The Opelousas courier., 1899-08-05
TO CURE CONSUMPTION.
The UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
OPENS A sANtTARIUM

NFSh Ak1ESAlSS w nlGf
the National Authorities win IT,.
take-Novel Treatment in Dr. c,,,a...
consumption, or pulmonary tuber
cuiosls, may be cured in a high, dr.,
and mild climate if the patient is rive,
gentle exercise in the open air.
Upon this theory a governmea,
s%anltarlum, under the management O
the surgeon general of the marine
nospi.a service, is to be opened in
New Mexico. Only marine hospital
patients will be treated at first. hut 4
the establishment is d success thu
scope of the resort will be broadened
to take in other patients at a small
expense, sufficient to pay the actual
cost of subsistence.
An old abandoned military reser Va.
ton, known as Fort Stanton. in lin.
coin county, New Mexico, is the site
turned over to the marine hospital
service for this purpose by an order
OF the president. The official trans
Ter OF the property from the 9 etary
OF wal to tae secretary Of the treasury
mas been maae in accordance with the
statutes, and the work of rehabilitat.
ing the thirty odd stone buildings on
the reservation will be commenced at
once, with the expectation of having
the sanitarium ready soon to receive
patients.
Surgeon General Walter Wyman
has had this subject under considera-
ton for a number of years, and he is
now about to realize one of the ambi-
tlons of his life in the establishment
OF an institution where consumption
can be cured through the agency of
climatic influences. Secretary Gage
has become greatly interested in the
subject, and he has given the surgeon
general his personal and official sup
port n securing the desired executive
order necessary to the creation o. the
new establishment.
II have seen the gool effects of eli
matte treatment Of patients suffering
from consumption said Surgeon.
General Wymau, "and I have always
been anxious to give the open air
treatment q fair test. More than
twenty years ago I endeavored to
enlist the interest of Mr.. Romero,
then q delegate in Congress
from New Mexico, but very little
progress was made in that direction
until I became surgeon-general.
my experience has taught me, and
/ am sustained by many of the ablest
authorities on pulmonary troubles,
that the most desirable region for an
establishment of the kind proposed
should be high and dry and the eli
mate mild. just such conditions as
are desired are to be found in the
midcontinental region in New Mexi-
co, Arizona, Western Texas and south
western Kansas.
General Wyman is a believer in the
that consumptives can be cured
by living in a mild, dry climate and
themselves at some gentle
exercise or labor. He contends that
it is beneficial to the patient to have
his mind and also his body employed
while undergoing treatment.
His idea is to conduct the Fort
Stanton establishment as he would q
ranch. There are about thirty or more
Did stone buildings, formerly used as
garrison. There are several
acres Of splendid land on the
reservation, on the eastern slope Of
The White mountains.
Having secured the authority to es-
the institution, General Wy
nan proposes to run it as cconomi-
ally and on lines similar to those
Employed in conducting a marine hos
oital, and it may eventually become
'elf-supporting if the patients are
benefited according to his anticipa-
ions and the products Of the reserva-
ion are profitable.
This is q novel method of treating
consumption, but General Wyman is
that it will be productive Of
rood results. Passed Assistant-Sur-
,eon J. O. Cobb was detailed to go to
Fort Stanton and make q thorough in
pection of the site, and he has sub
q comprehensive report on the
After q detailed statement
IS to the condition of the building, the
arrangements and the rail
Dad and other facilities, he recon-
aends that steps be taken to have
Fort Stanton reservation and build
ngs turned over to the marine hos
,ital service for immediate 5 as being
he most desirable for the purpose Of
. sanitarium for con
umptive sailors"
Surgeon Cobb also inspected a num-
,er of other sites in that region, and
the same time he submitted q long
eport on the scientific treatment of
consumption, which is in accord with
he ideas Of Surgeon-G General Wy
Referring to the climatic effects on
onsumptives, Surgeon Cobb says the
cry worst of all climates is the hot,
saturated, devitaliziug atmo-
phere at the sea level, which saps
he strength and life Of these patients
4 SO short q time. There are few
at the sea level that are not
to rapid changes in tempera-
IRE and humidity.
It is probably true that the best
for the consumptive is that of
moderately cool and dry atmosphere
{ high attitudes. without wind and
reat temperature changes. At pres
ut there is no station where there is
hospital that will in any way answer
,e necessary climatic requirements
n the consumptiyc sailor. New York
A Matrimonial DialcuIfy.