Year: 1860

EDITOR DEMOCRAT From the liable o


Deaths in Sacramento during the year 1856


by Thos NJ. Logan, NJ d." furnished fo


the Sacramento Union, learn, not only t,
my surprise, but sorrowful disappointment
that 90 per cent. of all the deaths that hav


occurred in that city the last year were at
tributable to phthisis pulmonalis. In til,
above there are stubborn facts which wa


not prepared to receive With the diversi-
fed climate Of our adopted State, 1 was Ia
boring most hopefully under the impression
that within our borders there might be founC
suitable climatic conditions for every diseas,
incident to the human family. While thos,
who are laboring under diseases peculiar t,
the miasmatic region of the Sacramento Val
ley, can find the desired relief in trip tC
either the Sierra Nevada or Coast Range.
have heretofore believed that the Sacramen-
to Valley most graciously reciprocated the
compliment by extending superior induce
ments to the consumptiye invalid to retreat
from the tops of those inhospitable peak.
and find an asylum on her breast. But, alas


we were doomed to disappointment; and ]
am fearful that we shall look in vain through
out the length and breadth of our lovely
State for a climate suitable to those thus
afflicted; for know of no other locality that
does not extend still less inducements to the
poor subjects of that terrible seourge The
Sierra Nevada is very unavorable locality
for persons with weak lungs, because the at
mosphere is so rarefed in consequence of
the great altitude here attained, that it is
with much difficulty that the process of in.
iiating the lungs is performed as etfectually
as iscompatible with security against an
irritation, and consequently ultimate decay
of those important organs.


But, in San Francisco-and everywhere
else on the coast where the sea breeze pre-
vails-it is still more severe on these organs,
although the cause is little dissimiar.-
There the cause is to be found in the sudden
and violent transitions from cold to heat, and
from heat to cold and so severe are the vi.
cissitudes that l am fully pursuaded that
lungs less indestructible than adamantine
walls, will not long survive the storm. l
had therefore entertained the honest con.
viction that physicians could safely and Judi.
ciously recommend such patients as were
laboring under the incipient stage of pulmo-
nary consumption to exchange the alttudin-
Gus homes for residence in the Sacramento
Valley but now they are shorn of even that
little consolation, and the future looks serious.
ly doleful. Must they, for the sake of simply
prolonging life, advise them to make a voy-
age to some foreign port? All know not
where that land lies, from which the con
sumptive invalid would be at all likely to
receive any substantial aid besides, should
it be discovered, it would lie beyond the pc
cuniary capacity of majority of our afflicted
brethren.


May we not even yet hope that the preva'
lence of that disease in Sacramento may be
traced to the very universally Of the opinion
entertained by myself, causing pulmonary
patients from almost every other section Of
the State to convene there in the hope o
regaining their former health, rather than tc
any predsposition to it chargeable to the eli
mate? The most notable feature in the
mortality reports of nearly all seaports il
the predominating number of cases of con
sumption That being the case, perhaps al
| L nh
mend their consumpti,e patients to go to sec
with the expectation that they mag obtair
relief therefrom. presume the following
to be part of their reasons for pursuing
such a course. Firstly, the immediate change
may be of temporary benefit without regarC
to the character of the climate Secondly
a certain degree and kind of exercise must b.


obtained, and that exercise must be acquired
too without the expense of bodily fatigue
Physicians usually suspend hammock from
the ceiling, in which their patients ar
swung; believing that to be the most desi.a
BILE method of accomplishing that end AM
it will be seen at once that the motion OF th


boat, as it glides over the foaming billows


furnishes precisely the same kind of exercise
Thirdly, some good medical authority pre-
scribes an emetic every morning, with tn


view of removing Irritating matter, and tina
end is attained on the ocean without the al
/, of drugs But, | have already occupie
much more space with this subject than l In
tended or should have done, and offer as m
apology for thus doing, the great interes
, that feel IN the subject. | will now rever
to something that must necessarily be {
more interest to your host of readers.


Since my last "weather item," we hav
been the recipients Of about every variety
that article We have had wet snow storm
d dry snow storms, rain and hail, with litt
e sunshine 'sprinkled' in between the change
The latest feature of the programme is
a follows: Commenced raining some four day


since and kept it up until the snow WI
} thoroughly saturated, and the water tumble
. down the mountain sides when it change
! to dry, blowing drifting snow storm,
,fl such terrific character that were 1t not fl
= the fact that all former storms one day cease
and that, according to the natural order
e things. we slightly suspicion that this ma
n do the same. we would wrap ourselves up
y the mantle of despair and lie down and ava
- the trumpet that shall awaken us on the re
n direction morn. But hope, that bright st


which ever points to an oasis beyond e7
es the darkest and most tempestuous storm tn
is