Arizona daily citizen., 1901-05-17

treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis. Il
order that the patient may live contin
uously in the open air for period ofsev
eral months. or. for that matter for
year, Or several years, climate is re
dry. Such a climate the United State.
proach to it is Arizona.
Physicians rarsiy send their paint:
to the arid -szions tssriag s-m=ler .-1t
this / consider a great -istake. : ht
patients should be sent to the arid re
gions 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 tha I
the case is hopeless.
MANY physicians in the east order
patients to California for the winter,
apparently with view of sending them
to a dry climate. The relative humidity
in southern California is as great, and
in some instances greater, than that oi
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
rom the sea, and the emanations from
the vast irrigated regions, make it far
inferior to the inland desert regions for
phthisica1 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 opiu-
ION, advantages as health resort
which can not be equalled anywhere in
North America. know of no locality
where such moderate winter climate
and such a low degree of relative humid
ity are combined with the same latitude
and altitude. 1t is no longer considered
imperative to send tubercuiaT patients
to an altitude of {. 900 feet, or over. In
fact, clinical experience has proven that
more frequently patients required to be
sent to am altitude or less, rather than
more than 5000 feet. The altitude of
Tucson is 2, 400 feet. and that seems to
be amply high for all but the most ex-
ceptional cases. The city is situated in
a basin near the underground Santa
Cruz river. 1t is completely walled in
bv massive mountain ranges. To the
north is the Santa Catalina range; to
the east, the Rincon; to the south, the
Santa Rita; and on the west, the Tue
son. Each of these ranges has an alti-
tude Of {, 900 feet at least. Mount I4e-
mon. thu highest peak of the Catalinas,
has an elevation of 10, ,00O feet, and
",sntsfr<~s s,~ 4 Ak.ne c..
reaches an altitude of nearly IL ,ooo
feet.
The scenery at Tucson is as impres-
siye as anywhere IN the Rocky noun
tains. and the gorgeous sunrise and sun
set heggar description.
During the nine months, October to
June, Inclusive, 1s94-5, there were but
twenty-five cloudy days, and nine OF
these wcrc IN one month. Some idea OF
the transparency of the atmosphere may
be had when / state that, at midday,
and with the unaided eye, have seen
Venus when it was bat ten degrees east
Of the sun.
DIR. n, III. Matas, a Physician of II
years practice in this City, says
Since coasumptives must depend ON the
resisting forces of nature for the cure of
their disease, it is evident that an carly
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 frogts,
storms. chilling winds and sudden at
mospheric changes, climate where
there Is a constant sunshine and plenty
of pure air, and where they can have
outdoor exercise daily. Treatment as
weil 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
nature alone cures. and where there is
no nature there is no hope. Physicians
and climate can only help nature, and
they can do no good when nature is
destroyed.
"The official weather reports and sur
veyors of the United States, as well as
the scientific limatoiogists, admit that
Tucson is the center of the most favor.
able zone in the southwest for the i'm
provcment and maintenance of life OF
consumptives in the United States, II
not in the world
DR.. w. b. Purcell, County Physician,
Obseryes:--"ft 1t is an undisputed fact that
proper climatic conditions give the
greatest relief to those affected with or
having tendency to phthisis.
when a phthisicaI tendency exists
great care should be exercised to prevent
its development. An 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 fay-
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 the summer 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 atm mospheric con-
ditions to be avoided, it would not be
advisable to speud these seasons there.
Those having peculiar type of constr
tuition with a hereditary tendency to
consumption would do well to avail
themselves Of an opportunity and come
here and remain exempt from disease.
1T is a fact that those born hereof
tuberculosis parents seldom ever have
the disease develop, so long as they re-
main in this climate. 1t is my opinion
that there is no other section of the
United States which will compare favor
able with that in and about Tucson for
the relief of pulmonary affections"