The private sanatoria for consumptives and the treatment adopted within them / by Arthur von Jaruntowsky ; translated by E. Clifford Beale.

  • Jaruntowsky, Arthur von.
Date:
[1877?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The private sanatoria for consumptives and the treatment adopted within them / by Arthur von Jaruntowsky ; translated by E. Clifford Beale. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    undisputed fact, which must therefore be reckoned with in deahng with phthisis under all conditions. Following upon this therefore it is also a primary condition in the climatic treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis in private sanatoria, that these institutions should be situated in the mountains. Therefore I think that the view expressed by one therapeutist is without foundation, according to which it is a matter of indifference where we treat Consumptives, but that all depends upon how they are treated. From what has gone before, it has been made sufficiently clear that the first factor is just as important as the second. Sanatoria situated in mountainous districts present a further advantage, in that patients can begin the course of treat- ment at any time they please, and are not obliged to break it off at the end of the season, as is the case in other climatic health resorts with a definite winter and summer season. In the treatment of the sufferer from pulmonary tuberculosis, one must always start from the definite principle that the patient should be kept, until his cure is complete, at the place which suits him and where he is manifestly improved. One can hardly imagine anything more feckless or more harmful to the patient's health than constant wandering about and perpetual change of scene and cHmate. Doubtless the idea is widely disseminated that wintering in the mountains is too severe for Consumptives, and that cold air must be harmful. This notion is entirely erroneous; cold mountain air acts very favourably upon them, not only upon their general health but also on the morbid process in their lungs. As regards Goerbersdorf for example, I can speak from my own experience, that the winter treatment is just as successful as the summer treat- ment ; and Davos, which from year's end to year's end can shew such satisfactory results, is visited in winter by preference. Beyond this, the fact is generally recognised that in northern countries tuberculosis occurs less frequently amongst the actual native inhabitants than in the more southern lands. There are doubtless, many patients for whom a mountain climate is less indicated, especially in the winter time. These are chiefly they who are attacked with the so-called erethic form of phthisis such as the very ana;mic, who are particularly susceptible to chills; for such as these southern climates are more advisable. With respect to the latter, one cannot deny that they possess certain qualities which in suitable cases act favourably upon the course of the disease, but that for the majority of cases, the sojourn in mountain climates more often gives better