Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-10-23
TO PaEvEnr CONSUMPTION.
Important Circular upon the Subject Il
sued BY ths STATE Board OF Health

The Secretary Of the State Board of
Health has just completed most valuable
and quite exhaustive treatise on the proven
ton Of consumption. The folioving extracts
from the circular may be of interest and
profit
The source Of infection 10 txsfoId: from
tnbercuioas animals 70 man. and from enc
human being 70 another The tuberculosis
Of animals and human consumption are Of
the same nature. From domestic animals
there 10 danger Of contracting the disease by
the use Of flesh. and especially BY the use Of
milk from those which are tabercnious. By
far the greatest source Of infection, however.
10 eonsumptiye human beings but fortunately
the ways 10 which the contagion 10 dissent
mated are but few, snf by Intelligent care
they may be eHecta4iiy controlled. Prsc,i-
eally, from the human source, We may con-
slider the expectoration (the spusan) as the
only serious danger.
Experiments, the conclusions from which
can hardly be questioned. have shown that
the breath of the consumptive pztient is not
infectious. and that the sAme may be said OF
the sputam 80 long a. il remains moist.
Another line Of investigation has proved that
the careless consumptive patient 10 . focus
Of infection, and a danger to all persons
Who come much in proximity to him, es-
psc.aiiy to those Who dwell in the same
rooms with him.
The reason Of thu. 10 that The expectoration
# the patient. spit upon hoors, carpets,
rocket handkerchisfs or clothing, becomes
dried and pulyeriz. d and. foatet in the air.
-tii contains the Infectious germs. aad can
luha lid A
infection may he regarded as the primer oal.
lie essential. cause of consumption, there
are nevertheless various unto yard Influences
which should never be iisregarded. The
most important Of these are the breathing Of
impure air, particularly that of unyentlisted
.eep ping rooms and living rooms, the use Of
food not sufficiently nutritious, and dwelling
upon a soil which 10 damp.
How far heredity is cause Of consump-
ton IT, from the nature of the question, hard
To determine Some able Sriters would dis
card beredi'y as one Of the causes OF tuber-
euioas disease, but others think that certain
peeuliarities Of constitution, favoring sus-
ceptibihty, are transmissible from parent to
chi d.
THE KEsTKICrIoN - lsrECTIoN.- 1t should
be Impressed upon consumptve patients and
other persons living with them. that the
-putum {what they cough up is dangerous
and must be properly disposed Of The
sputum should be received in q spit-cup or
sptitoon containing little water or disin-
fecting fluid, and must never be spit upon
floors carpe's, or received in handkerchief.
II occasionally it IS necessary to have hand
kerchiefs or cloths soiled with the sputum
they should be boiled as soon as possible,
and before drying. Spit-cups and spttoons
should be emptie and cleansed often with
b ling water and potash soap. When the
house has a drainage system. the contents
may be poured down the water closet or slop-
hopper. when it has not. they should be
buried IN ground which will not be turned
up soon. The sputum should not be thrown
out upon the surface of the ground near in
habited places, nor on manure heaps, nor
where animals may get it, nor where it may
.oil amin al food. Boxes filed with sand or
.awdust should not be used The floors.
woodwork and furniture Of rooms in which
eDnsumptive patients stay, should be wiped
with damp cloth not busted in the usual way
The patients clothing should be kept by
iiself and thoroughly boiled at the washing
Nfler death from this disease has occurred,
the patients room. clothing and bed should
be disinfected II raw milk is used as
food, especially il 1t is to oe given to chill
dten, an assurance should be had that the
cows which produce it are perfectly healthy
and subjected to heaithful treatment. When
there 10 any doubt as to the health OF the
cows which furnish the supply, the milk
should be boiled before use. Thorough
cooking will remove all danger of tubercu
losis through the medium of the meat sup
ply.
To GuARp AGAINST CoSTRAcrISG THE
DIsEasE.-By observing the rules that are
EXPIRE ,sed and suggested in the foregoing,
the principal if not danger Of infection may
by avoided. Whatever has 4 tendency to
undermine the general health increases the
susceptibility to the infection and diminishes
the power of recovery from incipient tu
bereulosis A fact abundantly shown in the
Iissecting room is, III At many persons dying
of other diseases. have had tuberculosis and
have recovered in its early stages. This
tend. ncy to recover is greatly strengthened
by the habituai breathing of pure air.
Mean. should be provided for the abundant
ventilation of Inhabited rooms, particularly
of sleeping rooms, school-rooms and church
es. The open air treatment of consump-
tives and those who are threatened with
tuhereulous disease, has given much better
results than any other. Usually no claim is
made for advantages of climate. An abun-
dance of pure air is the all important thing