Arizona daily citizen., 1901-02-04

order that the patient may live contin
uously i'll the open air for period ofsey
eral months, or, for that matter, for {
year, or several years, a climate is re
quircd which is continuously warm ant
dry. Such a climate the United States
does not possess, but the nearest ap
proach to it is Arizona.
Physicians rarely send their patient.
to the avid regions during summer, anc
tins / consider a great mistake. The
patients should be sent to the arid re
gions SO soon as there is evidence of in
lection from the tubercle bacillus, ant
should be made to remain there unit
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
I III southern California is as great, and
! IN some instances greater, than that ui
the Atlantic coast, and MANY of the best
/ physicians III California regularly send
their tubeTcular 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 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 tubercuiar patients
To an altitude of 5 900 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-
ceptIonai cases. The city is situated in
basin near the underground Santa
Cruz river. 1t is completely walled III
bv massive mountain ranges. To the
north is the Santa Catalina range; to
the east, the Rincon; to the south, the
Santa Rita; aud on the west, the Tue
son. Each of these ranges has an slti-
tude Of 1000 feet at least. Mount Le-
mon, The highest peak of the Cataliuas,
has an elevation of 10000 feet, and
Mount Wrightson in the Santa Ritas.
reaches an altitude of nearly ii 900
feet
The scenery Mt Tucson is as inprcs-
sive as anywhere in the Rocky noun
ta,ns, and the gorgeous sunrise nd sun
set i4cggar description.
During the nine months, October to
June, inclusive. 1895, there were but
twenty-five cloudy DAYS, and nine OF
| these were III one month. Some idea OF
the transparency of the atmosphere NAV
be had when state that, at midday,
and with the unaidcd eye, have seen
| Venus when it was but ten degrees cast
OF the sun."
/ DR.. n, II. Matas, a Physician of II
years practice in this City, SAYS
Since consumptives must depend on the
resisting forces of nature for the cure oi
their disease, it is evident that an carly
selection Of good winter climate is the
most important factor for their cure and
future welfare.
They need a warm, dry climate IL
winter. free from fogs, heavy frosts
storms, chilling winds and sudden at
mosphere changes, climate whert
i there is ii constant sunshine and plenty
OF pure air, and where they can have
outdoor exercise daily. Treatment as
we'll as climate must be undertaken
early to do good when there is yet n
good foundation upon whit IL 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 r"- aHr sun
vesors of the United Sta .. .ss a~jI a>
the scientific c'imatologis !. '.e. that
Tucson is the center of the s..st t..tsr
able zone in the southwes ,pr Lae 1n,-
,provcmcnt and maintenance O.; hs ot
eonsumptives in the uuitco rtatcs, #
not in the world.
DR.. w. B. Purcell, County Physician,
Obseryes.-''It is an undispuied fact that
proper climatic conditions give the
greatest relief to those affected with or
having tendency to phthisis.
''When a phthisical 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
a predisposition to lung disease should
immediately seek the proper climate fav-
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-
nnity of Judging climatic conditions
thereyexisting during the summer months
The mountainous portions of Colorado
undoubtedly have beneficial effect on
tuberculosis subjects, but I 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 atmosphere CON
ditions to be avoided, it would not be
advisable to spend these seasons there.
Those having peculiar type of consti-
tuition with hereditary tendency TO
consumption would do well to avail
themselves of an opportunity and come
here and remain exempt from disease.
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