Arizona daily citizen., 1901-03-30

uously in the open air for a period ofsev-
eral months, or, for that matter, for a
year, or several years, climate is re-
quired 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 rareIv send their pa ~nts
to the arid -egicus 5xtri1g :;xnler nd
this l consider a great Eistake. he
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 that
the case is hopeless.
Many physicians in the east order
patients to California for the winter,
apparently with view of sending them
in southern California is as great, and
in some instances greater, than that ut
the Atlantic coast, and many of the best
physicians in California regularly send
their tubsrcular and asthmatic patients
to Tucson. California is a beautiful
country, but the fogs which come in
from the sea, and the einanations 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 all 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 equalled anywhere in
North America. | know of no locality
where such a 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 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 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 10
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 S 1000 feet at least. Mount Le-'
mon, the highest peak of the Catalinas,
has ain elevation of 10000 teet, and
Mount Wrightson i'll the Santa Ritas,
reaches an altitude of nearly II ,OOo
feet
"The scenery at Tucson is as lmpres-
sive as anywhere i'll the Rocky noun
tains, and the gorgeous sunrise nd 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 We're 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 but ten degrees east
of the sum-"
DR.. N, H. Matas, a Physician of II.
years practice in this City, says
"Since consunptives must depend on the
resisting forces OF nature for the cure of
their disease, it is evident that an early
selection of 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
mosphefic changes, a climate where
there is 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 yet 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
veyors of the United States, as we'll as
the scientific climatologists, 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, if
not III the world"
DIR. W. b. Purcell, County Physician,
Observes:-'It is an undsputed fact that
proper climatic conditions give the
greatest rcliet to those affected with or
having a 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
those affected with or having
a predisposition to lung disease should
immediately seek the proper climate tav-
orable to their condition.