Sketches of other climates and localities favorable to invalids.—California.—Mortuary statistics of San Francisco.—The wet and dry seasons.—San Diego the best place.—Florida and its reputation.—Nassau as a resort.—Fayal and its climate,—English and American visitors.—Means of access.
Other climates and localities than Minnesota have for many years enjoyed more or less of a high reputation as healthful resorts for the consumptive, and while the chief purpose of this volume has been the consideration of the character and climate of our Northwest, yet it seems not inappropriate that some mention at least should be given to these other places, even though it be extremely brief. Beyond a general outlining of some of the prevailing characteristics appertaining to each locality, we do not deem it desirable or necessary to go, since all who contemplate journeys to any one of them will, of course, consult such writers as have considered in detail the various merits or demerits of the several climates.
Considerable attention has been called the last few years to the reputed healthfulness of the State of
CALIFORNIA.
The first years of its occupation by Americans very trifling consideration was given by any one to any data whereby the true character of the climate could be judged. It was a new experience altogether for people of the old States to encounter a region possessing many characteristics of a semi-tropical country in combination with those with which they were familiar in the latitude of their own homes. To see roses blooming in the gardens of San Francisco during the winter months, and experiencing in summer cool, restful nights, was quite calculated to call forth much of earnest and cordial compliment, whether any real virtue inhered in the climate of this particular locality or not. While this flattering state of things existed at San Francisco, back among the Sierras the poor miners had many and doubtful struggles in trying to ward off the severe and frequent storms which prevail throughout the long and tedious winters.
The peculiar geographical position of this State, in conjunction with its elevated mountain ranges, gives to it nearly every climate, from that of the equator up to the limit of the temperate zone; and while the atmosphere of one neighborhood is bland and delightful, that of another is quite disagreeable and trying. No general character obtains for that of the whole State. The eastern sides of the mountains are everywhere more dry and elastic than are the western, and for tubercular cases are preferable to the sea-coast, though the vicinity of San Francisco would, for simple bronchial affections, be best,—yet we do not regard either of these points as specially desirable as places of resort.
An examination of the mortuary statistics of San Francisco for 1870, as given by the Pacific Medical and Surgical Journal, in the February number of this year, discloses an alarming percentage of deaths by consumption. For instance, the population of the city is one hundred and fifty thousand, while the deaths by consumption were five hundred for the year (round numbers), which gives one death to every three hundred inhabitants, being but a shade more favorable than is that of New England for this particular disease. Still this is not, perhaps, a fair test of the climate, since a number of the decedents are among those, probably, who came from other portions of the country seeking a restoration on this coast.
The general health, however, of San Francisco is shown to be, by the same authority, better than that of the average of large cities in the older States.
While the temperature in winter at San Francisco is maintained at a comparatively high point,—allowing the outdoor cultivation of some of the hardier varieties of flowering shrubs,—the atmosphere, meanwhile, is damp and chilling, and extremely detrimental to most cases of lung difficulties.
The climate of California is, in the neighborhood of San Francisco, and northward, divided into two distinct seasons,—that of the wet and dry. The wet season begins usually in November, and terminates in May, while the dry season embraces the remaining portion of the year. Of course the length of either varies considerably, as do all our seasons everywhere in the temperate latitudes. The quantity of rain falling in this wet season equals that of the entire fall for New England,[G] and coming in the cooler portion of the year has just those demerits, to a considerable, though modified degree, which inhere in the climate of the Atlantic coast, of which we have spoken elsewhere in detail.