6/0 



THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



experience such as falls to the lot of but few, and a long and careful 

 investigation of statistics which have not as yet been compiled. 



It is therefore the intention of the present article to give testimony 

 only in regard to the climate of Colorado ; to point out to those seek- 

 ing such information what they may reasonably expect to find here ; 

 and to proclaim to that large invalid class in the East and South, to 

 which we ourselves at one time belonged, the restoration to health 

 which we, with thousands upon thousands of others, have found in this 

 glorious climate. 



Comparison of Climatic Conditions with those at Davos. — 

 Professor Frankland, in the article quoted, sums up the climatic con- 

 ditions prevailing at Davos, which he establishes as a criterion, as fol- 

 lows, viz. : " 1. Great elevation above sea-level (5,400 feet). 2. A 

 continuous and, during winter, permanent covering of snow. 3. A 

 minimum of watery vapor in the air. 4. A clear sun. 5. A clean at- 

 mosphere, free from zymotic germs, dust, and fog. 6. A sheltered posi- 

 tion, favorable for receiving both the direct and reflected solar rays." 



A comparison will show that, in all but one of these conditions, 

 Colorado can make a favorable showing with Davos, and that, taking 

 everything into consideration, she can come nearer to fulfilling the 

 requirements than any other portion of the United States. 



As regards this single condition, that of having a perpetual cover- 

 ing of snow, whatever may be its effects upon the Davos climate, we 

 of Colorado have been wont to consider it a great point in our favor 

 that, throughout the winter, we are almost entirely free from snow, 

 and that our sandy and porous soil drinks it up rapidly when it comes. 

 AVe have regarded this as an advantage, because our sun-temperatures 

 are warm enough without the additional heat of the " reflected rays " 

 that come from snow ; because its presence would interfere so materi- 

 ally with the out-of-door life that our invalids lead ; and because ex- 

 perience has shown that, where there is the continuous covering of 

 snow as occurs in the Northwest, there comes the thaw, which is usually 

 synchronous with the thaw at the coast, and which brings in its train 

 great atmospheric moisture and chill, and that, too, at a time when 

 patients are seeking to avoid similar conditions at their homes. 



In order that we may prove our assertion with regard to our hav- 

 ing so little snow, we introduce a table showing the exact amount in 

 inches of rain and melted snow that fell at Denver during the winter 

 of 1884-'85 : 



TABLE OF precipitation. 



To return now to a consideration of the conditions prevailing at 

 Davos, which may, in the main, be taken as those which are most 



