The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-04-28
SOUTHWEST ASKS
HELP IN CURING
TUBERCULOSIS
Health Seekers Tragedy
Unknown to the
East.

losis conditions in the Tar Southwest.
Many careless physicians send patients
here and many sick ones come Of their
own accord. laboring under the delusion
that a change OF climate is the chief
thing necessary To effect a cure. Too
often they arrive Ia an advanced stage
of the disease, too often they reach here
with scant funds. Nearly an OF these
sufferers hope TO find some light work
TO do, and few there are who do not
forget that plenty of good food, rest,
and freedom from worry are quite the
most essential factors TO insure recov-
err. These facts must De brought 20 the
attention OF the public
Salt River Valley Climate.
salt River Valley, In Arlzola. with
one of the most ideal winter climates in
the world, has attracted thousands OF
health seekers. victims OF TIE Great
White Plague" The wonderful cures
;his climate has effected read almost
ike miracles. Some of the foremost
citizens OF Phoenix and it's vicinity have
come thele apparently beyond hope OF
recovery. Today they are most active in
developing it's ranches. building it's irri-
eating systems. and promoting all tine
Z
territory. 4 local estimate goes so far
as TO say that 80 per cent OF those who
go 10 Phoenix in the first stages of
tuberculosis have been cured. GO per
cent OF those in the second stage. and
ten per cent OF those who awe been
considered incurable hive been rst0red
TO health and usefulness.
But what DO the most Of the health
seekers nnoE a wonderful climate be-
You'd doubf. but they also find in PhOe-
nix. during the winter months. upward
/ OF 1000 visitors on a similar quest to
their own, a quest which for f0ur-hfths
/ OF Them VIII prove futile, they find that
for most OF them the choice lies between
going ont on the desert and living i'm a
house and taking their meals In a res
tdurant; they find tine cost Of living too
high for their slender means. and no
way to supplement their Increase; they
/ find, IN short that the majority OF them
would have been much better or 10
! have remained al home
Ample Means Needed.
A sale rule To- follow is tnat no per
son should attempt 20 go 10 that coun-
/ try unless he has ample means 20 take
4 him there and back. and sufficient to
( live on comfortably for a year AT the
( very least without being Obliged TO sup
/ plemeHt his income by working.
I The wonderful stories regarding the
climate OF the salt River Valley are
based on the fact that one year after
another averages about 90 per cent OF
possible sunshiny days.
Phoeui& has "a winter population OF
some l5,oo0 OF l6.0g and 10 is estimated
that from 5000 90 500 OF these are Wis
lloIA, most ~ whom are health seek
z cTs. \ local physician, with eighteen
2 years practice, SAYS that fOur-ffrhS of
I those VINO come 20 Phoenix never
should have lert home, another sets the
| proportion AT twO-thirds. Whatever the
exact number may be. one can count
hundreds of sufferers wasted TO "A snau-
ow walking the streets every day Thin
and WretChed looking. one can but mar
vel az the ineNcusable stupidity on the
part of physicians or friends who have
sent them there 20 die triendless and
alone. HOmgsickness IS often added 10
I their other sufferinss ard frequently
hasttns the end. Physicians who do
not understand tie spiritual resources
Of their patients wen enough 10 know
whether they can successfully fight the
jOuru. as well as the inroads of the dis
ease. have no right 10 give advice ia a
matter neccssitauug such a hazardous
undertaking.
Sick People Remain About Town.
one Of the worst evils perhaps in such
a place as Phoenix is a condition which
makes Il possible for sick people TO re-
main about the town when the only
I place where they can possibly derive
good is on some ranch in the outskirts
| OF ont on the desert Phoenix is full OF
I lodging houses. in most Instances moth
] ing but fumishCd-TOOm establishments
( which do not supply meals. Their keep
I Crs make a prctgnsC of taking no sick
people. As a matter OF fact. il depends
] Ia rnfar- IL
who applies Tor accommodation. If the
patronage Of these establishments were
/ not made mp very largely of those who
come seeking health fOur-hfths of them
woulc so ont of business. No one suf-
[ fcrins from tuberculosis should be al
lowed 10 go 10 such q climate and live
under conditions much worse tor him
I than those from which he came. 4
room in a barruck-like lodging house
I with such meals as the average res
taUrant serves, with the attendant lack
/ OF real social intercourse Is not living
/ foE even the strongest and most self
/ reliant individual.
Maricopa County Almshouse.
/. Much has been done and is being done
every day to relieve the sufferings of
many who have been too scantily pro-
| vided for. The hospitals, churches, To-
| cal fraternal lodges ard numerous prf-
/ vate individuals contribute often beyond
/ lnflf means 20 nelp destitute strangers.
! Besides all these, the Maricopa county
/ almshOuse cares for from twenty TO
/ thirty patients. The supervisors say
/ that the poor in the almshouse cost the
| county S5.o-. per quarter and three
! fourtns of this goes to alien consump-
/ tives. A young woman was sent to
Phoenix by her former employer. a
physician. by the way. who paid her SAL
airy for long time, but his interest
/ finally Jagged. the income stopped. and
/ the girl died in the almshouse.
! Some are advocating that private
| philanthropy or public enterprise in diff
ferent States should erect sanatOria in
/ the Southwest country, where All such
| needy patients might be sent: but with
| the wonderful strides which are being
made in the treatment Of tuberculosis
| even in the most humid climates il is
| becoming apparent that climate is but a
| part, and not the most important part
| Of successful treatment. II each com
munity grapples with this problem in
diligently. such places as Phoenix will
have TO shelter only those who can ac-
| tualiy AFFORD TO go so far and TO meet
the necessarily great expense which
such a sickness entails.
Jewish clergymaR i'm Brooklyn. writ
Inc nOITf Vpnrla vtrllH f,f