A contribution to the climatological study of phthisis in Pennsylvania.
- William Pepper
- Date:
- 1887
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: A contribution to the climatological study of phthisis in Pennsylvania. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.
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![tliere are sudden changes from heat to cold. Mills and mines occupy citizens, who are German, Irish, Englisli, and Pennsylvania Dutcli. Phthi- sis is rare. No part of town liable, nor any house. It runs an acute course. Not entirely <lue to heredity. No evidence in support of in- fection. No malaria. No prevalence of rlipumatism, pneumonia, or Bright’s disease. Carbon County.—One reply. Weatherly; [)Opulation, 8,000; eleva- tion, 1,200 to 1,500 feet. The town is sheltered and cold. East and west winds prevail. Air cool. Fogs occasional. There is a great deal of snow. Not much shade. Hills and valleys. Sudden changes of temperature. People of American descent, Irish, and Germans, engaged in manufac- turing. Consumption rare. No part of the town and no race liable to the prevalence of consumption. Disease chronic and hereditary. Malaria not prevalent. Rheumatism and pneumonia are prevalent, and there are some cases or' Bright’s disease. Centre County.—Three replies. Two (Phillipsburg and Zionj state that phthisis is rare ; one (Bellefonte) that it is moderately rare, not prevalent. The latter town has a population of 3,200; it is said to be in a sheltered but cold situation, liable to sudden changes of temperature and occasional fogs. Elevation, 783 feet. No particular parts of the town or individual houses are especially associated with phthisis. The course of phthisis is chronic, and the disease is hereditary exce])ting in the cases of axe-grinders. Rheumati.-rn is moderately prevalent. Malaria, pneumonia, and Bright’s disease rare. No. 2. Phillipsburg, 28 miles west of Bellefonte, has a population of 5,000, and an elevation of 1.450-1,500 feet. It is in a valley sheltered by liills, and is warmer than the surrounding country; dry; free from fogs. Phthisis always takes a chronic course. Malaria was traced in three in- stances to a local, temporary cause—the plowing of swampy ground. Many cases of malaria were cured by residence in this county. , Rheumatism, pneumonia, and Bright’s disease uncommon. No. 3. Zion; population, 100; elevation, 883 feet. Exposed and cold; northwest winds prevail; fogs are rare; changes of temperature are •marked. Phthisis is hereditary in 75 j)er cent., chronic, and frequent in ■axe-grinders. Rheumatism and pneumonia are prevalent; Bright’s dis- ease rare. Farming, mining, and lumbering are carried on in this county. Columbia County.—One reply. Catawissa ; population, 2,400 ; ele- vation, 477 feet; sheltered; northwest winds prevail. The air is damp and cold and there are fogs; rain-fall and melted snow, 39 inches; snow, 50 inches. There is a great deal of shade, and trees have been cut down for health. Soil very rich. East winds troublesome to consumptives. Marked atmospheric changes. People engaged on farms and railroads— Americans, Germans, and Irish. Consumption is rare and chronic; he- reditary in 75 per cent, of cases. Malaria is prevalent, but phthisis is not](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b28270538_0052.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
