The Tucson citizen., 1902-02-08

the whole yc?r. There arc 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
iurics and wounds heal very rapidly;
contagious diseases are usually very
mild. There has been no epidemic, ex-
cept III whoOpiug cough, for years.
THE winter months. from the middle
of September to the first of May, are in
this locality the finest III the world. One
bright Suushiny day succeeds another,
the nights are cool and cxhilarating; the
whole country green with the richest
verdue and the brightest flowers. Truly
it is JOY to live.
At present have never known a per
son coming to this Territory in the early
stages of pulmonary disease andlocating
III 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."
Dr. II. ". Fenner, of Tucson. Surgeon
OF the Southern Pacific X. r., saws
on the main line of the Southern Pacific
Railway, altitude 2, 400 feet above the
sea level. Tucson is one of the oldest
settlements made 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 So respe, lively. The rainfall
is small and but little irrigation is car
ned on. The water supply Is excellent.
The summers are long, the thermometer
ranges high, but the low degree ofhumid-
ity makes the clear warmth tolerable,
and the most healthfrl 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 phthsis, especially those of the
earlier or pre-tubercular 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-
uously in the open air for period of sew
erai months, or. for that matter, for a
year, or several years. a climate is re-
gulrcd which IS continuously warm and
dry. Such "A climate the nited States
does not possess, but the nearest APP
proach to it is Arizona.
Physicians rare'v send their paints
to the arid -eR.o1s Sc,ri1g :-kn=1e: I'D
this | consider a great -sstake. Ihe
patients should be sent TO the arid re-
gions SO soon as there is evidence of in
lection from the tubercle bacillus, and
should be made to remain there until
they are we'll or until it is apparent that
the case is hopeless.
MANY physicians in the east order
patients to California for the winter,
apparently with a 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 in California regularly send
their tubercular and asthmatic patients
to Tucson. California is a beautiful
country. but the fogs which come in
rom the sea, and the emanations from
the vast irrigated regions, make it far
inferior to the inland desert regions for
phthisicai patients. think it may be
assumed as general rule that wher-
ever there is irrigation there is high
degree of relative humidity. and ndpatientS
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 opiu-
ion. advantages as health resort
which can not be cqualled anywhere in
North America. know of no locality
where such a moderate winter climate
and such a low degree OF relative humid
itv 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 8 900 feet. The altitude OF
Tucson is 2 400 feet, and that seems to
be amply high for all but the most ex-
ceptional eases. 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 Tue
son. Each of these ranges has an alti-
tudc of s, 900 feet at least. Mount Lee
mon. the highest peak of the Catalinas,
has an elevation of 10000 feet, and
Mount Wrightson in the Santa Ritas,
reaches an altitude of nearly 11,000
feet.
"The scenery at Tucson is as impress.
sive as anywhere in the Rocky uiounA
tains, and the gorgeous sunrise and sum
set beggar description.
During the nine months, October to
June. inclusive. 1S94-5, there were bat
twenty-five cloudy days, and nine q
these were fn one month. Some idea 1f
the transparency of the atmosphere may
be had when STATE that, at midday,
and with the. .unaidcd eye, have seen
vsnus when it was but ten degrees east