, 1882-07-07

cOttOn CARRIERS, emma ScOurefS, ana
potters, tailors, seamstresses, lace
makers, silk workers, and iron and
coal miners, are particularly subject
to it.
In these classes, to the inhalation
of irritating particles into the lungs,
or the combined operations of seden-
tary employments, impure atmos-
phere, exhaustive work, and bad food,
may be ascribed the result Damp
cellars have been believed to be Il
prolific source of consumption in
those dwelling over them, and in To-
calities and countries where both
dampness of soil and moisture of the
atmosphere are combined it is known
20 be rife. Insufficient food like
wise, or improper food as we'll, seems
to be the most powerful of all the
conditions which have been observed
to favor the development of consmp-
tion. Want of appetite and dyspep-
sia in the young have been accused
of being fertile sources of this disease,
and in one of the most recent and in
geniously supported theories Of its
source, it is attributed solely to Il
species of fermentation in the blood,
the result of imperfect changes in the
food that is absorbed, which itself
depends on the use of improper food
in the first place.
To many, however, while all these
things have evidently been closely
connected with the development of
consumption, it has not seemed sat
isfactory to regard them as any thing
more than predisposing or fayoring
agencies, while the real essential
cause was yet to be found. Persons
perfectly healthy before, and animals
also. We're seen to have contractel /
the disease by association with those
suffering from it. It's infectious ma
ture was clearly demonstrated b.
numerous experiments upon animals.
The wonderful results of recent sci
entific researches in proving the
presence of minute, almost infnitosi-
NAL germ-like bodies as the active
poisonous agent in the production of
certain diseases, have directed search
in the same direction for the active
poison of consumption. Different
observers have at times thought that
they had discovered it, but have
failed to substantiate their claims.
A new discovery is now announced,
and under circumstances that give
good ground for the belief that it is
worthy of acceptance. The remark
able observations leading to the de
lection of the specific active germ Of
tubercle, and the experiments show
ing its infective property, were an
nounced this spring by DR.. Koch, of
Germany, to the Physiological Soci
ETY. of Berlin.
The Doctor describes this micro,
scopic plant, which, by fastening it
self upon the tissues of the body, by
its irritation produces the formation
of the bodies known as tubercles, to
be rod-shaped, and from the one
twelfth to the one sixth of thous-
andth of an inch in length 1t mul-
tiplies itself in great abundance
wherever the process of tubercle
formation is seen going on. The
discoverer was able to separate these
germs, and by putting them in a
suitable fluid which was carefully
kept at about blood-heat, he watched
them grow and multiply for several
months. With the fluid thus active
with these germs, he inoculated
various animals, who, without excep-
ton, de, ,oped consumption. Ami
mails not readily susceptible to the
disease ordinarily, as dogs and rats,
were affected quickly and suffered
from tubercular diseases in its typi
cal manifestations. Prof. Tyndall
has called attention to these OBJ
in the London Times,
being impressed with their genuine
ness and Importance. They explain
satisfactorily those things in the
course of consumption which have
heretofore been inexplicable. The
many different causes to which this
disease has seemed at tunes to be due
are all seen to have acted by reducing
the vitality of those subject to them,
and thus rendering them more fit
subjects for the reception and con
tinued develovmcnt of this poisonous
parasite. Men do not inherit con-
but do inherit weak con
stitutions which make them to fall |
victims the more readily to the spe-
ciic germ of the disease which the |
atmosphere brings to them. In
this disease, all the old meth |
ods by which it has been sought to
strengthen and build up the general |
bodily tone Of the consumptiye will |
still be found necessary, but a new |
hope has been created that the time
is not distant when direct antidote |
to the specific germ shall he found |
which shall be able to give certainty |
to our efforts to overcome this dread |
disease.