Washington sentinel., 1899-06-24
THE KoUMIss CURE.

THE KoUMIss CURE.
Pici0y PikFethHey. in the " Vide W0yld
Magazige."
The method described herein is known
as the koumlss treatment Now,
koumiss is nothing more or less than
iermented mares milk, which has been
found to possess wonderful uutritive
and restorative powers when combined
| with pure air and sunlight, Briefly.
then, the treatment consists in taking
the patient right away from the Erimy,
| germ laden atmosphere Of the towns
into the pure, bright air OF the open
country, and there making him bask in
the sunlight, drinking vast quantities OF
koumiss the while. The results are
marvellous, and unapproachable by any
other means. This, at all events, was
the conclusion which DR.. G L. Csrrick,
an English medical man practising in
st, Petersburg. and formerly a student
at the Brompton Consumption Hospital,
arrived at after a tour Of the koumiss
establishments OF Russia.
After much casting about for a suitable
site for farm, DR.. Carrck went to the
very borders Of Asia in order to get
drier, purer air and better pasturage for
the indispensable animals-the sources
Of supply" Here, twenty-five miles
from Orenburg, IN the midst OF the roll
ing steppes, and 10 what is perhaps the
finest atmosphere in the world, this
enterprising Scot purchased an estate OF
500 acres, and started to buHd his
| establishment. This Task, commenced
in February, 1889, was finished in May
Of the same year "Janetovks." as he
christeued it, WAS then, as It is now, the
only place ofils kind IN the Government
of Orenburg, a province about the size
of France. The season" at
Janetovka only lasts for three m onths--
from June TIL the end OF August, The
summer Of the steppes is a very hot one.
the temperature in the sun often regis
tering I4o deg Fahrenheit, with a dag
cling sky of cloudless blue. During the
night, however, it may sink to as deg,
or even lower One curious feature
about the climate IS that no dew falls at
night.
DR.. Carrick's patients are deGidsdly
cosmopolitan. They come from Eng-
land snd America, from the banks of the
mighty Amur, aud the borders OF China;
from the south, and from as far north as
beak Archangel--all in search Of health
and strength, The number OF
"cures" varies considerably from season
to season, according to the condition of
the patients when they come into DR..
| Carricks hands; but in all cases the
percentage is surprisingly high. Hardly
person butGgains in weight-some-
| times as much as 80 lbs. in three months!
One Of the features Of Janetovka is the
| absence 8of system. AT some of the
| koumiss establishments, for instance,
| the patients are all mercilessly turned
out OF bed at some uucouscionable hour
in the morning, and from thence onward
their day is mapped.out Tor them IN a
most irritatingly complete manner.
| Everything Is hedged round with gall
ing restrictions, and the daily routine
resembles that OF a prison, The charges,
too, are positively awe inspiring; every.
thing is an extra" At Tanetovka. on
the other hand. there is no system at all
or, rather, no apparent system.
Everybody is free to doJust as he pISases
to 60 where he likes, and eat and
drink whenever he feels inclined. One
lump sum, too, covers every possible
expenditure, so that patients are spared
the harassing dread Of running up an
enormous bill for such necessary
"extras" as towels and teaspoons
There are all sorts of quaint and curl.
Gus things 10 be seen around the farm
The romad Cossscks, bringing horses
for sale, ana the caravans ofgentle eyed
! | camels which are forever passing on
, their way to Orenburg, are constant
sources Of attraction to DR.. Carrlck's
cosmopolitan household. One
might come to the conclusion that life at
| Ianetovka--isolated as it is from any
| large center OF population and depen
, | dent upon its own resources-would
| become monotouous But this is far
, | from being the case. The patients go
out riding a great deal, buying or hiring
horses from the wandering Cossacks.
Some even bring their cycles, but the
doctor prefers that they should ride on
no setback. CrOquet-an ideal game
tor the ailing-is much in favor; and the
/ | doctor, true to his Scotch instincts, even
! hopes to establish golf some da There
D is music IN the evening-ior which pur-
. pose a large, fully equipped co lSert
e room is provided, Besides chess
0 draughts, and other games, JaAetovks
also has private theatrIcals, which are
very popular. A Russian play called
4 LHils v ar is a favorits piece. Tn,
performances are given in the concer
n hall, and are very we'll rendered. Th'
d | patients make all their own scenery AM
,e costumes, and the doctor is usually al
re lotted leading part But, busy ma
oil as be is, he does not trouble to learr
ul and MS MANY and varied appeals TO tn
al prompter are not the least amusing pal
We L OF the business.