The Tucson citizen., 1902-05-26

W SlScp out Oh doors TOm TIC
middle of May until September and
many las the writer) sleep out during
9se whole year. 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
fnild. There has been no epidemic, cx-
ccept IN whooping cough, for years.
The winter months, from the middle
OF September to the first of May are in
tins locality the finest in the world. One
bright sunshiny day succeeds another;
the nights are cool and exhilarating; 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."
DR.. II. w. Fenner, of Tucson, Surgeon
of the Southern Pacific X. r., says
Tucson is a city of 10, 900 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 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
260 and $50 respectively. 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 ofhumid-
ity makes the clear warmth tolerable,
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-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 ofsev-
eral months, or, for that matter, for
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 APP
proach to it IS Arizona.
physicians rareiv send their patents
to the arid -egions t1ri,g s-sn-1er nd
this | consider a great -istake. 4hs
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 II 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 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 tubercular and asthmatic patients
. TO Tucson. California is% beautiful,
country, but the fogs which come in
rom the sea, and the enanations from
the vast irrigated regions, make it far
1T1CIIoT I'D ANS<t tNSs0AS ACA
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 ut Tucson has. in my opin-
ion, advantages as health resort
which can not be equalled anywhere in
, North America. know of no locality
where such a moderate winter climate
and such low degree of relative humid
8 ity are combined with the same latit ude
, and altitude. 1t is no longer considered
: imperative to send tubcrcular patients
to an altitude of s. 900 feet, or over. In
: fact. clinical experience has proven that
8 more frequently patients required 10 be
sent to an altitude or less, rather than
, more than 3 900 feet. The altitude OF
I Tucson is z, 400 feet. and that seems to
be amply high for all but the most cx-
;. ceptional cases. The city is situated IN
n basin near the underground Santa
:, Cruz river. 1t is completely walled III
:. by massive mountain ranges. 10 the
m north is the Sauta Adldltiii aHENJ "
: 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 5, 900 feet at least. Mount lie
: mon. the highest peak of the Catalinas,
= has an elevation of 10000 feet. and
: Mount Wrightson in the Santa R1tas,
: reaches an altitude of nearly 11,oo0
:. feet.
"The scenery at Tucson is as impress
sive as anywhere in the Rocky noun
: tains, and the gorgeous sunrise and sun
is set beggar description.
& During the nine months, October to
n June, inclusive, 1S94-5, there were but
y twenty-five cloudy days, and nine O
& these were in one month. Some idea O
ID the transparency of the atmosphere may
n he had when state that, at mtdd ay
T. and with the unaided eye, have seer
It Venus when it was but ten degrees east
"a Of the sun."
f. DIR. n, H. Matas, Physician OF II
r. wears practice in this City, says