating atmosphere does not
exist. This may be correct, but in its
stead is malarious atmosphere which
keeps the consumptive IN continual fever,
and thus accelerates his disease. The hui
nudity, too, in producing midew, etc, etc.
proves it.
There is considerable difference in vari-
Gus localities in respect to dampness and
feverish and irritating influences. Where
the streams run through low valleys, winch
have deep rich soils and are shaded with
cypress and other timber peculiar to the
river bottoms of Texas, the atmosphere in
the vicinity is usually humid. This damp
ness and malaria being confined TO the i'm
mediate localities whence they course, car
he easily avoided. There is another cause
of difference which arises from the fact
that the moisture borne from the gulf by
the southeast wind does not lose the sal
with which it is impregnated till it reache
the vicinity of San Antonio; consequently
all that country east and south of San An
tonic is not SO well suited TO the consump
tive as that north and west. The humidit,
of the atmosphere and the feverish influ
ences are also much greater in the forme
than in the latter directions. The situa
ton of San Antonio is probably as favor
able as any in this region. There is N
stagnant water in Its vicinity, and its al
mosphere is usually pure, light and dr.,
There is one serious obstacle which wi
always prevent the city, from being fl
vorable resort for consumptives, and thu
is the lime dust which arises from II
streets. This dust is confined entirely
the business portion of the city, and do'
not affect the outskirt, which present
within an area of six miles, the best 81
uations which / have seen fl
the enjoyment of pure air al
the cool and refreshing breezcs.
the atmosphere here should not pro-
to be dry enough for particular cases, e
- cellent facilities are afforded for remov
wcstwardly where the rarefaction increas
in proportion to the distance travelled t
ward the Colorado desert, which atfor
the lightest and dryest atmosphere on t
continent If the temperature should
too high for other cases, lower temper
ture can be found by proceeding mort
wardly to the mountainous country.
distance of seventy miles is Fredercl
burg, which according to its elevat
above and distance from San Antonio
in temperature, equal to seven and tv
third degrees further North. There
many other places of much greater altit'
within one hundred and fifty miles Of
Antonio, to both Cuba and Florida, {
can not be otherwise than gre
The water which surrounds them and is h
in their soils and on their surfaces is ST.
cent to prove this. In fact, there is
place in the Gulf as Caribbean sea,
within one thousand miles of our Atlal
coast that presents so favorable elm
tor those who are afflicted with pulmon
diseases as Western Texas. / know
to be true. Ispeak from experience. 1
the atmosphere is usually dry and j
there can be no doubt. The intense pit
ing heat OF the sun, the quick chang
rain clouds from black to white, and t
sudden expansions as they pass over
land towards the west, together with m
.hor ,b;nos Snch as the imDOssib