Connecticut western news., 1876-04-07

more rugged and bleak than in any portion | of the State, being the only section ID which marked fall of snow has ever oc Il cured The highest elevation in the cen tral sections is about BOO feet, but varies in 6s4ferent localities, the general average being from l5O to 200 feet. The air here, as rule, is always dry, and when changes in temperature occur, though at times sud den, provision or accommodation, by means of proper clothing, etc., can be made to meet such effects, which is diff cult, if not impossible, in humid atmos- pheres with high barometric pressure.
 In selecting the climate best adapted to an individual case, arbitrary rules, of course, can never be laid down, yet there are general conditions of atmosphere and climate which experience teaches to be best suited to peculiar pathological states and classes of disease. If I mistake not, the received opinion of to day is, that the essential points to be regarded in seeking a climate for pulmonary affections are it's dryness, freedom from sudden and frequent variations in temperature, and from un- healthy local conditions, while of sufficient mildness to promote and sustain good skin action. In tubercular phthisis, especially when destruction of tissue is considerable, in cronic bronchitis and pneumonias. broncho- -pneumonias, and general gaseous infiltration of the lung substance as the result of indammatory changes, where the functional integrity of the air-cells is greatly impared, the absolute necessity of sustaining and increasing, If possible, cut aneous action and transpiration, is ac knowledged to be of paramount import ance.
 Such being the case, contend that the soaboard, even of Florida, is not, in the vast majority of cases, the place to fuldl these conditions; nor again, is the climate of the St. John's better, or any habituslly moist atmosphere. l am aware that ex captions do occasionally occur where bene- l fit is derlved from residence in such regions, | but have been, in my experience, too in frequent to be considered in this connec- ton. My remarks, be it understood are applied directly to those cases which form by far the greatest proportion of the in- valid ranks. whose organic changes have | progressed to notable extent and diseas- | ed action existed for length of time. At the places under consideration there is so much humidity in the atmosphere that at nightfall and early morning it is | so chilly that fires become necessary very | early in the fall, and have to be continued late in the spring. while Tn winter thls operates most unfavorablv upon the sen- sitive invalid. It is a complaint co nstant- ly to be heard from the many, that though the difference in temperature may be
 
 as ip the north.
 do not desire to convey the impression | that this is the invaiiable character of the climate at these points. for there are days. | and sometimes weeks. even on the coast, when the atmosphere IS mild. pleasant, and balmV Changes there are so frequent, l however. and so marked, and the conse- | quences to the sick so grave. that in choos- ing a permanent winter residence such | important facts should pot be overlooked. I will candidly admit that for beauty of l scenery, picturesue landscape, and general | local attractions, together. on the whole. | with good accommodations. l must agree with the multitude. that for the mere pleasure seeker very little here is left to be desired. For the invalid, however. l whose main purpose iS. or should be, to gain the greatest benefit from climatic in flqence, the case is very different. and 1 while acknowledging the importance of such instrumentalities in effectinG i'm provement. 1 do not lose sight of those 'uore absolutely essential. and, therefore. am forced to say. that do not think the l localities in question by any means suited l to the larger class of cases who come here. 1 Let it not be supposed that am enthu- ! siastlc on this subject, for, far be 1t from l me to mlslead, nor IS 1t my intention to dlsparage any portion of the State. Con- | slderlng the in DGereSts of the sick alone. numbers of whom l see laundering from place to place every winter, l feel it my duty to state what l believe to be true, and shall be moro than reoald If even one only is saved from the faUal mistakes so often made.
 In the interior, on the contrary, when we consider the climate alone, there are 1 many points1that are particularly adapted ! to these conditions, and when patients l come to Florida, whose physical condition
 warrants, under favorable circu instances. l a reasonable chance for restoration of im- paired function and arrest of diseased action, they derive decided benefit from au inland residence. The section of coun- ! try to which l especially desire to invite and direct attention. is the CENTRAL PINE LAND regions, of which the towns of Gainesville. Mlcauopy, Ocala. and Brooks vile are the centers. Situated Ss these points and theIr surroundings are upon highest and dryesL section of the State, sufficiently removed from either coast to | be beyond the effects of dampness, they | appear to me to possess peculiar fitness to merit all requirements of climate that are | to be obtained. We have here the health tul infuence$ of that peculiar aromatic element pro7erbial to the air of terpentine countries, whlch regard as not altogeth- Der mythical in it's effects, for at least it IS inviting for out door exercise and exer- ton, and thereby plays very important role in my idea of the requisites for lm | prOVemen6,
 My observation has. led me to believe that this climate IS especially suited to | that class of cases associated with organic disease of the heart, and to those in whom lrrltabllty or exeltabihty of the hearts action exists either as an anterior or a develo9ed result of the lung affection. Those wEo are unable to live ln high alt,- tudes, consequently. will find great benefit | here, for the country being level, dry, and not 100 much elevated, the cIrculatorry ap- Daratus is not subjected to the great dls- turbauces induced by rarified air. In cases of chrome bruncho-pneumonia attended l with excessive expectoration, the 1mmed- late benefit derived is probably more mark ed than in any other: l feel assured that damp atmosphere is pot the place. On the contrary, have seen the most decided inn provement occur speedily by change of residence. The explanation of this IS suf- ficlently evident, and speaks volumes in favor of the interior. for durDg cold changes in moist atmospheres the cutane
 ous circulation IS so retarded and interfer
 ed with, and capillary retrocession so complete that organic hyper8mias occur
 and when kept up for any length of time as is so often the case, the digestive func- tions become derangRd. tha diseased lungs are surcharged, secretion and proliferation
 from the affected mucuous surfaces largely increased, and debility rapidly augmented
 I cannot better illustrate thls part of my
 subject than by noting my individual ex- perlence.
 have the misfortune to suffer with this
 affection, and in common with many who have been under my treatment, have tried
 the experiment. of residenc, ID both cll-
 mates.' Llvlng -Npon tho coast in the
 autumn of 1872. I Isuccumbed to an attack
 of acute brOncho-pneumonia, and being
 very much reduced by lon2-continued
 fatigue, was unable to throw 1t off. It be-
 came chronic. and In the course of eight or
 ten weeks my condition was extreme.
 coughed necessarily, expectorated at least ten or twelve ounces of muco purulent matter during the twenty four hours; nu-
 triton was at g standstlll; night sweats
 excessive; prostration eomplete, ana 9
 fatal termination apparently imminent.
 At this juncture, in obedience to my fixed convictions, determined, as last effort. , having been prevented by extreme weak ness from attempting it earler. to try the
 interior, and about the beglnning of Jan