It is well to bear in mind that the hay fever resort, as a means for obtaining relief from seasonal symptoms is not reserved solely for individuals who can take extended summer vacations. The hay fever resort can and should be employed judiciously in conjunction with immunizing inoculative treatments. As we have pointed out elsewhere, even in expert hands the treatments have not yet been developed to a point of absolute cure. A few bad days during the hay fever season can be expected by a majority of patients. Doctors agree that residence at a pollen-free area during the height of the ragweed pollination period is an adjunct to the patient’s relief. Thus a visit to a resort combined with inoculative treatments will round out for you a year of maximum comfort as regards your hay fever. And if you are one who just won’t take medical treatment for your hay fever, then a sojourn at a pollen-free area is definitely indicated. It will save that much wear and tear on the affected tissues of your eyes, nose, throat and chest.
If you are in doubt about whether the resorts are valuable and not a fake, you have our assurance that the good ones are good. We emphasize this fact for two reasons. One is that many unfortunates have been misled by popular advertisements of hay fever sanctuaries which are not al-ways accurate. Apropos of this practice, in the Canadian Medical Journal for 1940 the report of a pollen survey of Western Canada is prefaced by the following remarks, “We find our railways and tourist agencies advertising grossly inaccurate statements regarding our supposed freedom from hay fever.” The doctor who conducted the survey took this opportunity to point out the manner in which many hay feverites were being misguided in their quest for a pollen-free locality.
A second reason for our emphasis on the efficacy of resorts is that we have heard many sufferers express doubt that a change of climate could help them. Their skepticism may stem from the fact that change of climate is ineffectually recommended for a multitude of ills. But change of residence for a ragweed sensitive unfortunate is not advised for any vague climatic benefits. It has a definite basis. There is no magic in the air at fall hay fever resorts. Those resorts that accomplish the “magic” of making hay fever symptoms disappear completely, just haven’t any ragweed pollens in the air. It is just that simple. No ragweed pollens present, and therefore no ragweed hay fever.