Arizona daily citizen., 1901-01-30

order that the patient may live contin.
roES.y in Tie open air for a period ofsev,
erai months, or, for that matter, for a
+ year, CT several years, climate is re.
qnucj wpich is continuously warm and
dry. Such q climate the United States
does not possess. but the nearest ap,
proach to it is Arizona
Physicians rarely send their patients
to the arid regions during summer, and
tins / consider a great mistake. The
patients should be sent to the arid re-
.S'ons so soon as there is evidence OF i'll
fiction from the tubcrcle bacillus, aud
should be made to remain there until
they are well, or until it is apparent that
2 the case is hopeless.
/ Many physicians III 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 of
the Atlantic coast, and many of the best
/ physicians i'll California regularly send
their tubercular and asthnatie 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
I phthisical patients. | think it may be
assumed as 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
tr1ct. 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 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 latitud
and altitude. 1t is no longer considered
imperative 20 send tubercuiar patients
TO an altitude of 200 feet, or over. In
tact, clinical experience has proven that
| more frequently patients required to be
sent 10 an altitude or less, rather than
more han 5000 feet. The altitude of
Tucson Is 2 400 feet, and that seems to
be amply high for all bat the most ex-
ceptionai cases. The city is situated in
a BASIN near the underground Santa
Cruz river. 1t is completely walled in
DIV 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 siti-
tude OF 5000 feet at least. Mount Le-
mon, The highest peak of the Catalinas,
has an elevation of 10000 feet, and
Mount NrIghtson in the Santa Ritas,
reaches an altitude of nearly II ,0o0
feet.
The scenery at Tucson is as impress
sive as anywhere in the Rocky noun
tains, and the gorgeous sunrise and sun
set beggar description.
During the nine months, October to
June. inclusive, 1S94-5, there were but
twenty-five cloudy days, and nine OF
these were in one month. Some idea OF
the transparency of the atmosphere may
be had when state that, at midday,
and with the unaided eve, have seen
Venus when it was but ten degrees east
Of the sun.''
years practice in this City, SAYS
Since consumptives must depend on the
resisting forces of nature for the cure OF
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 warm, dry climate IN
winter, free from fogs, heavy frosts,
storms, chilling winds and sudden at
mosphetic changes, a climate where
there is a 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 vet a
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
vevors of the United States, as well as
the scientific ciimatolo2ists, admit that
Tucson is he center of the most favor
able zone in the southwest for the inn
provcment and maintenance of life OF
consumptives in the United States, If
not in the world"
DR.. w. b. Purcell, County Physician,
Observes:-"It is an nndisputcd fact that
proper climatic conditions give the
greatest relief to those affected with or
having tendency to phtisisis.
When a phthisicai tendency exists
great care should be exercised to prevent
its development. As humidity is such an
important factor in the cause OF com
sumption. those affected with or having
predisposition to lung disease should
Immediately seek the proper climate tay-
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 atmosphericcon-
ditions to be avoided, it would not be