Arizona daily citizen., 1901-02-28

uously in the open air for period of sew
eral months, or, for that matter, for Z
year, or several years, a climate is re
quired which is continuously warm ant
dry. Such a climate the United State.
does not possess, but the nearest ap
proach to it is Arizona
Physicians rar='v send their pa; mt:
to the arid -egicns airing i-mner lc
this | consider great ristake. .hs
patients should be sent to the arid re
gions so soon as there is evidence of in
fiction from the tubercle bacillus, an6
should be made to remain there until
they are well, or until it is apparent that
the case is hopeless.
MANY physicians in the east order
patients to California for the winter
apparently with view of sending them
to dry climate. The relative humidity
in southern California is as great, and
IN some instances greater, than that ot
the Atlantic coast, and many of the best
physicians in California regularly send
their tubercular and asthmatic patients
to Tucson. California is a beautiful
country, but the fogs which come in
from the sea, and the emanations from
the vast irrigated regions, make it far
inferior to the inland desert regions for
pht hisical patients. think it may be
assumed as a general rule that wher.
ever there is irrigation there is high
degree of relative humidity, and patients
suffering from pulmonary phthisis
should never be sent to an irrigated dis
trict. Indeed, some of the California
physicians have declared that irrigation
and malaria go together
"The city of Tucson has. in my opin.
ion. advantages as a health resort
which can not be equalied anywhere in
North America. / know of no locality
where such a moderate winter climate
and such low degree of relative humid.
ity are combined with the same latitude
and altitude. 1t is no longer considered
imperative to send tubercular patients
to an altitude of 5000 feet, or over. In
fact, clinical experience has proven that
more frequently patients required to b,
sent to an altitude or less, rather thar
more than 8, 900 feet. The altitude O
Tucson is 2, 400 feet, and that seems Il
be amply high for all but the most ex
a basin near the underground Sants
Cruz river. 1t is completely walled il
bv massive mountain ranges. To th'
north is the Santa Catalina range: II
the east, the Rincon; to the south, tn
Santa Rita: and on the west, the Tue
son. Each of these ranges has an hlti
tude of 6, 900 feet at least. Mount LIE
mon, the highest peak of the cataiinas
has an elevation OF 10000 feet, ant
Mount Wrightson in the Santa Ritas
reaches an altitude of nearly II, ,00t
feet.
The scenery at Tucson is as iinpres
sive as anywhere in the Rocky noun
tains and the gorgeous sunrise and sun
set beggar description.
During the nine months, October tt
June. inclusive, lS94-5, there were but
twenty-five. cloudy days, and nine {
these were in one month. Some idea o
the transparency of the atmosphere ma,
be had when | state that, at midday
and with the unaided eye, have seer
Venus when it was but ten degrees east
of the SUM-"
DIR. N, I'll. Matas, Physician of Il
years practice in this City, says
Since consuInptives must depend on the
resisting forces OF nature for the cure o.
their disease, it is evident that an early
selection of a good winter climate is the
most important factor for their cure and
future welfare.
"They need a warm, dry climate in
winter, free from fogs, heavy frosts
storms, chilling winds and sudden at.
mospheric changes, a climate where
there is constant sunshine and plenty
of pure air, and where they can have
outdoor exercise daily. Treatment as
well as climate must be undertaken
early to do good when there is yet a
good foundation upon which to builo
the system. We must remember that
nature alone cures. and where there il
no nature there is no hope. Physicians
and climate can only help nature, and
they can do no good when nature il
destroyed.
"The official weather reports and sur.
veyors OF the United States, as well as
the scientific ciimatologists, admit that
Tucson is the center of the most favor
able gone in the southwest for the i'm.
provement and maintenance of life oi
consumptives in the United States, il
not in the world"
DIR. w. B. Purcell, County Physician,
Observes:-"It is an undisputed fact that
proper climatic conditions give the
greatest relief to those affected with OF
having a tendency to phthisis.
''When a phthisicai tendency exists
great care should be exercised to prevent
it's development. As humidity is such an
important factor in the cause of com,
sumption. those affected with or having
a predisposition to lung disease should
immediately seek the proper climate tav.
orable to their condition.
The climate of Colorado has been re
commended for its beneficial effects for
consumption; my long residence there
gave me ample and sufficient opport.
unity of Judging climatic conditions
there existing during hesunmer months
The mountainous portions of Colorado
undoubtedly have beneficial effect on
tuberculosis subjects, but cannot re
commend Colorado during the fall and
winter, as the changes are often severe
becoming raw and cold within few
hours, and as these are atmospheric con
tiitions to be avoided, it would not b,
advisable to spend these seasons there
Those having peculiar type of consti
tuition with a hereditary tendency tt
consumption would do well to avail
themselves of an opportunity and COM
here and remain exempt from disease.
1T 10 a fact that those born here o
tuberculosis parents seldom ever hav,
the disease develop, so long as they re
main in this climate. 1t is my opinioi
that there is no other section Of tn
United States which viii compare favor