Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-10-22
FEAR OF CONSUMPTION.
SOME OF THE ABSURD DELUSIONS
 ABOUT IT DISTILLED.

How It Is Induced-Symptoms Which
 Should and Others Which Should Not Cause Apprehension-Appetit
 It is said that everything which appears to affect the health of mankind has been alleged to be a cause of pulmonary consumption, such as deficiency and poor quality of food, lack of pure air, light, warmth and exercise; in fact, everything which impairs the nour- ishment of the body, induces poverty of the blood, or depresses the nervous system. This is true The waste of the vital power, no matter how produced, leaves the system in condition peculiarly susceptible to consump- tion; it invites that disease. It is generally believed by people at large that consumption of the lungs is a disease which occurs pri- marlly in the lungs themselves. In other words, that such disease of those organs may exist, at least in the early stages, in person perfectly sound in every other part of bis | system. There a great mistake is made. The lungs will never suffer from consump- tion as long as the rest of the body is in a | good state of health.
 1t IS generally accepted by physicians that the direct and exciting cause of this disease is a germ. Now, this germ, in order for it to thrive and do it's destructive work, needs peculiar SO1l, dS lU were. lQC1OduC9Q into the organism of a healthy person, it would not multiply, but would die. If, however, that same persons general health were impaired, either by overwork, disease, excessive indul- gences, or as consequence of being denied good and sufficient food, pure air, etc., then he would be in just such condition as the germ or consumption needs for it's growth and multiplication. He is, as physicians term 1t, ln condition of Susceptibility" This peculiar condition may not only be acquired, but 1t may also exist in person at his birth It IS generally the inheritance of children of consumptive parents but the parents need not necessarily have had that disease to transmit susceptibility to consumption. If either of | them are syphiltic or suffer from any malig- nant disease, or have what is termed scrof- ulous constitution, their children are quite likely to come into the world stamped with a decided tendency to consumption.
 Very many infammatory diseases of the lung itself, especially those of a catarrhal type and other affections, prominent among which are measles and whooping cough, create Q liability to pulmonary consumption. The term ''catarrhaln must not be misunder- stood in this connection. We do not refer to catarrh of the nasal passages. It is a popular deiuslon that nasal catarrh is liable to- run into consumption. There is absolutely no
 
 fered from nasal trouble that he could breathe only through his mouth, and if that condi- t1on lasted for several years he would be likely to have set up bronchial trouble, but that alone would never induce pulmonary consumption.
 People who have had pneumonia are quite certain to fear for long time afterward lest they become consumptiye That acute affec- tion, when recovered from, does not leave the lung i'll condition susceptible to the graver disease In fact, pneumonia, running a nat ural course to recovery, never leaves behind it any special weakness; in other W o.ds, if one recovers he recovers completely, Con sumption is often attributed to catching cold IT we take g severe cold and neglect it, and consequently are ailing for some time, during which we suffer from cough, then we are in a condition in which pulmonary consumption Is possible 1t exposure to the germs of the dis ease occurs When one has severe attack of acute bronchitis he is likely, if improve ment is not rapid to grow uneasy and fear consumption. But very few cases, however terminate in that grave disease, and none, we may say, unless the general ' ,alth becomes much impaired or there is b. .ssent the pecu- liar susceptibility to it.
 While acute affections of the lungs create liability to consumption, the number of cases which so terminate are comparatively small. That disease, as a rule, comes on in- sidlouslya and usually exists for time be- fore its presence is suspected. It is 6 curious fact that among all the persons who consult physicians, believing themselves to have con- sumption, in only a very small per cent, are the lungs found to be affected. This shows how common 1t is as an imaginary aff1iction. A reason is, because people generally at tribute to it symptoms which do not belong fn fo,- SC ribs one "feels a sore spot," which fingers for few days, then straight away he is uneasy about himself and fears consumption. Now, really, the tenderness described is not symptom of that disease. It is simply in the walls of the chest and has nothing to do with the lungs. In fact, pain Is not a symptom of consumptioni the lungs may be very badly diseased before any pain Is ever felt in them.
 Again, if one coughs and finds his sputa slightly streaked with blood, he is, as rule, at once alarmed, and imagines be has con- sumption. That streaked appearance occurs far oftener in bronchial troubles than in the graver affection. When blood is raised from the lungs, it is generally nearly clear; the other symptom, alone, has but little, If any, significance. Sometimes what appears to be a hemorrhage from the lungs proves to be simply bleeding from the nose, the blood running back and down into the throat in- stead of coming out of the nostrils. And yet, in all cases where clear blood is raised, physician should be consulted and all doubts as to its origin set at rest.
 One of the earliest symptoms of consump- tion is short, hacking cough. That rarely excites uneasiness until it has existed for long time. In certain throat affections we have cough resembling it somewhat, yet there is quite decided difference, which Is evident to physician. A hacking cough, if persistent, although it only occurs occasonally during the day, should lead one to seek the advice of a physician. Sweating at night, people generally believe, points to disease of the lungs, It does not by any means always signify that. We expect 'night sweats" only ill consumption when the patients strength has measurably failed. They are an evidence of general weakness, and may occur in any form of debility.
 A persistent loss in weight is one of the characteristic symptoms of pulmonary con- sumption, for the nutritive processes suffer early impairment. In all cases, whatever appears to be the probable cause of the "los- ing of fiesh," if it is continuous, even if very gradual, a physician should be consulted, for that symptom Is really serious. In the