The National tribune., 1892-02-04
BEALTH HINTS
For Old and Young.
CHATTER CxXXII.
BY FELIX L. OSWALD. VI. o.



There are medical theorists who often remind
one of that philosopher said to have cOnsOled
a wounded soldier with the reflection that
pain, my friend. is really nothing but re-
version in the molecular motion of the sympa-
thetic nerves connecting the brain with the
extra cerebral nervous termini."
Eminently true, perhaps. though a cup Of
cold water would have been a better cOnsOla-
tlOn, and invalids may often wonder in what
particular it can mend their plight to know
that asthma is due to the influence Of special
climatic conditions upon the sensitive mem
brane of the bronchial tubes" or that I" the
prOximate cause Of consumption is the rapid
multiplication of yeTmiform DicTobe." Like
the oraeles of old, such revelations of science
leave the anxious inquirer about as wise as
before.
Climatic influences? We must try a differ
ent climate then? But different in what spe-
cial respects? How far shall | 90? Tempo
Tarily or permanently 2" are as many questions
left unanswered by the verdict OF the OracGlar
medicine man, whose wisdom moreover fails to
decide still more important point. Could the
Objectionable influences not be cOunteraeted by
changes in the domestic arrangements Of the
patient?
The possible suffieieney OF that expedient is
well illustrated by case that deserves mention
on account Of its significance for "a larger pOr-
ton Of our far-western tablelands. One of my
correspondents, whose former home was some
where in southern Indiana, (near Evansville,
believe.) had been troubled with premonitory
symptoms OF consumption till be removed his
home TO a cattle-raneh in the uplands of Colo
RADIO. The country was dead level, but it's
considerable elevation and the consequent
purity OF the atmosphere at first really seemed
TO benefit the patient, who contented himself
with supervising the work Of his farm, aud, as
far possible, avoided exhausting physical ex-
ercise. In the Fall, when the cattle had to be
driven to their Winter quarters, stables re-
paired, etc. he could not always avoid over
fatigue, and it greatly puzzled him that Rt such
times his general health seemed much better
than later in the year, when he paid the strict
est attention to the regulation Of his diet, and
divided his time about equally between out
door and indoor occupations. He felt too weak
for repeating his prairie excursions, and the
severe cold made indoor life more aud more
preferable; but his cough became so trouble
some that he was on the point Of returning 20
milder climate, till one week a temporary
scarcity of fuel induced him TO put his writing
table in a sunny corner of the kitchen. From
that day his cough mended. He would have
been satisfied 10 enjoy his good luck under any
circumstances, but the continued Improvement
OF his sanitary condition set him thinking.
Was it the sunshine? His writing room, too,
enjoyed that advantage, aud had always been
"1AA "@iitNhs NJ last NC IouCtlFcu lut luth
that the steam OF the kitchen-stOve must have
benefited his lungs Coal in abundance
had, in the meantime, been received, and he
tried the plan OF changing his desk back 10 his
own study, but keeping big open kettle with
hot water on the stove. The experiment proved
a complete success, and the secret Of his former
ailment was at last solved: The air of the
high, treeless tableland was naturally ex-
tremely dry, and by the superadded influence
a "A hot gfn had oay. nbaHn tn Hauy
that might we'll have distressed less sensitive
lungs. In point of purity the atmosphere was
all that could be desired, but il lacked moisture,
and that defect was corrected by the yapOrs Of
the boiling kettle. The remedy has the adj
ditional advantage Of inexpensiveness, and in
cold Winters deserves trial anywhere between
ST. Louis aud the California border sierras.
Stove heat in certain disorders has an OBJ
noxiOus influence that could be- avoided by the
use of open freplaces. especially where fuel is
abundant. In the southern Alleganies there
are village masons who guarantee q smOkless
Chimney as confidently as a competent carpen-
ter would guarantee q rain-tight roof and
their trade secrets would be we'll worth formu-
latng for the benefit Of metropolitan house
builders, who seem to be in league with stove
manufacturers, and have made almost any con-
trivance preferable TO their eyer.sm0k ing CRATE
chimney. IL can do no harm to supplement-
the air-purifying effect of open fireplace by
acknowledgement windows, but well-draW-
ing ehimney-huo keeps up air-changing cur
rents by sort of suction that draws in fresh
air through almost imperceptible assures Of the
windows and doors. Dwelling. houses situated
IN deep hollOws. inaccessible to direct breezes,
could thus be greatly improved from a sani-
tary point OF view, till the improvement of
force ventilatOrs shall enable every household
10 manufacture its own air currents.
The aforementioned experimenter could
have applied his remedy to the driest uplands
OF central ASIA but on the other hand might
have found home cure for the excessive
dampness Of his birthplace in the lower
Ohio Valley. In the "sunken lands" Of
the Arkansas River swamps enterprising
settlers have In many cases cOntrived in
an almost equally cheap manner to counterfeit
malaria. Finding quinine at best only pal
Ilative, they have found way 20 remove the
cause OF the evil by removing their dwellings
to an airy hilltop, and extiTpatiug the rank
vegetation for space of q mile or two in cir
eumterenee. Combined with drainage, that
plan not only diminishes feyers, but musketOs,
and its efficacy is by no means disproved by
the fact that in certain parts of California
marshy districts have been made more whole
some by planting instead of removing trees.
We need not 80 10 the length Of crediting the
theory that the foliage Of the Eucalyptus giObu-
las purifies the air by a mystic chemical inhu-
ence. The fact seems to be that the tree is
almost unparalleled for the rapidity of its
growth, shooting up to the hight of q hundred
feet or more in less time than il would take an
oak TO Outgrow the dimensions of a sapling
High shade trees with plenty of top branches,
moderate the heat of the sun without Obstruct-
ing the lower air currents, and the best way TO
improve swamp, from sanitary point of
view, would be TO spare q few good sized trees
and remove the dank underbrush root and
branch.
Even in the lOwlands Of the Atlantic coast
plain there is hardly any large city where the
persistent pursuance of that plan has not es-
tablished places of refuge from Midsummer
malaria and the horrors of the insect plague.
Only few miles from the ugliest marshes of
the Potomac bottoms, there are garden homes
on the Bladensburg uplands, drained and dried
into perfection of heaIthfulness not surpassed
anywhere III the mountains of western North
Carolina. Cincinnati has similar sanitarium
colony on College Hill, where every pool has
been drained To the bottom anu the wide streets
are lined by double rows of magnificent shade
trees OF all sorts, the raTer specimens bearing
q little tablet with the English and botanical
Latin name of the tree. That the climatic i'm
munities of that neighbOThOOd are chiefly the
result Of judicious improvements is proved by
the musketO- ridden condition of damp hills at
nearly the same distance from the bOttOmiands
Of the Ohio Valley, and in several cases enjoy
the natural advantage of more considerable
elevation.
Along the line of the Southern Pacific Railway
there are settlements in districts where origi-
nally the frequency of sandstOrms made life