Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-05-19
SANITARY.
Is Consumption COntagiousl


No more important question has Of late been
started In sanitary medicine than that which
relates to the communicability Of consumption.
Because it Is the disease that more than all
others ravages the human race close investiga-
ton of its causes becomes the leading inquiry of
all etiolOgy, all the more when We remember how
many perish from allied lung diseases. Many
cases of bronchial irritation or Inflammation as
well as of pneumonia either terminate speedily
or leave the lung tissue so impaired as to result
In consumptive degeneration. We have long
recognized the fact that tubercle may be
hereditary affection, and that many children are
born Into the world with an impaired vitality
from this cause. But this is so often eradicated
by proper care, and bears such small proportion
TO the absolute number OF cases, that the expla-
nation Is not adequate. UNFRAMED soils and
general conditions of foul air are often and very
properly referredt to as factors in the causation
of lung diseases. But, in addition. the question
has been frequently started whether a well
person may not contract the disease from
another In other words, whether, If not direct
ly contagious. ones lungs may not become
affected because Of one breathing the air which
has been so contaminated. This idea of con-
tagiOusness Is not new. There was a time when
the consumptive was avoided and when in the
southern countries, such as Italy, men fed from
their presence for fear of the inhalation of their
breath. From time to time writer's have related
instances IN which fond wife in perfect health
has seemed to become victim because Of devO-
ton to her sick husband. or mother has seemed
20 receive 1t from, rather than impart it to,
ner child. Those who have traced such cases
have generally been able to find that the attend
ant has become affected at some periods when
his or her own general health was below par.
Surely very many such apparent cases can be
aGduced and would seem conclusive were it not
that an equal number can be cited where there
was no visible effect. But the recent discovery
of the tubercle bacillus by Koch and the con-
f1rmatiOn his experiments have received from
various sources impart new significance to these
views. Ii, as now seems probable the speciic
character of these bacill is about to be establish
ed, 1t conveys with it strong intimation that if
this microbe or infected particle finds its way
into healthy lung, it may there set up an
action exactly analogous to that it had before
accomplished elsewhere. This theory of infec-
ton through transportation does not assert that
most cases arise from this cause or that all that
inhale theinfected particle will be affected. These
inf1nlteslma orders OF plant life have their laws
OF soil and of propagation as dehniteas those of
higher orders. Many Of them perish because
they find no pabulum in the tissue on which they
hight or no surface fitted for their Judgment and
growth. The resistance which some show to
disease Is not accidental, but often testimony
to the perfection of that part of the organism on
which this or that infective particle is found to
depend. Lower plant life has It's choices lust as
real as animals have theirs and is ephemeral
and very perishable out of it's propagating
centers. 1t is fortunate that so much OF inf1ni-
tesma "details to finds its nurture Thus there
Is sense In which many one takes disease.
out the disease obtains no hold. But unfor-
tunatey, the lungs are exposed to various forms
OF Impairment Sometimes it is only the cover
ing mucous membrane: At other the bronchial
tubes are involved. Then the tissue itself is
more directly involved. as in pneumonia Or
weakened vessels and connective tissue receive
deposits which act as vicious foreign substances
and set up inflammatIOns Ofdegraded tendencies
There is 80 much foul and befouled air in the
world. and especially in the close vicinage of
breathing life, that we often have to take in too
much OF the air which has been in the lungs of
some one else. As a rule. this is only an add-
tlonal burden upon the forces oflife, and easily
worked OF iftis only the material from bronchial
irritation or acute febrile action. But il the air
has a specific character, in tubercle, and is
laden with some special infective there is then
always the possibility that it will find soil so
congenlal as to attempt residence. Thus the
new man becomes the host of an enemy tn 4
may GO on to establish dominion over him. This
is still more true of sputa or Of the dried expec-
tOration mingled with the air than of the air
itself This was Nng ago spoken or as source
OF evil in close soldiers barracks Whooping-
cough is believed to be conveyed more by sputa
than IN any other way. 1t must, therefore, be
said that as the case now stands consumption is
one OF those diseases that is possibly conmuni-
cable. although seemingly not very ready of COM
munication. Where a case has been so diagnos-
ticated as to assert the form of pulmonary
disease the person affected should not Tor his
own sake and for that of the attendant sleep in
the same bed. The room should be SO aired as
to insure purity of air. If the fact of the posi-
billy of consumptive contagion become estab-
ished it will tend greatly to diminish the disease
1t will not need to diminish close and fearless
attention since the cOntagion is of itself limit
able. twill secure that care which while it pro-
tects thetathful is also in the interest
OF the sufferer. 1t is impossible in almost every
sick room to secure healthy air. By proper
ventilation and sun light and usual dsinfectants
it is very easy to keep the breath either of the
sick person or the attendant in proper condition,
to deal properly with the sputa and thus to limit
the inroads of the disease both as related to the
sufferer and to those who are ready to supply
his wants.