The Dickinson press., 1888-11-17
FEAR OF CONSUMPTION.
SOME OF THE ABSURD DELusIoNs
ABOUT 1T DlsPELl.ED.
The Condition of "Susccptibilty" and
How 1t Is NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Which
should and Others Which should Not
Cause Apprchcnsion-Appc

How 1t Is NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Which
should and Others Which Should Not
Cause Apprchcnsion-Appcti
1t is said that everything which appears to
allcct the health Of mankind has been alleged
to he a cause of pulmonary consumption,
such rs deficiency and poor quality of food,
lack of pure air, light, warmth and exercise;
III fact, everything which impairs the nour-
iShment of the body induces poverty of the
blood, or dcrrcsses the nervous system This
is true. The waste of tho vital power, no
matter how produced, leaves the system IN
condition peculiarly susceptible to consump-
tion. it invites that disease 1t is generally
believed by people at large that consumption
OF the lungs is n disease which occurs pri.
maii!y III the lungs themselves. In other
Words, that such disease OF those organs may
exist, at least i'll the early Stages, in Il person
| perfectly sound lii every other part of his
system. There a isrcat mistake is made
The lungs viii never suffer IRON consump.
tion as long as the rest of tho body is in
| good state of health.
1t Is generally accepted lay physicians that
tho direct and exciting cause of this disease is
germ Now, this germ, in order for it to
| tlifIN" iiii'l "o lis destructive work, needs u
peculiar auis, rs IL We're, Iii introduced into
c"i;.ii!sa:'of IL healthy person, it would not
| muiiH'ik, Int would die. If, however, that
same i.''s''t.' general health were impaired,
| e!taci - ,vrr""rl;. disease, excessive iuclul.
gene s., 'r;.r Il consequence of being denied
good al >irlrnt food, pure air, etc, then
hc w':Il lac iii just such n condition as the
| germ of consumption needs for its growth
multiplication He is, as physicians term
it. l.. = condition of susceptibility" This
prcii:i condition may not only be acquired,
bat u ':iaT also exist i'll Il person ut his birth.
II is !nraIiy the Inheritance of children of
""asti'mitiNe purcuts, but the parents need not
ne'"s arly Lave had that disease to transmit
;t'Iiat"l;ihILtT II To consumption. If either of
them are sNphiillic or suffer from any malig.
nant disease, "r have what is termed scrof.
u.uus constitution, their children are quite
likely to come INTO the world stamped with
dc"ra tendency to consumption.
Very many inllammatory diseases of the
lung Itself, especially those of n catarrhal
type and other affections, promincn' among
which are measles and whooping cough,
create a liability to pulmonary consumption.
Til" term catarrhal" must not be uisunder-
stood i'll this connection. We do not refer to
calarrlI of the nasal passages. 1t is u popular
iciiai' tli'll llita'ii tutuFrll Is lllblD 10 run
into consumption. There is absolutely no
truth III such II theory. II person so suf-
f"rcd from nasal trouble that he could breathe
"nly through his mouth, and if tllut condi.
tl"n lasted for several years, he would be
likely To have set up Il bronchial trouble, but
'hri al"n. would never induce pulmonary
consumption.
People who lave liud pneumonia are quite
certain To fear for IL long time nftcrwar,l lest
they become consinptive. That acute aflec-
t,n when recovered from, does not leave the
lung III n condition susceptible to the graver
disease, In fact, Pneumonia, running Il nat
tirhl course To recovery, never leaves behind
1T any special weakness; i'll other words, if
one Receivers he RECEIVERS completely. Con
Sumption is often attributed to catching cold
Ii we take II severe cold aud neglect it, and
consequently are alling for some time during
winch we suffer from cough then we are i'll II
condition in which pulmonary consumption
ia possible If exposure to the germs of the dis
ease occurs. When one has II severe attack
Of acutc bronchitis he is likely, if improve
mcht Is not rapid, to grow uneasy and fear
consumption, But very few cases, however,
terminate III that grave disease, aud none, we
may say, unless the general health becomes
much impaired or there is present the pecu
liar susceptibility to it.
While acute affections of the lungs create
"a liability to consumption the number of
cases which So terminate arc comparatively
small That disease, us Il rule, CONES on in
sIdIonSly. and usually exists for Il time be
fore It's presence j, suspected. 1t is IL curious
fac! that among ali the persons who consult
l1yslcl;lns believing themselves to have con-
Sumption, IN only very small per cent, are
the lungs found to he affected This shows
how common 1t Is as nn Imaginary utflictlon.
reason IS because people generally at
tribute To it symptoms which do not belong
t. 1T. As, for instance, If iinprcssin9 the
RIBS one feels Il Sore spot" which fingers for
n fe" days, then straight away he il, uneasy
ubuut himself and fears consumption. Now,
really, the tenderness described is not n
symptom "f that disease. 1t Is SIMPLY iii the
walls of the chest and has nothing to DO with
the lungs. In fact, pain is not Il symptom of
rnils'lmltiun; the lungs may bc vcry badly
Diseased before any pam is ever felt i'll them.
Again. if o:ie coughs and finds his sputs
slightly stre;,L-d with blood, ic l., as Il rule,
at u!.'.: alarmed, and llnagiMcs ile has con-
auNi!,tiDil. That streakcd appearance occurs
far oitenor in bronchial troubles than in the
Era.cr affection. VI hen blood is raised from
the lungs, it is gcnerails nearly clear; the
| other symptom, alone, has but little, ii any,
significance. Sometimes "hat appears to be
Il Ecmorriiage from the lung, proves to be
simply bleeding from the nose, the blood
| !ui!ii!!ts lack and down into the throat, in
Stead Of coming out Of the nostrils And yet,
in All casts 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 consumI-
tion Is short, hacking cough, That rarely
cXcites uncasiness until it has existed for u
long time LII certain throat affections We
have Il cough resembling it somewhat, yet
there is quito decided difference, which Is
evident TO Il physician a hacking cough, if
persistent, although it only occurs occasionally
durine, the day, should lead one to seek the
advice of physician. Sweating ut night,
people generally believe points to disease Of
the lungs. Ii does not Ly any means always
signify that We expect might sweats'
only i'll consumption when the patients
strength las measurably failed. They are
an evidence Of general weakness AID may
occur in any form Of debility.
a persistent loss in weight IS one Of tho
characteristic symptoms Of pulmonary con-
sumption, for the lutritivc processes suffer
carly Impairment III ali cases, whatever
Appears 10 be the probable cause Of the los.
i!!. of flesh if it is continuous, even if very
gradual, Il physician should be consulted,
for that symptom is really serious. In tho
same connection we may say that if q Com
sutuptive gains in weight, it is one of the
most positive signs of Improvement. Among
the most pronounced symptoms of this dis
ease, and which arc the least appreciated by
on-professionals, are those referable to the
digestive organs. Loss Of appetite is often
one of the first, and there is more or less dys-
repsia. We may say with truth that while
L. ";petite Of u person remains sood and his
digestion sound, lie las little 10 fear from
consumption Boston Herald.
Tho Man Eating Fly.
The French in Cayenne are said to hold in
great dread the Lucilia hominivorax, or man