The record-union., 1894-05-05
INDIO FOR HEALTH.
The Colorado Desert As Health
Resort.
DE. walter Lindley's Paper Read Be
fore the California State sani-
tary Convention.

ct San Jose on the 10th of April, under
khe auspices of the State Board of Health,
Walter Lindley, NJ. D.. ex-President OF
the California State Medical Society, pre-
sented the following interesting paper,
which attracted a great deal of attention
and comment:
1ndio, the central locality of the Colo
f2do desert, Is situated in Riverside
County. l30 miles from Los Angeles, on
the Southern Pacific Railroad. 1t is The
most arid civilized town in America the
rainfall in 1890 being .73 OF an lncn. VI
this amount .06 fell in February, 10 IN
April, 10 in August, II In september anu
20 in December. In 1891 there feel BOG
inches, but this all fell in February and
August-1.91 inches having fallen in
February, and in August 1.16. In 1872
there fell 2.69 inches. OF this inches
fell in January, .33 inches in February,
% inches in March. In 1898 there Tell
3.59 inches. OF this .03 inches fell in jan
uary, l.6l in March, SO in May, .05 IN
July, rs in August, .07 in September, IA
in November, thus making an average
annual rainfall Of 2.5 inches.
Some idea OF the temperature of this
place may be gained from the following
table for 1898: In January the lowest
point registered by the thermometer
was 35 degrees. the highest 80 degrees,
and the mean temperature at a. NJ. 45
degrees. at 2 P. NJ. 63 degrees, and at
P. n. 58 degrees. In February the lowest
point reached was 10 degrees, and the
highest 80 degrees. In March the lowest
was 40 degrees, and the highest l0l de-
grees. In April the lowest was so de-
grees, and the highest 100. In May the
lowest was 90, and the highest 103. In
June the lowest was 20, and the highest
Ill. In July the lowest was 70, and the
highest 116. In August the lowest was rs,
and the highest Il6. In September the
lowest was 20, and the highest ll3. In
October the lowest was so, and the high
est l02. In November the lowest was 80,
and the highest so. In December the low
est was 80. and the highest 80.
The altitude of Indio is fifty feet below
sea level. It is in the great basin which
lies from sea level to $50 feet below sea
level, and of which the Salton Lake of two
or three years ago was a portion. This
lake was about twenty-five miles from
the town of Indio: Indio has good
hotel, Postofflce, telegraph-office, store,
and an excellent water supply. Four
miles from the town is an extensive
grove of palm trees that are indigenous
10 this desert. In these forests here at
Indio there are five hundred of these
giant palms, standing far enough apart Sc
that they do not lose their individuality.
When we go amongst them one feels as
though he is surrounded by the giants o1
the story books of his childhood, and al
most expects TO see them suddenly walk
away.
Almost every one of these great palms
have been burned around their bases
This has been done by the Indians. Some
say that they burn these trees in order to
cause the fruit to mature rapidly. The
dates from these trees are much sought
4s~r kx-f fhat nd or f1ax- xi11 ,.yrfr
the trees in order to get this fruit early
Others say that they burn the trees be-
ieving that the aroma is gratifying and
pleasant to the spirits of their departed
friends. Whatever the cause, it is great
shame that these beautiful trees should
be thus destroyed, and the Government
should take some steps to protect this
unique forest. With a little care, this
palm grove in the midst of California;
great desert could be made one of the
most attractive points in America.
There are in this grove a number of
little palm trees springing up, and in
their first appearance they simulate a
blade of grass. An expenditure by the
Government of few hundred dollars
annually to protect these little sprouting
trees and prevent injury TO the older
ones, would soon bring this remarkable
place into state of great beauty.
From Indio can be seen Mounts San
Jacinto, San Bernardino and Gray back,
on all of which there is snow the year
round. Near the town is an Indian viii
lage inhabited by the tribe known as the
Cohuillas, who are said to be vegetarians
and cremationistS. About twenty miles
from Indio are the great Volcano
Springs, and twenty-five miles away are
the Salton Salt Works. In fact, there are
many things in this vicinity of interest,
and one never grows tired watching the
varied tints of the mountains that sur
round this basin.
For many years have seen indis-
putable evidences of the benefits derived
from the climate Of Indio. Persons suf-
tering from rheumatism, asthma, phthisis
and nervous prostration are all benefited.
do not mean that all persons suffer-
ing from these diseases are benefited,
but that large proportion OF cases in all
these diseases improve greatly at 1ndio
there is no doubt The combination OF
aridity and high altitude Injuries the per-
son suffering from overwork and
nervous trouble, while the aridity with a
low altitude soothes and rests and thus
benefits those who have been suffering
from nervous strain.
The physician who has patient suffer-
ing from insomnia can conseientiously
send him toIndio. The nights are most
delightful. 1t is the usual plan in the
doors and practically sleep outside, and
yet no person catches cold. The con-
sumptive, who along the coast finds it
necessary to project himself from the
night air, can here sleep out with i'm
punity. The physicians recommending
patients to try 1ndio should caution them
to first write and secure accommodations
at the hotel, because there is always a
lar greater demand than they have room
Tor.
The principal owners of this town
would show their wisdom by putting up
q number of three-room cottages. or, say
two rooms and bath, so that the con-
sumptive would not be annoyed by being
brought in proximity to other invalids.
These cottages could probably be built fol
$500 each and would thus solve the prob
lem of giving comfortable quarters fol
the patient without neceSSitating the ex-
posure to the depressing influence thai
comes from other invalids, or, it the pa
tient is a person of means, it might pay
for him to build his own cottage and the
meals could be served from the hotel.
The frail patient should not attempt tr
remain at Indio later than May an6
should not return before October, yet the
sufferer from rheumatism might be bene.
iited by remaining during the ho'
months.
I have been out on this desert in mid
summer and suffered very little incon-
venience from the great heat. This Is
due to the dryness of the atmosphere
No sunstrokes ever occur and the men
work out in the hot sun during the very
hottest OF weather. In this locality Cali
fornia has health resort to compare witt
which there is no other place in tht
world. Its great advantages are. first