The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-07-25
OF CLIMATE
 ON TUBERCULOSIS
Elaborate Treatise for the
 Smithsonian Institute
A VALUABLE ADJUNCT
Altitude Has Been Given Undue Inn portance in the Past--Seash0re Offers Many Advantages
 Over Other Points

Over Other Points
 Washington, July 24.-(Special. )-The
 Smithsonian institution has just issued
 a treatise on Atmospheric Air and It's
 Relation to Tuberculosis" by Dr. Guy Hinsdale, as ore of the prize essays on that subject presented in connection with
 the Washington Tuberculosis congress
 This treatise dealing with such vital
 and general disease has been issued by
 the institution in connection with the
 diffusion of knowledge and includes the
 latest information on the value of climates
 in this connection, although 1t does not
 discuss the detailed treatment of the dis
 ease It covers good part of the United States and several foreign localities. The book, including 136 pages of text and ga plates of illustrations, forms publication 2254 of the Smithsonian miscellaneous collections. It is not public document and is distributed free only to libraries and specialists.
 The author does not claim that there is any specific climate for tuberculosis. but feels that the long search for such cli- mate which has lasted for nearly 2000 years, has come to an end with the recent studies of climatic change and the rela- tion of climates to individual cases. He believes, with other physicians, that cli- mate may be utilized as an adjunct of great value for carrying out the hygienic, | dietetic treatment of all forms of tuber- culoss and of many other diseases, and xra l, influence in hastening cure than others, | Of first importance is an abundance of bacteriologically and chemically pure air, which is available only outside the cities and away from dwellings. The ideal air | is available only on the ocean and at the | high attitudes, but it can be approxi-
 mated by living out of doors.
 Sunshine, next to pure air, is held to
 be the most valuable adjunct of nature | for the cure of tuberculosis. Although
 cures have been made in cloudy regions, l sunshine seems to give moral help and other things being equal is much pre- | ferred
 He considers temperature and humidity 1 together; for early stages treatment re-
 quires dry climate and comfortable temperature. Some localities offer better
 results in the cold months when the lakes | and ponds are frozen and covered with snow which insures dry air, as in the | Adirondack region. Florida and South Carolina are more suitable in the winter | months when the air is dry and com | fortable. Arizona ami New Mexico are | available only in the winter, except at ele- ] vations from 5000 to 7Ov0 feet, where the summer heat is not oppressive Many | places, however, offer just as good re- I suits in summer as In winter, among {, them the southern California resorts and | others well inland.
 l One thing to be avoided is climate in wtich the humidity varies greatly, as, l from a warm, dry interior air to damp exterior air this is as bad as the changes | often found in attitudes varying sev- 1 eral thousand feet. Individual cases vary l some thriving in climate with much
 greater humidity Shan others could stand. With a relatively low humidity
 and a moderately low temperature. the general effect is tonic and beneficial tc conditions where the respiratory mucous membrane is effected, but with a very | low temperature the result is irritating l The treatise includes much information
 concerning theavalue of forests, the infiu- | ence of tfe sea, compressed and rarefed
 air cold. altitude, humidity and ventila-
 ton, as well as the good results from outdoor exercise, fresh air schools, ac- | cessories to fresh air treatment, and other
 points of professional and general interest In conclusion pr. Hinsdale makes the 1 following statement:
 Probably the best combination is a low humidity and moderately cool tempera. | tuie; the average tuberculosis patient | makes his best gains after August 1 ant in subsequent cold, dry weather wher such conditions prevail. But of course l there are exceptions and some do bet l ter with a high relative humidity and 2 l warm temperature; these are not numer, ous and probably include more of tht patients in later stages.
 l 'sThe old idea about equabilty of tenn
 pei ature, at least between the tempera
 ture of midday and midnight, is not oi | great importance: all mountainous sta l tions show great variation in this respect | Some variability tends to stimulate tht 1 vital activities. but in older people anc | those who are feeble great variability is
 a disadvantage.
 "As far as altitude is concerned it prob. ably has not, per se any great influence certainly to my mind not so much as we used to think. However, altitude is incl 1 dentally associated with mountain lift
 or life on the plains, with more sun. less
 moisture and scattered population.
 We should not forget that surgical tu-
 berculosis is always fsvorably influenced
 by a seashore residence suitably chosen
 never shall forget the wonderful i'm. pr ession made on visiting the Sea Breeze l Hospital for Tuberculos Children on Long 1 Island. N. Y. Constant outdoor life in al weather works miraculous cures after ths
 most formidable operations for bone tu | berculosis and in many cases renders then | wholly unnecessary in patients whose l physical condition on admission was mos uhpromising. All the great Fr,nch ant
 Italian sanatoria for tuberculos childrer