The Tucson citizen., 1901-12-30

many tas The writer sleep out during
the whole yePr. There are not FIVE DAYS
IN the whole year but the most delicate
Invalid can spend part OF the day, at
least, out Of doors. In this climate in
iuries and wounds heal very rapidly.
contagious diseases are usually very
mild. There has been no epidemic, ex-
cept IN whooping cough, for years.
The winter months, from the middle
at September to the first of NAV, are in
this locality the finest IN the world One
bright sunshiny day succeeds another.
The nights are cool and cxhilarating; the
whole country green with the richest
verdue and the brightest flowers. Truly
it is a JOY to live.
AT present have never known per
son coming to this Territory in the early
stages OF pulmonary disease andlocating
IN the altitude suited to their particular
case that did not get well, nor have /
known Of one in the second stage that
did not improve But cannot refrain
from raising my voice against the out
rage of sending advanced cases to this
or other sections to die among strang-
ers."
Or. H. w. Fenner, of Tucson, Surgeon
of the Southern Pacific K. r., says
Tucson is a city OF 10000 inhabitants.
on the main line OF the Southern Pacific
Railway, altitude 2.4O0 feet above the
sea level. Tucson is one OF the oldest
settlements male by the Spanish con-
querors. 1t is now the commercial and
railroad center of Southern Arizona. The
climate is exceedingly dry and bracing.
the humidity being exceedingly low; the
yearly minimum and maximum being
26' and 560 respe. lively. The rainfall
is small and but little irrigation is car
ried on. The water supply is excellent
The summers are long, the thermometer
ranges high, but the low degree OF humid
ity makes the clear warmth tolcrable,
and the most healthful part of the year.
Sunstrokes and heat prostrations are
unknown. The climate of Tucson has
been found by experience to be particul-
arly beneficial to most cases of pulmon-
airy phthisis, especially those of the
earlier or pre-tubercuiar periods.
DR.. Mark A. Rogers. of Tucson, says:
My experience has impressed upon
me the necessity for outdoor life in the
treatment OF pulmonary tuberculosis. In
order that the patient may live contin-
uousiy in the open air for a period ofsev-
erai months, or, for that matter. for a
year, or several years, climate is re-
qured which is continuously warm and
dry. Such a climate the United States
does not possess, but the nearest ap-
proach to it is Arizona.
Physicians rarelv send their patents
to the arid -eS.ons catriag SIMMER nd
this | consider a great --istake. 1he
patients should be sent to the arid re-
gions so soon as there is evidence of in
lection from the tuberclc bacillus, and
should be made to remain there until
they are well. or until il 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
in some instances greater, than that ot
the Atlantic coast, and many of the best
physicians in California regularly send
their tubercuiar and asthmatic patients
to Tucson. California is n beautiful
country, but the fogs which come in
TOHi Tic sea- anu l3C
the vast irrigated regions, make II far
inferior to the inland desert regions for
phthisical patients. think it may be
assumed as general rule that wher
ever there is irrigation there is a high
degree of relative humidity, andpatients
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 health resort
which can not be equaled 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. II is no longer considered
imperative to send tubercuiar patients
to an altitude of 5000 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 5000 feet. The altitude OF
Tucson is =, 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 5000 feet at least. Mount Le-
mon, he highest peak OF the Catalinas,
has an elevation of 10000 feet, and
Mount Wrightson in the Santa Rtas,
reaches an altitude of nearly 11,000
feet.
"Thc scenery at Tucson is AS impress
sive as anywhere in the Rocky noun
tains, and the gorgeous sunrise and sun
set bcegar description.
"ruring the nine months, October to
Iune inclusive, 1S9t-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 eye, have seen
Venus wa>o was hut ten degrees teast
3f pa sul.