Arizona daily citizen., 1901-04-05

order that the patient may live contir
uously in the open air for period OF sew
eral months, or, for that matter, for
year, or several years, climate is re
quired which is continuously warm ant
dry. Such a climate the United State
docs not possess, but the nearest ap
proach to it is Arizona.
Physicians rare'u send their pa mt
to the arid -egicCs .ftri1g :-m=eI II
this 1 consider a great EistaKe. h'
patients should be sent to the arid re
gions so soon as there is evidence of in
fiction from the tubercle bacillus, anc
should be made to remain there unit
they are well, or until it is apparent thai
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 u
the Atlantic coast, and many of the best
physicians in California regularly send
their tubs rcular 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
phthisical patients. think it may be
assumed as a general rule that whcr-
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 'irriga tion
/ and malaria go together.
The city of Tucson has. in my opin-
/ ion, advantages as a health resort
/ which can not be cqualled 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 tubercuiar patients
! 10 an altitude of 8 900 feet, or over In
fact, clinical experience has proven that
more frequently patients required to bc
sent TO an altitude or less, rather than
more than 3 900 feet. The altitude OF
Tucson is 400 feet, and that seems to
be amply high for all but the most ex-
cepiional 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 is the Santa Catalina range; to
the east, the Rincon: to the south, the
Santa Rita: and on the west, the Tux
son. Each of these ranges has an slti-
inde of 5000 feet at least. Mount Le-
mon, the highest peak of the Catalinas,
has an elevation OF 5000 feet, and
Mount Wnghtson in the Santa Ritas,
reaches an altitude OF nearly II 600
feet
The scenery at Tucson is as frnpres-
sive as anywhere IN the Rocky noun
tains, and the gorgeous sunrise end sun
set beggar description.
'iiarISg the nine months, October TO
June, inclusive. IS94-5, there were but
twenty-five cloudy DAYS. and nine OF
these were 10 one month. Some idea oil
the transparency of the atmosphere may
be had when ] state that. at midday.
and with the unaided eye, have seen
Venus when it was but ten degrees cast
of the sun.'
Dr. n, II. Matas, a Physician of IL
years practice IN this City, says
Since consumptivcs msSt depend on the
resisting forees OF nature for the cure OF
th-ir disease. it is evident that an early
selection of q good winter clsknate is the
most important factor for their cure and
future welfare.
"Tbey need warm, dry climate in
winter. fnce from fogS, heavy trosts,
storms, chiIiing winds ard spdden at.
uosphetic changes. d climate " here
there 10 a ecastan' sunshine and plenty
Of pure air. and where they can ha "
fIasfs~
weii az climate must he under ia ken
early TO do good when there IL vet n
good foundation upon whiG h to build
the sysicm. We must reaefnlser that
natu.e alone esrrs. and here there il
no nature tlscre 50 no hope. Fhrsicians
and climate can onIr hcip ature. and
they can do no good wbcn nature IS
destroyed.
Tise official We, her reports aud sur
veyors Of the | nii esi States. as wcll as
the scscnt' 10 ,lsFu At olo2ists, admit that
Tucson IL he center of the nsesst favor
able gone in the southwest or The i'm
provcmcHt aud maintenance of life OF
consumptives IN the United States, ii
not IN the world"
Dr. ". u. Purcell. County Physician,
Dbservcs.--'it rs an undispuicd iact that
proper climatic conditions give the
greatest rcisrf to thoSc affected with or
having a tendency to phthisis.
When a phthiSicai tendcu Y exists
great care should be exercised 10 prevent
it's 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 it's 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 mounta ainous 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 tmospheric CON
ditions to be avoided, it would not be
advisable to spend these seasons there.
Those having peculiar type OF consti.
tuition with a hereditary tendency to
consumption would do we'll to avail
themselves of an opportunity and come
here and remain exempt from disease.
sit is a fact that those born here OF
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