The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1910-03-26
The C~onsumptive's Holy Grail

There is. in addition, the important
factor of altitude. The whole country
slopes from north 10 south with a gen
cral altitude Of from 1000 TO 5000 feet.
"A IL the constant sunshine balanced
over against the altitude which pro
duces such an equable climate, for the
summers and winters are very nearly
alike In these mountain regions. Where
the altitude falls below 1000 feet, this
| climatic balance is not 70 marked. such
places a. FL Paso, whose altitude ~
1900 feet or Tucson, with 2,iOO Feet
or Phoenix. with l,l00 feet, though
they are ideal for nine or ten months
in the wear, are too hot during the sum
mer for the hes, results.
Half the People are Health Seekers.
One cannot he In the Southwest for
any length Of time without realizing
that the impress and the influence OF
the health seeker are everywhere. "
d. estimated that there are 10000 b
cular invalids In Colorado, New Mexico,
and Arizona; and though II is impossible
ever 10 know the number with any
degree " accuracy. I believe that the
estimate ~ too small, II Is n fact that
all Of the towns and cities are filed al
most 10 OVERLOOKING. II the health
seekers and their families were to leave,
the country would probably lose more
than half Of it's population. A large
part ~ the business Of the land con
sists In supplying the needs Of these
people. providing boarding houses and
institutions where they may live, As
well ms stores and shops where they may
get the ordinary necessities Of life.
There are three well known alterna
tives Il. the health seeker in this conn'
try, the Sanitorium, the boarding house
and the ranch; and | propose 20 say
something Of each In turn. MY own eN'
pericncc was gained chiefly IN a Sana'
ltorium.
The author describes several sanitoria
aud states the rates, calling attention
/, 20 the fact tina, there are practically no
charitable institutions In the Southwest.
: The rates Ia better institutions amount
up TO s95 per week.
"But most % the institutions Of the
Southwes, are purely private, and are
, run ~ business ventures. They are
- non. the less excellent, and this fact
IN 10 he taken n indicative only Of the
fa%vorahlcness Of the locality for the
curing ~ the disease.
The sanatorium Is the Grail.
= when | vent 10 live In one 81 these
institutions, | found the actual situa.
, ton much different from what had
supposed IL to he. expected 10 20 "a
4 a hospital where | would find sickly
looking people who would make life
miserable by their incessant, heart
breaking coughing. In fact, ] had gone
purely ~ an experiment, because | had
: proved to myself tina, ! was not capa
F., hlc Of working GU, my own ease;
intended 10 stay hut n month or SO. anc
+, then move on. How changed my
, mind and determined 10 fight II GU
n to The end has already been told il
How got Well
X I found that the patients did 30 it'll,
20 coughing that ] wondered whether the.
had any trouble whateycr-until
\ learned that any patients cough vii
" very much decrease IL he strictly fol
he lows the rest.cure. In appearance, the.
II. were more healthy looking that N
average person in ordinary life. All o
h. them seemed happy and ~contented, al,
NJ wondered even more, until ! found th
rcason-thcy were getting well and the
knew II. There were men and wome
.r varying In ages from twenty to forty
n though one man over ATTY years of AZ
left the s%anatorium cured while | wa
he there-8nd they came from ell parts o
te the country. The feeling OF being In
- hospital disappeared after the frst da!
"a for there was nothing 20 foster II, NJ
nv everything TO counterfeit IT,. Ever
he patient had a cottage Of his own. an
id the c~ontinu rus life In the open air mad
ly one feel A. II he were camping out, TN
nj all wants cared for.
20 The idea OF the sanatorium include
u" q complete isolation from all the care
he and burdens Of ordinary life. 80 that III
i" patient may devote his entire time I
.cr seeking his cure. Continuous life in III
an mild out .of.doors IL required. Abs0iu,
rest. most Of the time spent on one
ire back, is strictly enforced; and tn.
a. change in mode Of life Ii a revelatio
'ss 10 the invalid who has been accustome
a 10 follow tho bent Of his nervous inelini
..c ton whether IL be in climbing moul
mn tains OF riding horseback, One IL n,
~ even allowed TO walk an extra step
~ be- has fever, aud usually such q patisr
re- is put 20 he'd until il is gone.
H. Ia the matter Of food, the patient
ny allowed all that he can eat OF II
All most nutritious varieties, chiefly mea
% milk and raw eggs. Most Of the p
or 'icntS were fed six times daily, and n
ice results of the forced feeding would b.
ah come strikingly apparent in the gam
III a couple of pounds or more In w-,gl
FL AZ the end Of n week. Everythlr
~ was designed for comfort. and ever
"a thing done in the mos, careful and scie
TOT tide manner; II, considering his cond
"a ton, one may be- happy in any place IA
10