The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1884-07-05
Infectiousness Of Consumption.

DR.. Koch's conclusions respecting the
origin and infectiousness of consump-
ton have been partially confirmed by
the British Medical Association. A
committee was authorized to address
circular to the medical profession OF the
United Kingdom, inviting opinions and
experiences regarding the commune
cability of this disease. The number
of replies received was 1,07S. OF these
no fewer than 673 were blanks, the
practitioners not having had any cases
on which positive opinion could be
based. There were lO0 negative and
80 doubtful answers. The number OF
affirmative replies was 26l, and the
cases cited in support of the theory that
consumption is a germ-caused disease
and can be directly communicated were
very remarkable.
For example, a dressmaker was re-
ported as dying of consumption after q
protracted illness during which she
lived in a cottage and piled her trade.
She had three apprentices-women
under nineteen years of age, and not
related-aud each in turn remained
over night in the cottage a week at a
time and shared the dressmaker's bed.
Each of these apprentices contracted
the disease and died in less than two
years. Another instance indicates the
communication of consumption from a
young man to his sister, who nursed
him, and from her to companion, a
Young woman in excellent health. each
case ending fatally in a short period.
Another illustration is that of man,
who apparently contracted the disease
from his wife, and in turn commune
Gated it to the servant nursing
him. A majority of the cases reported
are instances of the communication of
the disease from husband to wife, or
from wife to husband. In $50 of the
1872 cases of this nature, those to whom
the disease was impaired had no pre-
disposing trait or tendency.
These results are analysed in apaper
by DIR. Andrew Wilson, in the Pail Mall
Gazette, and the conclusion is reached
that consumption is infectious, and that
the germs, or plant-like bacilli, are con-
viewed in the breath or lung excretions
from the patients to others, and breed
disease in the new soil where the seed
is planted. In view of the negative re-
plies to the circular and also to the
large number of blanks representing
physicians who are unwilling to COM
NIT themselves on this subject, this is
probably an extreme opinion. Con-
sumption is one of the commonest dis
eases in England, and the medical prac-
titioners to whom the circular was adj
dressed must have had familiar &C
quaintance with many thousands of
cases in the aggregate. The number of
cases cited as corroborating DIR. Koch's
theory is comparatively small. and the
result of the inquiry is not by any means
conclusive. Nevertheless, the evidence
in favor of the communicating of the
disease is startling, and, as DR.. Wilson
observes, is calculated to make us
think seriously enough of our duty both
to the sick and to the hale" The COM
plete demonstration of this hypothesis
would add another terror to this dread
full scourge. The consumptive would
be distracted with the thought that he
was imparting contagion and endan-
gering the lives of those who were nurs-
ing and caring for him. If that be the
final result of these German investiga-
tons with the microscope, the victims
of consumption will have small cause
for gratitude to DIR. Koch. 1t matters
little to them whether the disease is
caused by the inorganic poison of de-
cay of lung tissue, or by the multipli-
cation of organized living particles in
the system; and the thought that their
fatal ailment may be infectious will be
the final drop of gall in their cup of
bitterness. Until medical science can
discover the remedy and mode of pre-
vention as the cause, its work with the
microscope will remain half finished. =
NJ Y Tribune