Arizona daily citizen., 1901-05-16

order that the patient may live contin
uously IN the open air for period of sey-
eral months, or, for that matter, for a
year, or several years, 4 climate is re-
quired which is continuously warm and
| dry. Such a climate the United States
does not possess, but the nearest ap-
proach to it 10 Arizona.
Physicians rarely send their pat; ,nts
to the arid -egions curing :lsn:ler I'd
this | consider a great -istakc. he
patients should be sent to the arid re.
g1ons so soon as there is evidence of in.
fiction from the tubercle bacillus, and
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
ia some instances greater, than that of
the Atlantic coast, and many of the best
physicians in California regularly send
their tubereular and asthmatic patients
to Tucson. California is a beautiful
country, but the fogs which come in
| rom the sea, and the emanations from
the vast irrigated regions, make it far
inferior to the inland desert regions for
phthisical patients. think it may be
assumed as a general rule that wher-
ever there 10 irrigation there is high
degree ofrelatiye humidity, and patients
suffering from pulmonary phthisis
should never be sent to an irrigated dis
tiict. Indeed, some of the California
physicians have declared that irrigation
and malaria 60 together
The city of Tucson has, in my opin-
ion, advantages as a health resort
which can not be equailed anywhere in
North America. / know of no locality
where such 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 tubercuiaI patients
to an altitude of S. 900 feet, or over. In
fact, clinical experience has proven that
more frequently patients required to be
sent to an altitude or less, rather than
more than 3, 900 feet. The altitude of
Tucson is 2, 400 feet. and that seems to
be amply high for all but the most cx-
ceptional cases. The city is situated in
basin near the underground Santa
Cruz river. 1t is completely walled in
bv massive mountain ranges. To the
north 10 the Santa Catalina range; TO
the east, the Rincon; to the south, the
Santa Rita; and on the west, the Tue
sou. Each of these ranges has an alti-
tude Of 6, 900 feet at least. Mount I,e-
mon. the highest peak of the Cataiinas
has an elevation of 10000 feet, and
Monnt Wrightson in the Santa Ritas,
reaches an altitude of nearly II ,000
feet.
The scenery at Tucson Is as impres-
siye as anywhere in the Rocky moun-
tains, and the gorgeous sunrise and sun
set beggar description.
During the nine months, October to
june. inclusive, Is94-5, there were but
twenty-five cloudy DAYS, and nine oi
these were in one month. Some idea OF
the transparency of the atmosphere NAV
be had when STATE that, at midday,
and with the unaided eye, have seen
Venus when it was bat ten degrees east
of the snn."
DR.. N, HI. Matas, Physician OF Ii
years practice in this City, says
Since eonsumptives must depend ON the
resisting forces Of nature for The cure OF
their disease, 1t is eyidcnt that an early
selection Of a good winter climate is the
most important factor for their cure and
future welfare.
They need warm, dry climate in
winter, free from fogs, heavy trusts.
storms, chilling winds and sudden at
niospbeFic changes, a climate where
there in constant sunshine aud 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
good foundation upon which to build
the system. We must remember that
uafarc alone cures. and where there is
no. nature therr is no hope. Physicians
and climate can only help nature. and
they can do no good when nature is
DESTROYED,