Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1891-03-15
Special Correspondence. ]


WAYNEsvILLE, y. c., Feb. 81 arrived
at Waynesyille, Haywood county, early in
January, and took up my quarters at Hay
wood White Sulphur Springs, which are
situated on the largest expanse of gently
sloping bottom land that have yet seen.
The elevation is 2, 7S6 feet, OF about 500 feet
above that Of Asheville Richland creek,
wide and shallow mill stream, murmur~
and ripples along over bottom of small
powders in front of the grounds, giving
the necessary expression to a lovely land.
scape
With very few foothills lofty mountains
spring almost directly from the valley on
either side, taking slope of some - dogs.
at the end of a rise Of a thousand feet, and
yet never becoming precipitous. Up the
stream some seven or eight miles the val
ley seems entirely closed in by six thou
sand feet giants, while in the opposite
direction the possibility of egress without
scaling the mountain side is more appar
emit
The main street OF Waynesville is on the
almost level center line of a long ridge of
slight elevation, well placed for natural
drainage. Nature has done much for this
beautiful valley, and it has only remained
for man to add the comforts OF civilization
without marring the excellent sanitary
conditions that she has provided The
Richland valley seems TO me As perfectly
sheltered ~ is compatible with a thorough
circulation OF mountain air and as open
as perfect shelter from cold blasts will per.
nit.
Were | building "a home with especial
reference to the needs Of a consumptiye
wife or daughter. and with freedom of
choice, it should be in the mountains, in
some such sheltered region az this on land
sloping southwardly. Her sitting room
should be in the second story of a wing con
nected with the main building at one cor
ner, and commanding "a through draught
20 the four cardinal points. It should have
a large bow window TO receive the rays Of
the rising and the setting sun, aud outside
a balcony with adjustable hoods Of bright
canvas instead Of a roof The floor should
be of narrow boards well oiled, and no per
manent carpet no India mating, would
conceal accumulations of dirt.
The heating should be 10y steam. In no
event should it be by hot air drawn from a
cellar. Water should come BY an rou pipe
from mountain spring; il should be hot
and cold in the bathroom, and the general
sanitary arrangements should be as perfect
as those of well ordered city hospital,
while with all tnis there should be as little
as possible to directly suggest the nome Of
an invalid. Heavy curtains should not
drape the windows. The question should
be, How much sunshine can well be
borney' and never, How much light can
we oontrive TO excludey' Garden tools and
croquet and the homes Of cougenial neigh
bors should tempt the invalid to outdoor
exercise, and the hours Of rest and activity
should be AS nearly a. possible those Of the
birds. With such a home and such sur
roundings, in the best OF climates, there
would be reason for hope in many an other
wise hopeless case.
All Of these desirable things cannot he
commanded in any hotel or sanitarium.
But one eau approximate them. He eau
make sure Of a sunny room. He can often
secure a corner room, commanding the ri--
ing and the setting sun. lie can provide
fair sanitary conditions and many excuses
for being out in the sunshine But for
woman he cannot 50 easily provide in sHch
n place useful occupation afortling sutTi-
cient exercise, and yet not overtaxing the
powers OF the invalid. Such occupation j.
a great desderatum, and many consump.
tives brood over their troubles and sud
denly collapse who might have lived for
years had their vital forces been sustained
by sufficiently cn ,rossing and suitable ex-
erci>p
There is sort Of exercise, involuntary.
iuseusible and ever persistent, which may
be deemed one of the most important cou-
sideratious FOR which ve ~cel, mountain
climate for consumptive patients.
II we consciously try % do 80 we can eN-
paud the lungs much more than normally,
or we can breathe oft-uer than usual. or
we eau do both together; aud we must do
one or both ~ the~r when engaged IN y.j-
lent exercise. because we then require more
oxygen. Aud We must breathe a greater
bulk of mir on the mountain than 10 the
seaside, because 10 is thinner and lighter:
there i a less actual quantity Of oxygen iu
"A cubic foot. We require aoou5 a. nuch
as Mt the sea level consequently we must
breathe ofteuer, or deeper, or both Prac-
tics,lly ye do both without being conscious
of the fact.
II the air Is per cent. lighter one man
will breathe about 8 per cert. faster aud
4 per cent. deeper. aud another pee cent
faster and per cent. deeper. each uncou
sciously solving the problem tor himself 10
the way which requires the least exertiun, /
the equation Of least effort varying with
individuals. And at an elevation where
we require per cent. more bulk Of air yuu
may get IL by 10 per cent greater effort Of
the lungs, while | get it by l2 per cent F.
more effort, and a woman whose waist has .
been laced out OF shape may be UNABLE to /
breathe without 20 or 25 per cent. OF extra
effort. Ii depends upon the lung onpacity .
aud power of each individual.
In consumption this extra work OF the
lungs IS especially to be desired. ii il is not
too great. For In consumption the power
TO resist the disease depends upon the vital
energy of the lung tissue. and that vital
energy depends upon exercise, precisely rs
the strength Of the blscksmith's arm is the
result ot many heavy strokes General
outdoor exercise increases the fs7ce OF
breathing, and thus by use strengthens tb.
lungs against consumption. But evident
ly special exercise Of the organ attacked
will produce the greater result, other
things being equal, and no other special
exercise OF the lungs can be 80 perfes~ as
the increased respiration involved in a
higher elevation.
A glass cabinet has been invented Ia
y hich 10 yxuduce n similar rssuls; boa sns
ssnnot live N D ps~ussoeatw ~ eva ~