COLORADO. 



157 



I 



although at this time a few facts may bo 

 brought in review, they can not, without 

 t'urt her and more extended observation, be 

 formulated and tniulo available for purposes of 

 study. By far the larger part of the popula- 

 tion live in hastily built houses of wood, un- 

 plasterod and devoid of most of the concomi- 

 tants of comfort. In the hotels, boarding- 

 houses, and lodging-houses a system of crowd- 

 ing necessarily prevails, that in many localities 

 would be productive of much disease. In 

 many of the boarding-houses about the mines 

 the conditions are even worse. The bunk- 

 rooms are often arranged to contain two or 

 three times as many occupants as should be 

 lodged in them, often located above the cook- 

 ing rooms, and receiving through the loose 

 floor or open stairway all the odorous gases 

 from below ; beds used both by night and day 

 by alternate occupants, according to their 

 hours of labor, and never subjected to the 

 purifying influence of outdoor air and sun- 

 shine; slops, bones, and refuse thrown out- 

 side, and remaining near the doors for months. 

 These are the conditions under which many of 

 the miners live conditions that, under great- 

 er degrees of heat and moisture, would breed 

 pestilences from which none could hope to es- 

 cape. In the city itself the greatest neglect of 

 sanitary precautions may be observed. In the 

 back lots and alleys may be seen heaps of filth 

 and garbage in which are stored the potential 

 germs of manifold disease, only waiting the 

 liberating influence of the spring sun to call 

 them into action and enable them to begin the 

 work of destroying human life, opposed by no 

 disinfection save that which is furnished by 

 the incomparable climate. Thus far the city, 

 notwithstanding its crowded condition and 

 lack of comfort, the irregular hours and hur- 

 ried unsettled life of the greater portion of the 

 population, and the almost criminal neglect of 

 sanitary measures by the authorities, has not 

 shown an unusual amount of sickness or a 

 large mortality. The total number of deaths 

 occurring in Leadville and the surrounding 

 country during the seven and a half months 

 ending February 15th, as collected from the 

 records of the various undertakers, was 115. 

 The average population for this time by con- 

 servative estimates was 9,000. This gives an 

 annual death rate of about 2 per cent. From 

 the above total at least 25 per cent, may be 

 deducted for deaths due to violence, accidental 

 or criminal, and those that may be fairly at- 

 tributed to intemperance. 



Some remarks were made on the subject of 

 clothing. When thermometrical changes are 

 so frequent and sudden and great as in this 

 altitude, the subject of proper clothing be- 

 comes at once important and suggestive ; and 

 the further fact that nearly two thirds of the 

 present population are to some extent invalid, 

 makes it imperative on the medical profession 

 to advise, promptly and positively, as to the 

 changes necessary to protect the bodies and 



persons of their patients. The fall and most 

 of the winter months the weather ia generally 

 very pleasant during the forenoon of each day, 

 but often soon after noon becomes windy and 

 sometimes quite unpleasant. The morning 

 then is inviting. The invalid feels the neces- 

 sity and the benefit of a ride or open-air exer- 

 (!>'. Late rising unfortunately is the rule, 

 and almost invariably the start is made as late 

 as eleven o'clock. The air is balmy ; the sun- 

 beams fall warm and pleasant, and, in spite of 

 the kind advice of mother, wife, or friends, 

 the party insists that the present wrappings 

 are quite sufficient. A cold is the conse- 

 quence, and several days of confinement and 

 doses of medicine follow. From the first of No- 

 vember until the first of May, and sometimes 

 later, the thermoraetric changes range from 

 10 to 30 during the twenty-four hours. True, 

 the atmosphere is dry, and this change does 

 not produce the results that an equal change 

 in the lower altitudes does and will; yet, to 

 preserve health, these changes must be met by 

 a corresponding change in clothing. The body 

 must be protected in all such cases in the ro- 

 bust as well as the debilitated or harm to 

 some extent will and must be the consequence. 

 Again, this protection of the body is carried to 

 the extreme in the other direction. How 

 many times the physician stands with stetho- 

 scope in hand (when a patient presents him- 

 self for the first time at the office for a careful 

 examination of the lungs), waiting and watch- 

 ing. Coat and vest are removed, then shirt 

 after shirt, until several great, heavy flannels 

 enough to tire a common horse to carry 

 are laid aside, and the ''end is not yet." A 

 complete case of chamois skin, buckskin, or 

 perhaps red flannel lined with some of these, 

 and known as ' chest protectors," perfectly 

 impervious to air, water, and perhaps lightning, 

 is then removed. In such cases disease is cer- 

 tain if not from hereditary or acquired cause, 

 most assuredly from abuse in careful protection. 

 The following plan was proposed at the ses- 

 sion, by which pure air may be introduced 

 into any room or building without the least 

 draught, giving free, pure ventilation without 

 exposure or any possible chance of the air 

 striking the patient or sleeping occupants of 

 the chamber, or seated congregation of a public 

 building, until it has passed the entire circuit 

 of the room. It consists of a single flanged 

 piece of zinc, galvanized iron, tin, or sheet- 

 iron, attached to the upper sash of the win- 

 dow, so arranged that, when the windows are 

 lowered two inches (sufficient for pure venti- 

 lation), the flange or protector extends half an 

 inch above the casing, leaving a half-inch 

 space. The side-pieces are fastened to the 

 casing on the inner side at a certain distance 

 from the top, so that the flange, when the win- 

 dow is opened the desired distance, will come 

 exactly even with them, thus forming a com- 

 plete box, compelling the air as it rushes in to 

 ascend to the ceiling. No air can possibly es- 



