The Tucson citizen., 1902-03-27


the whole yer. 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-
ccpt in whooping cough, for years.
THE winter months, from the middle
OF September to the first of May, are in
this 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 a 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."
DIR. Fl. w. Fenner, of Tucson, Surgeon
of the Southern Pacific X. r., says
Tucson is a city of 10000 inhabitants,
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
I nd Sol
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 hcalthfnl 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-
ary phthisis. especially those of the
earlier or pre-tubercular periods.
DIR. 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-
Equired which IL continuously warm and
dry. Such climate the United States
does not possess, but the nearest ap
pronch to It Is arizona.
"physicians raresv send their paA'"n
to the arid -ez:ons curing s:xnze: nd
this | consider great --istake. .hs
patients should be sent to the arid re
gions so soon as there 10 evidence of in.
lection from the tubercic bacillus, and
should be made to remain there until
they are well. or until it 10 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 a dry climate. The relative humidity
| in southern California 10 as great, and
in some instances greater, than that oi
the Atlantic coast, and many OF the best
physicians in California regularly send
| their tubercular and asthmatie 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 tho inland desert regions for
phtiisical patients. think it may be
assumed as general rule that wher- |
ever there 10 irrigation there is a high
degree ofreiative 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 so together
"The city ut Tucson has. in my opin. |
| ion, advantages as a health resort |
which can not be equailed 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 10 no longer considered |
imperative to send tubercular patients |
to an altitude of 6. 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 3,0uO 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 |
basin near the underground Santa |
| Cruz river. 1t 10 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 s, 900 feet at least. Mount Le- |
mon. the highest peak of the Catalinas, |
has nm elevation OF 10000 feet, and
Mount Wrightson in the Santa Ritas, |
reaches an altitude of nearly 1,o00
| feet.
"The scenery at Tucson is as impres.
sive as anywhere in the Rocky noun |
| tains, and the gorgeous sunrise and sun |
set beggar description.
During the nine months, October to
| June, inclusive, 1sD4-5, there were but |
twenty-five cloudy days, and nine OF
these were in one month. Some idea OF
| the transparency of the atmosphere may |
he had when state that, at midday |
and with the nnaided eye, have seen
Venus when it was Hut ten degrees east
of the sun."
DIR. N, Fl. Matas, n Physician of II
years practice in this City, says
"Since consumptives must depend on the