Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-04-26
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ANYONE NUU BdS iuHS iE1ihIh ~
this community Is familiar with the
distress which Is occasioned by the
practice Of doctors in the east and
north Of sending patients ont 10 the
health resorts III thu southwest after
their strength and money ore ALL.
gone and they are barely able % reach
this saiubrlous climate alive, II IS
Ia very conservative estimate to say
that every week the local doctors are
called upon ii attend newly arrived
cases which do not survive the long
ana aranous Journey from their east
ern homes more shan i few days and
in many instances not tWentysfour
hours. The home physicians appre
cfate the unpleasant truth Ia these.
cases better than the average citizen
and they do not hesitate to denounce
The Ignorance or meanness of the
eastern members Of the profession who.
impose upon their patients, after the
fatal stage in the disease has been
reached,a an expensive railroad journey
full OF hardship 70 the sufferer, and
a deaih among strangers.
One of our local physician, lii com
menting on the frequent recurrence.
of these sad cases, said:
4 have observed a great many Of
these cases where the patient might.
far better have remained at home to
die among friends and am convinced
that the doctors responsible for send
ing them here have either wrongly
diagnosed the case or simply desired
10 get rid OF the patient and shift the
responsibility OF a hopeless case upon
the climate
One hesitates 10 give expression to
such d charge but any careful lnvesti-
CATION into the nature of the cases
as they arise will doubtless more than
Justify The truth Of the statements,
Very frequently, indeed, do patients
arrive here 10 enjoy the benefits Of
The climate for q short time who an
nounce ID the local doctors that their
trouble was nothing more than a
slight Isl OF bronchitis But a
competent examination quickly re
yeals the fact that they are suffering
with a well developed case of tubercu
iosis which may even then have aid.
yanced sd far that LIS fapages cannot
be checked. III these instances the
resultant damage is not limited to the
victim. When he sucenmbs to the
disease, the fact Is spread abroad in
the community from which he came,
and other sufferers, who by coming
more promptly would ID benefited, are
discouraged and deferred from max.
Ing the attempt The great and
constantly recurring mistake is that OF
waiting too long before seeking the
curative influences Of this climate, A
surprisingly large proportion Of the
population OF this country Is made Iii
of those who have been slightly az
fected with tuberculosis and have
sought this climate before 1t was Toe
late for a cure TO be affected. but
far larger is the number Of those
who have been fatally influenced u
wait until II was too late and have
then %journeyed TO the southwest ex.
pecting the climate 10 accomplish the
Impossible.
We heartily sympatbiae with the in.
dignation of a local physician who az,
ter dealing with such d case wrote To
the physician III d distant city who
was responsible for the fatal delay
and roundiy denounced him. II there
were some means of making such a
announcement more public and conse-
uiently more effective, the number OF
such instances might diminish. The
capable and conscientious members
lof the medical fraternity who send
many a patient 10 this or similar 10.
calities In time 10 be permanently
lcured, are united In cUuIemninr the