Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1899-07-27
'rO CURE CONSUMPTION.
THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
OPENS A SANlTARlUM.

the National Authorities VIII Under
takc-Novel Treatment In Dry Climate.
Consumption, or pulmonary tuber-
culosis, may be cured in a high, dry
and mild climate if the patient is given
gentle exercise in the open air.
Upon this theory a government
sanitarium, under the management Of
| the surgeon general of the marine
hospital service, is to be opened in
New Mexico. Only marine hospital
patients will be treated at first, but if
the establishment is success the
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 reserva-
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
fer 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-
| Aio VIC lAl Wy OONl otpnC Ou
the reservation will be commenced at
once, with the expectation of having
the sanitarium ready sool to receive
patients.
Surgeon General Walter Wyman
has had this subiect under considera-
ton for a number of years, and he is
now about to realize one of the ambi
tions 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 in securing the desired executive
order necessary to the creation of the
new establishment.
81 have seen the good effects of eli
matte treatment of patients suffering
from consumption, said Surgeon
General Wyman, land 1 have always
been anxious to give the open air
treatment a fair test. More than
twenty years ago l endesvored to
enlist the interest Of Mr.. Romero,
then delegate iu Congress
from Now Mexico, but very little
progress was made in that direction
until / became surgeon-general.
'My experience has taught me, and
1 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 aAd 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 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
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
ranch. There are about thirty or more
old stone buildings, formerly used as
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-
tablish the institution, General Wy
man proposes to run it as economi-
cally and on lines similar to those
employed in conducting a marine hos
pital, and it may eventually become
self-supporting if the patients are
benefited according to his anticipa
tions and the products of the reserva-
tion are profitable.
This is a novel method of treating
consumption, but General Wyman is
confident that it will be productive of
good results. Passed Assistant-Sur-
geon J. O. Cobb was detailed to go to
Fort Stanton aud make thorough in
spection of the site, and he has sub
mitted comprehensive report on the
subject After q detailed statement
as to the condition of the building, the
sanitary arrangements and the rail
road and other facilities, he recon-
mends that steps be taken to have
"Fort Stanton reservation aud build
ings turned over to the marine hos
pital service for immediate use as being
the most desirable for the purpose of
establishing a sanitarium for con-
sumptive sailors.
Surgeon Cobb also inspected num-
ber of other sites in that region, and
at the same time he submitted a long
report on the scientific treatment OF
consumption, which is in accord with
the ideas of geonGeneral Wy
man.
Referring to the climatic effects on
consumptives, Surgeon Cobb says the
very worst of all climates is the hot,
humid, saturated, devitalizing atmo-
sphere at the sea level, which saps
the strength and life of these patients
in so short time. There are few
climates at the sea level that are not
subject to rapid changes in tempera-
ture and humidity.
1t is probably true that the best
climate for the consumptive is that of