Evening journal., 1898-05-31
AIR OF MAMMOTH CAVE.
So Pure and Bracing That IL Might
Be Utilized for a snnitarium.

So Pure and Bracing That IL Might
Be Ututzed for a Snnitnrtum.
Some distance on we came upon two
stone cottages built against one Of the
walls of the avenue. These are the re-
mains of number that were builtin the
cave in 1s43 for the abode Of consump-
tive patients. 1t was believed that the
pure air of the cave would effect a
cure, and Is consumptives took up their
abode here, and remained for five
months without going outside. 1t IS
said that when they did go out three
died before they could reach the hotel.
Something more than purity is required
sunlight. 1t is said that the salt
peter miners had remarkable health
while working in the cave, and persons
with weak lungs are certainly benefited
by short walks in this atmosphere. 1
believe, in time, that these immense
reservoirs of dry, pure antiseptic air
will be utilized for the cure of consump-
tion and asthma, not by sending the
patient into the cave, but by bringing
the air into sunlighted sanitariums on
the dry, well-drained elevated sand
stone plateaus above the caves.
We know the air Is dry, because tho
timber carried in in 1912 has not de-
cayed, and iron hinges have been here
since 1s43. and show no sign of rust.
We know the air is pure, because here
animal matter does not decay, but sim
ply dries up. The mummies found in
the caves were not prepared mummies,
but simply desiccated bodies. The uni
form temperature OF from SO to 81 de-
grees the year round has been dem
onstrated. Consumptives take long sea
voyages and visit high attitudes to get
the benefit of aceptic atmosphere; but
they suffer from variations of tempera-
ture, from storm and at high attitudes
exercise cannot be taken, while the cave
air predisposes one to take exercise
with little fatigue. have lnown deli
cate women to walk for nine hours In
the cave, clambering up steep ascents
and over rocks, and come out Of the
cave feeling no sense of fatigue until
they reached the warm, impure air out
side, charged with the odors of decayed
vegetation, when they would almost
faint, and would require assistance in
ascending the path to tho hotel.
We think tho atmosphere I'm the gler
at the entrance remarkable for purity
before we have become sensitive by
hours in tho puro atmosphere of tho
cave. 7 once went with q friend and q
guide to Roaring river and several other
remote places, which required remain
ing in the cave over night. It was night
when we came out, and we had become
so sensitive by our stay of 80 hours IN
the pure air Of the cave that we were
i'almost overcome by tho suifocatinl
mcphitic odoFs and oppressiveness OF
the outer air. We dreaded to inhale il
into our lungs, and returned again and
again into the pure air flowing from thC
cave.
Air freed from bacteria is one OF tho
main reasons for success in modern sur
gerry, and a sanitarium into which thi,
air could be pumped would doubtless
be resorted to for difficult surgical oper
, otions. Consumptives in high alttudei
are compelled to remain indoors in win
ter weather and breathe tho vitiated ali
OF closed rooms; whilo In sanitarium
supplied with cave air, by letting tn
air In ct tho upper part of the room
; and out at the lower part, all exhala
i tons would pass out, and pure al
A would be. constantly rushing In at
Uniform temperature, winter and sum
mer. Then, it would be a boon If W
could escape the oppressive heat Of sum
mer into hotels kept cool and pure b.
the air from these great dry caves
John r. Proctor, in Century.