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was hauled the entire distance to Fort Laramie, not being able to per- 

 form any duty until we reached that point. On the 8th of August I 

 was attacked with bilious remittent fever myself^ and can testify from 

 experience to the inconvenience from being sick on the prairies. My 

 attack was not severe, and yielded in eight or ten days. These and 

 the cases of intermittent were the on!}'' cases of tiever that occurred in 

 the party during the season. 



The country through which we passed up to this point was along 

 the Loup Fork. That portion of it most favorable to the production ot 

 fever is near its mouth ; as you approach the sources of the river there 

 are fewer wet tracts near the stream, and the country generally is not 

 so flat. I notice the marshes particularly, as that is the only condi- 

 tion observed which could interfere with the health of the population, 

 if the country were inhabited. These are not numerous after you 

 leave the mouth of the river some distance, and there is nothing to 

 warrant the inference that the country is not highly favorable to 

 health. 



Indeed, in most respects, this region, so far as health is concerned, 

 may be considered as highly favored. As you approach the elevated 

 regions near the mountains the atmosphere is exceedingly dry and 

 pure. Much has been said of the favorable effects of a residence in 

 this region upon persons laboring under pulmonary diseases. As this 

 far western region becomes more generally known, I think the subject 

 will attract greater attention. I think the rational explanation of 

 the improvement in consumptive cases that has been noted in this 

 quarter is found in the dryness of the atmosphere. Sudden cli tinges 

 of temperature here, if not less frequent than in some of our eastern 

 States, are certainly not productive of the same bad consequenc38 to 

 the invalid. The lungs of those who are suffering with phthisis are 

 here free from that constant irritation to which they are subjected in 

 an atmosphere loaded with moisture. And the feeling of buoyancy 

 and strength that is imparted encourages the invalid to make new 

 exertions to promote recovery. A residence in such an atmosphere, 

 combined with habits of active exercise, and constant living in the 

 open air, might, in some cases I am sure, be productive of the best 

 results. An intelligent friend, now residing at Fort Laramie, in- 

 formed me that in his youth he was attacked with phthisis, that hor- 

 rible disease being hereditary in his family ; he was rapidly declining_, 

 and went to this far western region in the hope that the climate might 

 prove beneficial ; he made his home amongst the wandering bands of 

 Indians, and avoided none of the exposure incident to such a life ; he 

 laid constantly in the open air and took as much exercise as possible ; 

 his health improved, and in a year or two he was entirely restored, and 

 is now residing at Fort Laramie a strong and healthy man. I have 

 heard of many other cases similarly restored. In New Mexico con- 

 sumption is unknown, I am informed, as a disease originating in the 

 country where the climate has the additional advantage of being warm. 



During the extremely hot weather that continued during our jour- 

 ney up the ' oup Fork, our party suffered very little wich diarrhoea 

 or ajsentery. A number of cases of the former occurred, but only a 

 few required any treatment, and but a single case qf dysentery, which 



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