UNTIL an absolute cure for hay fever is found, no book on the subject will be considered complete without a section on hay fever resorts. Escape to the resorts can be employed alone, or as an extra precaution by patients taking inoculative treatments who experience symptoms only during the peak pollen days of the ragweed hay fever season.
As you must have guessed by now, a hay fever resort is a locality in which persons with hay fever gather while escaping the plaguing plant pollens. It is called a resort because the sufferers usually resort there. Two birds are killed for the price of one. The summer vacation is accomplished at the same time that relief is obtained from hay fever effects. This combination of vacationing and convalescing gives hay fever resorts a character all their own. The character being due to the psychological vicissitudes of, the vacationing hay feverites.
Ours is only an impression, of course. But writing a book is akin to being a drama critic. It gives an unfettered homo sapiens the opportunity to make observations about brother man. A practice which neither writer nor critic should be permitted by law to indulge in without being properly licensed. Said license to be awarded on the basis of a qualifying examination such as is given to the lawyer, teacher, or doctor. Since the law is not yet in effect we shall avail ourselves of the unlicensed privilege assumed by writers and critics.
And what is this special disposition that we presume to observe at hay fever resorts? “Anomalous” is the word that describes it in our mind. The two functions, vacationing and convalescing never seem to be in complete harmony. Because it is vacation time, the frolicking nature makes an effort to satisfy its appetites. But when gaiety ensues, the subconscious seems to say, “hold on, you are here for your health, take it easy.” So we see in our vacationing hay feverites an alternating current of relaxation and contraction. The finale to the hay fever vacation en-visions an unsettled and unrested hay feverite returning to his year round endeavors.
Is there a remedy? We can suggest two of them. One is for the hay fever sufferers to dismiss the convalescing idea from their minds. In a pollen-free locality they are no more sick than the average normal. An occasional sneeze or sniffle can’t be considered a state of illness. The attitude should be, “we are going on our vacation and our choice of a resort is some particular locality for this summer which we happen to know is free of hay fever pollens.” The second suggestion is to seek out a place which is pollen-free but not necesarily a resort or place where hay feverites colonize for the summer.
To serve both groups we shall devote the remainder of this section to the task of listing and otherwise familiarizing you with hay fever-free localitiesresorts and non resorts. The localities treated are considered only with respect to the fall or ragweed type of hay fever. Because of the relative inescapability from tree and grass pollens, these victims are advised to refer to the geography of Chapter XIII.
In order to serve the greatest number in the most categorical manner we are listing the beneficial places by States and proximate geographical locations.
With full realization that we may be handling a boomerang we are innovating a rating for hay fever havens. The ratings are only descriptive of the extent to which the localities concerned are free of late summer or fall hay fever. Wherever we have the information, the ratings are based on the results of pollen surveys plus scientific re-ports. In the absence of such information our own observations, judgments, and correspondence reports, are the determining factors. Localities rated in this manner are yet to be proven and hence will be marked with an asterisk (*).
1. A rating of (1) is given to the localities reported or believed to have not more than one day of ragweed hay fever.
2. A rating of (2) indicates a probability of about two to four days annually of ragweed hay fever in that locality.
3. A rating of (3) refers to an average annual occurrence in the locality of between five and seven days of ragweed hay fever.
RAGWEED HAY FEVER HAVENS
STATE OR COUNTRY NAME OF LOCATION AND RATING
Alabama MOBILE 2
Other possibly favorable towns nearby but about which we have no definite information are Fairhope, Foley, and Magnolia Springs.
Arizona FLAGSTAFF 1 *, SPRINGERVILLE 1
According to a communication from the State Department of Health the mountainous part of Northern Arizona is indicated as being favorable. Flagstaff and. Springerville at altitudes of eight thousand and ten thousand feet respectively, were particularly mentioned as being free of fall hay fever.
California LOS ANGELES 1, SACRAMENTO 1
California in general contains little ragweed, but other fall hay fever weeds such as Russian thistle and the sages are more plentiful. By location, Oakland and Long Beach should be equally free of hay fever. Based purely on hypothesis we would imagine the islands of San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Barbara, Santa Catalina, and San Clemente to be free of late summer hay fever pollens.
Colorado ESTES PARK 1
In personal communications from Mr. Durham and the State Board of Health we learn that Estes Park is relatively free of fall hay fever pollens. Although many areas in Colorado once thought to be favorable hay fever resorts are now known to contain varieties of fall hay fever plants, localities above 8000 feet in altitude are recommended by the State Department of Health. In view of the fact that a survey was conducted by Colorado State officials we can feel greater confidence in their recommendations of Lead-ville, Central City, Gold Hill, and Cripple Creek, as localities beneficial to hay fever sufferers.
Florida MIAMI 1, JACKSONVILLE 1, TAMPA 3, ST. PETERSBURG 3
Ragweed grows abundantly in parts of Florida. Just the coastal areas are very low in ragweed prevalence. The east coast is better than the west coast because of the prevailing wind from the Atlantic Ocean. In all probability the localities from West Palm Beach to Miami Beach are all equally free of ragweed hay fever. But if you are allergic to house dust, medical authorities advise that you stay away from Florida.
Idaho MOSCOW 2
Moscow is the only city in Idaho in which a low pollen count has been indicated. Communications indicate to us that the regions north of Moscow are equally low in rag-weed and other fall weeds. Of the larger towns, Grange-ville, Lewiston, Coeur D’Alene, and Sandpoint are likely to be favorable.
Maine PRESQUE ISLE 1, UPPER DAM 1, RANGE-LEY 1, CARIBOU 1 *, MADAWASKA , VAN BUREN 1 *, HOULTON 1 *, MACHIAS 2, GREENVILLE 2, EASTPORT 2, BAR HARBOR 3, SOUTHPORT 3, YORK 3
There are undoubtedly many other favorable localities in the potato-growing northeastern area of Maine known as Aroostook County. After about September 5th you can expect any part of Maine north of Calais to be relatively free of ragweed pollens.
Massachusetts HOOSAC LAKE 3 *, ASHLEY LAKE 3 *, ADAMS 3*
Massachusetts in general is overrun with ragweed. The localities named above are in the Berkshire Mountain region. Our judgment of them is based merely on a short period of personal inspection and is not to be considered definitive.
Michigan COPPER HARBOR 2, MANISTIQUE 2, MACKINAW CITY 2, MACKINAC ISLAND 2, SAULTE STE MARIE 2, HOUGHTON 2, MARQUETTE 2, BLANEY PARK 3, MUNISING 3, CRYSTAL FALLS 3, ROGERS CITY 3, POWERS 3
These Michigan cities have been chosen on the basis of the three-year pollen survey conducted by the Michigan State Department of Health. Responsibility for choices and ratings is entirely ours.
A few of the towns in the northern area of Michigan have long been known as hay fever resorts. This much-needed and excellent Michigan survey yielded some interesting results. It showed that the most severe period of the hay fever season occurs from August 26 to September 7. Many localities that gave excellent results one year were shown to be comparatively poor the next. Among the list of such localities which we may judge to have from 7 to 14 days incidence of hay fever are Cadillac, Cheboygan, Grayling, St. Ignace, Petoskey, Escanaba, and Newberry.
Minnesota TOWER 2, ISLE ROYAL 1
Isle Royal belongs to Michigan but geographically it is closer to Minnesota. It is an island just off the extreme northeastern tip of Minnesota. It is found to have a very low pollen concentration. Judging from this, plus the findings for Tower, it is likely that Grand Marais, Hovland and Grand Portage in the same region are similarly free of fall hay fever. Although remote, these places can be reached by automobile and boat.
Mississippi BILOXI 2, GULFPORT 2 *
Biloxi is at the southeastern edge of Mississippi. The same hay fever conditions are likely to prevail here as are found at Mobile, Alabama. Nearby locations are Bay St. Louis, and Pascagoula which might offer similar benefits. In this region the wind blows most of the time from the Gulf inland, which helps the hay fever situation. Occasionally the wind changes direction, blowing toward the ocean; at such times hay fever sufferers experience some discomfort.
New Hampshire DIAMOND POND 1 *, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, CONNECTICUT LAKE 1 *, BACK LAKE *, LAKE FRANCIS 1 *, NORTH DORCHESTER 2 *, PITTSBURGH 2 *, DIXVILLE NOTCH 2, BRETTON WOODS 2, FABYANS 2, BETHLEHEM 2, CRAWFORD NOTCH 2, TWIN MOUNTAIN 2
There are other relatively comfortable places in the mountains of New Hampshire. Some will undoubtedly be found in the Sandwich Range of mountains; near lakes at high altitudes; or in densely wooded localities.
New York BLUE MOUNTAIN LAKE 2, RAQUETTE LAKE 2, LONG LAKE 2, LOON LAKE 2, McKEEVER 2, BIG MOOSE 3, OLD FORGE 3, INDIAN LAKE 3, SARANAC LAKE 3
As indicated elsewhere, Fire Island, Montauk Point, Lake Placid and Tupper Lake, are localities in New York State that have had a variable hay fever history. Generally speaking you will not encounter more than two weeks of unfavorable pollen concentrations in these localities. In a personal communication from Mr. Durham we learn that he checked Blue Mountain Lake and McKeever. His findings are in keeping with those of the New York State Department of Health.
Oregon PORTLAND 0
We have ranked Portland zero (0) because, of all the localities ever tested it was one of two that showed absolutely no ragweed pollens on the slides. Similar conditions can be assumed to prevail at Forest Grove, Hillsboro, Beaverton, Warrentown, Bay City, Salem and the western part of Oregon in general.
South Carolina CHARLESTON 3
In view of the higher pollen counts of the more northern places on the Atlantic Coast, the relatively low count for Charleston is somewhat unusual. It is explained by the absence of ragweed in this coastal area.
South Dakota PIERRE 3
We have been informed that the Black Hills section of South Dakota is relatively free of ragweed.
Utah SALT LAKE CITY 1
Many towns border on the Great Salt Lake which are likely to be equally free of ragweed pollen. Among them are Woods Cross, Farmington, Kaysville, Murray, Midvale, Lehi and others.
Washington Seattle 0
The zero (0) rating for Seattle indicates it as the only other city for which absolutely no ragweed pollens were found on the slides. Tacoma, Kent, Auburn, Everett, Grays Harbor, Aberdeen and the entire western part of Washington may be assumed to be similarly free of ragweed.
Wyoming YELLOWSTONE PARK 1, JACKSON HOLE 1
Communications from Mr. Durham and the State Board of Health have indicated Yellowstone Park as commendable to hay fever victims. The State Board of Health further recommended Jackson Hole, The Big Horn Mountains, and the Snowy Range, on the basis of their elevation above 7000 feet.
Canada FATHER POINT, Que. 1, COCHRANE, Ont. 1, PRINCE ALBERT, Sask. 1, RIVIERE du LOUP 1 *, GASPE *, VANCOUVER 1 *, PORT MOODY *, PORT COQUITLAN 1 *, PORT ARTHUR 2, PARRY SOUND 2, WINNIPEG 2 *, YARMOUTH 3 *, EDMUNDSTON 3 *, FREDERICTON 3 *, MONCTON 3
Fall hay fever conditions in the New Brunswick and Nova Scotia areas of Canada are somewhat like northern Maine. After about September 5th most of the localities in this region are entirely free of ragweed pollens. From east to west there is little fall hay fever at latitudes north of Prince Albert in Canada. We have learned in a communication from Mr. Durham that the western part of British Columbia, up to the Pacific watershed, enjoys the very same freedom from ragweed as characterizes Portland, Oregon, and Seattle, Washington. Nearby localities that are included in this region are Prince Rupert and Prince George.
Mexico MEXICO CITY 1, TAMPICO 1
South of Mexico City ragweed conditions remain equally favorable in Mexico.
Australia NEW SOUTH WALES 1
The tree and grass hay fever seasons occur in Australia at the time that ragweed pollinates in the United States. Ragweed is not found in Australia.
Europe ENGLAND 1, FRANCE 1, SPAIN 1, CHINA 1, etc.
Tree and grass pollens prevail during spring and summer months in the temperate regions of Europe. Ragweed or other fall weeds seem to be non-existent as a cause of hay fever in Europe.