Arizona republican., 1922-01-14

Takes Issue With Director Forbes
300 Goodrich Bldg,
Jan. -. 1922.
The Editor.
The Arizona Republican,
Phoenix. Arizona.
Dear Sir:
There appears in your valued pa
per, under date of Jan. I3, a letter
addressed to the Hon. Henry F. Ash
urst. United state senate and signed
by G. r. Forbes, director, u. S. Vet
erans bureau. / have read this pub
lished letter with exceeding care and
feel it my duty to submit for your
consideration, this humble protest of
what appears 10 be a sweeping de-
| nunciation of our climate in the
| therapy of pulmonary tuberculosis.
1t is not my purpose to question
either the motive or the sincerity of
Director Forbes in any of his state
ments. Neither do l wish to ques-
tion the sincerity or motives of those
whose opinions he has apparently
sought and obtained. ! do however.
very ardently desire to take issue
with some of the opinions expressed
in the published letter.
tuberculosis Is a disease which
| manifests itself in many and varied
forms. 1t likewise affects many diff
ferent individuals. Its treatment
therefore. must be the treatment Of
the individual rather than the dis
ease because in no two individuals
does it appear alike. On the whole.
this principle holds good in the mat
ter of rest, exercise, foods. medicine
and climate. The matter OF altitude
is and always has been moot ques-
| tion which is deserving of no little
consideration.
There is no climate that cures tu-
berculosis. Climate. according to my
| information, is a secondary matter
but one to be considered as factor
contributory to the welfare OF the IN
| dividual case. Some individuals feel
4 better and unquestionably do gener-
! ally better when the summer months
| prevail. Others desire cooler cli-
mate and seem to do their best in the
| winter. These facts should be care
| fully considered in the selection or
| locality for the treatment OF the IN
dividual.
There has been much written con-
corning the merits of the dry climate
against the humid. The desert, the
| irrigated district, the mountain ana
the coast region have each received
their share of the general discussion.
have seen many individuals VINO
| have improved in each of these local
titles and as many If not more who
have not. We are all familiar with
| the historical fact that countless
| numbers of individuals have had ana
| recovered from tuberculosis without
| change of residence and indeed WIN :
out even a suspicion that they had
been victims of tuberculosis.
1T is the opinion Of this bureau a
! view concurred In by the National
| Tuberculosis association. that the
| cities of Tucson and Phoenix are not
| desirable sites for tuberculosis nos
pitals. On the other hand, the ch-
mate of Prescott is admirable FOR
! such purposes"
The foregoing statement is one
| which, if true. must prove most dam
! aging to Phoenix. But ii is not true.
| We have in Phoenix today, many
! people who have come here in broken
! health, who have remained here sum
mer and winter and who have entire :
/ ~ regained their health. Some OF
/ them We're patients in our modest
/ institutions. Some did not have even
! that advantage
/ We have individuals with US TO-DAY
/ who have come here from Colorado
/ Springs. from Denver, from Prescott
from New Mexico and from man