Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-11-22
CONSUMPTION.
Some Curious Statistics Collected
by Physician.
Toronto tCanada) MaA.

Consumption causes many more deaths
than any other disease, and any statistics
bearing upon its causes or the conditions
of its development are of much import
ance to both the medical profession and
the public. With the view of obtaining
information concerning the etiologY of
the disease DIR. Playter, of Toronto, sent
out list of questions to each of many
hundreds of physicians having cases in
practice in Canada and the States of
New York, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana,
Illinois and Louisiana. The questions
related to the age, sex and general struc-
ture of the patients, and to their ances-
try, general habits, ETC. About $50 phv-
sicIans answered the questions, and the
doctor has made up from these $50 cases
a concise report of much practical value.
The average age Of the patients was q
years; 40 per cent. were males, and 54 per
cent. females; only % per cent. were
married. The circumference of the
chest was in every case much below the
average OF vigorous persons Of the same
height, being only 314 inches; the
average height being feet ST inches.
Persons of such stature should have
chest circumference of about 81
inches. About a5 per cent. had
light blue eyes and light hair,
and the nervous temperament
largely prevailed. Two-thirds of the
patients had been engaged in indoor,
sedentary occupation, and spent but
little time in the open air. Much the
greater part of them had slept in small
uHventilated bedrooms, two in a bed.
had not usually worn flannel next the
skin, nor used habituallY any form of
bath, and nearly all had been small or
very moderate eaters, and used but very
little fatty food except butter. The
general habits of nearly all had been
good, and but very few had used alco.
holic spirits to excess. In only 36 per
cent. of the cases had ancestors died of
the disease, while nearly three-fourtbs
had resided in a locality favoring a
humid cool atmosphere.
MIR. Playter draws some important de
ductions. Marriage in certain conditions
and certain stages of the disease is
probably unfavovable to the development
and progress Of consumption. Heredity
Is not or such constancy and importance
as cause as appears to have been com
monty believed, further than in so far as
cOnnguration and structure OF the body,
the relation, and the relative size and
vigor of the different organs to each
other are influenced by parentage-i. G.,
in a want of general stamina from defec
tive construction. With the small lungs
and consequent imperfect respiratory
capacity, the individual could not
consume enough oxygen to utilize
the digested products of a gener-
GUS or full diet, especially that
containing much carbonaeeous matter,
while there would be in all probability
accumulatlons in the body of unused
and waste substances which should
have been thrown of through the lungs.
The one means which will best tend to
prevent the development of the disease
in those thus prediposed to il is apparent
enough; it is that of increasing in early
life by judicious physical exercise the
size and capacity Of the Respiratory or.
gans, The Doctor draws attention to the
desirability of taking into Consideration
the respiratory capacity of the natsen,s
suffering from tubercular ph.LII;sis afnee bsfore
prescribing full or two carnonaceons ssp1s