Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1884-12-27
HEALTH IN NORTH DAKOTA.
What q. Physician Says-A Vast
:, :, ! ,Sanitarium. =.

"What are the prevailing diseases in
North Dakota?" is a question often asked
bysnot only eastern physicians, but by
citizens who may have turned their at
tention to the great wheat producing
territory. AS a matter of fact, there are
no prevailing diseases-that is, not
indigenous to the climate. While the
West Indian islands al noted for their
yellow fever, New Jersey for its malaria,
New England and some. other. parts of
the. east for lung troubles, North Dakota
lis practically free from diseases. of
course there. are people who suffer fro m
various complaints calling for the ate n.,
ton of physicians, but these troubles
are either brought from the east or are
the direct result of 'carelessness or in.
discretion. =
A physician who has lived in the
northern part of the Territory seven
years, and who has had a wide expe-
rience in the treatment of the sick, said:
"People in the east associate Dakota
with the utmost severity of climate, and
they therefore conclude that disease is
prevalent here. According to ohe
theory (which, however, is false) lubg
troubles should prevail here where the
mercury goes down so low in the win
ter time. We find in practice that this
theory is altogether wrong. Pneumonia
is very rare. Cases occur sometimes,
but the nucleus Of the disease is brought
by the patient. No n ever heard of a
person coming to this part of the coun7
try in good health and mourning luhg
trouble. New comers who may be in
the first stage of the disease invariably
! get well if they take care of themselves
and use proper protection during the
cold weather. The weather of the past
season has been cold, it is true, but
there has been no humidity in the at
mosphere. Down east there has been a
great deal of moisture andlung troubles
have prevailed greatly. Taking my
practice, l hove not n case Of pneu-
monia to FIVE that l had i'll the east. In
500 patients I have about three cases of
I pneumonia. But there is no need to
dwell on this matter-everybody knows,
or should know by this time, that the
conditions Of life here are favorable to
the. recovery Of people who may have
incurred lung disease elsewhere.
"We'have no fever and ague in Da-
kota. 'Chills and fever which are SO
troublesome in southern and eastern
states, are unknown. The phrase lis
dropping QUITO our language. We have
q type Of malaria in the fall, which,
however is not at all serious. This is
the result of the turning up. Of our rich
soil, when certain germs of malaria are
set loose. But please bear in mind that
this complaint is by no means like that
of the east. 1t is neither serious nor
permanent. If a. man who is taken
with]this goes to a physician at once he
sscan have it knocked in the head, and
there pre- precautions he can take which
will effectually guard him against it in
the future. I have not had a case that
was not able to control within a few
days. There is no need for a man ia
suffer from it twice. In my practice
have never lost a case, though some:
1 times the malaria has been complicated
with pneumonia This, malaria that
we have decreases az the land Is broken
up. "a those districts where the ground
was broken two years ago the feveris as
unknown as it is on the top Of a noun
tain. The fact is that malaria does no,
belong here at ell, and in a very shor,
Time we shanIt know what it is.
has been a great deal Of I'm,
Necessary andssf false statements. made
about small fpox. There is little Il! BIZ
feared from this. Our air is so pure
md thepeople, owing to the delightful
nesso Of the climate, are SO healthy tina
even small pox cannot make any head
NY Diplthefia and scarlet fever, tha
IA Z fatal ia the ea.st, have neye