Morning journal and courier., 1882-12-04
Consumption.
Some Curious Statistics Collected by a
 Physician.

From the Toronto (Canada) Mail
 Consumption causes many more deaths than any other disease, and any statistics bearing upon it's causes or the condition of it's development are of much importance to both the medical profession and the public. With the view of obtaining information concerning the etiology of the disease Dr. Playter, of Toronto, sent out a 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 structure of the patients, and to their ancestry, general habits, &c. About 25O physicians answered the questions, and the docter has made up from these 25O cases a concise report of much practical value. The average age of the patients was 27 years ; 46 per cent. were males and 54 per cent. fe- males ;only 2S 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 54 inches. Persons of such stature should have chest circumference of about 37 inches About 55 per cent. had light blue eyes and light hair, and the nervous temperament largely pre- vailed 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 un- ventilated bedrooms, two in 8 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 alcoholic spirits to excess. In only 36 per cent. of the cases had ancestors died of the disease while nearly three-fourth had resided in a locality favoring humid, cool atmosphere.
 Mr. Playter draws some important aedhc- tions. Marriage in certain conditions and certain stages of the disease is probably un- favorable to tho development and progress of consumption. Heredity is of not such con- stancy and importance as cause appears to have been commonly believed, further than in so far as configuration 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 8 want of general stamina from defective construction With the small lungs and consequent imperfect respiratory capacity, the individuals could not consume enough oxygen to utilize the digested products of generous or full diet, especially that containing much carbonaceous matter, while there would be in all probability accumulations in the body of unused and waste substance which should have been thrown off through the lungs The one means which will best tend to prevent the development of the disease in those thus pre- disposed to it is apparent enough it is that of increasing in early life by judicious physi- cal exercise the size and capacity of the res- piratory organs The doctor draws attention to the desirability of taking into consideration the respiratory capacity of patients suffering from tubercular phthisis before prescribing full or too carbonaceous diet.