The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-12
A HEALTH RESORT.

If all Americans possessed the order of
intelligence which Enoch Knight has dis
played in q contribution to the Christian
Register, published at Boston, there would
be less eager search for elusive specifics
for consumption. Mr.. Knight shows that
there is one spot in the world where nature,
under pleasant circumstances, offers
stronger hope for benefit or cure than the
laboratory of the scientist. This is what
he terms the rim of the Colorado Desert, in
Southern California.
III one were to go among the ranches Of
New Mexico and see, he writes, "as one
must see, the prevalence of catarrh, actu-
ally developed by the terrible winds, the
binding alkaline dust and the almost
lightning changes of temperature, one
would at least be prepared TO act conserva-
lively, if not to leave that region entirely
out of account. There are beautiful re-
gions of country and seasons of perfect
weather east of the mountains, but there
is no all-the-year and out-of-doors equal to
that found in the rim of the Colorado
Desert and the region westward to the sea,
as it is respectively opened by the San
Gorgonio Pass, with Los Angeles as the
find equableness and dryness, with almost
complete immunity from what may be
called rough weather."
He shows that at Indio, a railroad station
out on the arid and barren plains. there is
an annual rainfall of only three inches.
This means practically uninterrupted sun
shine throughout the year, as fogs are I'M
known. 1t means further an extreme alb
sence of humidity, and the value of this is
appreciated when it is reflected that no
germs can thrive in perfectly dry atmos-
phere. That is why typhoid fever. diph-
liberia, malaria and zymotic and endemic
diseases generally are impossible in that
semi-desert region. Furthermore, as the
country is several hundred feet below the
level of the sea, breathing is easier there
than anywhere else in the world. This
relieves the lungs of an effort and strain
that impair the value of the high plateau
of Colorado and New Mexico.
While regarding this rim as the greatest
boon that nature has provided for phthis-
ical sufferers Mr.. Knight urges against the
plan OF establishing sanitariums, where
the patients shall be herded and thus de-
pressed by contact. In that wonderful
climate, where, as he truly says, zone can
bask, If not actually bake, in the sun the
winter long," and where the sunshine is
as faithful as is the unvarying west wind,
which week after week and month after
month brings over mesa and mountains
the sweet breath OF the ocean, it is essen
tial that the benefits of outdoor freedom
be enjoyed to the fullest extent.
II one prefers slightly stronger touch
of the ocean, little higher altitude and
immediate contact with beautiful farms.
orchards and vineyards, one may go into
the pretty canyons OF the San Jacinto
Mountains, which open upon the desert.
Palm Springs is one of these places, and it
has the advantage of hot medicinal springs.
Even at Indlo, which is planted in the
heart OF blind desolation, water has trans
formed the desolation into garden of re-
freshing verdure planted by human hands.
The time must inevitably come when the
wonders OF this strange region, in its
power to restore health while Offering the
pleasantest conditions of life, will be better
understood and the sufferings of humanity
diminished in proportion to the extension
of this knowledge.