The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-04-13

sumptives.
Fort Stanton, New Mexico, which is
on the line of the New Mexico Railway
and Coal company's road, of which G.
y. Simpson, of this city, is president,
has been set apart as a government
saritarum for the cure of consump-
ton. This practically puts the seal OF
the approval of the United States gov
ernment upon that section of the coun-
try as the best i'm the United States for
consumptives. This action of the gov
ernmcnt is of great Importance and is
going to be of great benefit to the en-
terprses the New Mexico Railway and
CCal company have in hand in New
Mexico.
Consumption, or pulmonary tubercu-
loss, may be cured in n high, dry and
mild climate. if the patient is given
gentle exercise in the open air
Upon this theory a government san
itarium under the management of the
surgeon general of the Marine hospi-
tai service. is to be opened in New
Mexico the latter part of next month.
only Marine hospital patients will be
treated at first. but If the establish
mo,@is a success the scope of the re-
sort will be broadened to take in 9TH
Ell patients at small expense, sutlic-
lent to pay the actual cost of subsist-
ence.
ABANDONED RESERVATION.
An old abandoned military reserva-
tion, 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 transfer
of the property from the secretary OF
war to the secretary of the treasury
has been made 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 to receive pa
| tients by the latter part Of May next.
Surgeon General Walter Wyman has
| had this subject under consideration
| for a number Of years, and he is now
! about to realize one of the ambitions or
| his life in the establishment of an in
| stituton where consumption may 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 support in secur-
| ing the desired executive order neces-
| sary to the creation of the new estab-
| lishment
"I have seen the good effects of eli
matte treatment of patients suffering
| from consumption" said Surgeon Gen
| eral Wyman. land 1 have always been
| anxious to give the open air treatment
| n fair test. More than twenty years
| ago l endeaVored to enlist the interest
| of Mr.. Romero, then a delegate in con-
gress from New Mexico, but very little
progress was made in that direction
| until I became surgeon genelsl
| "My experience has taught me, and
am sustained by many of the ablest
| authorities on pulmonary troubles, that
the most desirable region for an estab-
lishment of the kind proposed should
| be high and dry and the climate mild.
lust such conditions as are desired are
to he found in the midcontinental re-
| Sion in New Mexico. Arizona, Western
! Texas and Southwestern Kansas"
GENERAL WYMAN'S THEORY.
| General Wyman is a believer in the
theory that consumptives can be cured
by living in a mild, dry climate and
occupying themselves at some gentle
| exercise or labor. He contends that 1t
is beneficial TO the patient to have his
mind and also his body employed while
undergoing treatment.
His idea is to conduct the Fort Stan
ton establishment as he would a ranch
There are about thirty or more old
stone buildings, formerly used as Il
military garrison. There are several
thousand acres of splendid land on the
reservation, on the eastern slope of the
White mountains.
| Having secured the authority to es-
tahish the institution, General wy
man proposes to run il as eConomical-
ly and on lines similar to those en-
ployed in conducting marine hospi.
tai He says it will cost no more thar
an ordinary hospital. and ii may even.
tually become sclf-supporting if the
patients are benefited according to hi;
anticipationS and the products of the
reservation are profitable
| This is a novel method of treatma
consumption, but General Wyman /:
confident that it will be productive ot
good results. Passed Assistant Sur
geon ]. O. Cobb was detailed to go tC
Fort stanton and make n thorough in
spccton OF the site, and he has sub
mitted n comprehensive report on th,
subject After a detailed statement a.
to the condition of the building, th'
sanitary arrangements and the rail
read and other facilities, he recon
mend3 that steps be taken to haV,
Fort Stanton reservation and build
ings turned over to the Marine hospi
tai service for immediate use, as be