The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-07-03
Danger of Consumption.

The recently published statement of Drs.
Prudden, Biggs and LoomiS to the New iork
Board Of Health In regard 10 tne contasiouS. ,o,,
ness If pulmonary tuberculosis lcons9mp.
tion) and the means Of protection there1rom
contains useful information that merits tne
attention Of every man, woman anu cuieu ~ y
the land. Briefly put, the substance 0l tne
statement Is that consumption is mol inner
tied, Is distinctly preventiole ana Is olGen
cured. Tuberculosis is very common. DO
mestic animals, and especially cattie, are
Of the deaths Of grown persons are re caused as,H
by IL and nearly one-half OF the entire popu
lstion acquired it at one time or anothef
during lfe Il Is caused oy Vihg Ing av germ into S
the body and multiplies there, II the c0hul lli.t
tions favor, producing tu6ercies. Ihes'
tubercles soften and give out discharge con,
dm 1nns s the sody dying WSen SsenS hs s0a
the lungs, constituting. consumption" thI
expectoration consists largely OF these aGt
germs. The latter do not grow OUTSIDE tnS
Body, but they retain their vitality .Sns ano
yirulence for long time, even when thor
oughly dried. 1t is when dried ana noatlne
In the air as an impalpable dust that they aIe
most dangerous Consumption Is c3'1inou,s thn H. y.
produced by breathing air In when the ilH.
ING germs are suspended as dust. The o,lGiI,
of the poison, as already stated is cnleny ID ~
the expectoration Of persons suHerlnR lIoul
which ontains germs in enormous quanutl. s
This is deposited In places where IL Afterwards
dries, as on floors, carpets, clothing, handker.
chiefs, &c. When dry IL readily Preaks S,SI ~
The entire surroundings OF consumPtlVe
patients are made poisonous with TINS dust
Repeated experiments show that the ousi
gathered from almost any pate Gl 5oasa where
a consum ptive resides will produce tuoeTcumn' m
Sis in animals inoculated with II, Whlle tne tne
dust from places where the disease does nol
exist has no such effect. 1t Is important 70
note that the broath of person having con
sumption does not communicate the disease,
nor does the spit OF the consumptlVe patlenl
communicate 1t SO long as II Is retained IN lIs
receptacle in a moist state. 1t is only when II
cries and IS scattered by currents OF ar ina!
IL is dangerous. The prenalent oellel Ina;
consumption Is hereditary is que 10 tue !ars lac.
that the children OF consumptlVes are more
than others exposed to the tubercle bacllll
which find the way to their lungs from
handkerchiels, carpets, floors and the cl9tnils ~
OF the afflicted parent. IT is conceueu 10 oe
likely that the child may inherit weak con
dition of the lungs, which renders It more
liable than another to succumb, but 1t is now
known that the disease itself can be caused
only by the entrance be,s Gl Ie germ than INV, nv way
of the lungs. 1t may be transmitted ny mea'
or milk from animals suffering from tucer'
culoss. The milk of COWS, whose lungs are e
affected, often contains the living luoercie
bacillus. and the need Of caution in the pur
chase OF milk is emphasized by the,fact tnal
20 or 30 per cent. OF Stalled COWS nave Iiis
. disease. Boiling the milk anu tnoIousuis
Cooking the meat destroys the germs, anu
This is q precaution that should tnever pe
omitted when there is any reason TO suspec'
ones milk or beef supplies. CONSUMPTION Is
however as O rule, communicated from mar
TO man through the medium Of the ,pericihns
dust whose origin we have described To pre-
vent the formation OF this dust by prevent
In the dryinS of the eXpebtorations OF con
sumptive persons is. therefore, the snly etfect
i've means Of preventing the extension e, o
consumption to those about the patient ant
of curing the patient himself. The patien
NAV. dominish his cnanches Of recovery b!
'eeif.noculation If he neglecis the Prope
precautions. What. then, Is to be done
Only this, to bgrn the spitile Of the consump p
tive person berfore it hps hae time to dry
Handkerchiefs should be boiled very sooi
after being used by q consumptiVe person
in his hands they are eXtreamely dangerou
articles. Expetoration on the floor or poIcl
should not Of course be thought OF ior INC
ment. In q word. the cure and prevention Q
consumption lie in jealous and udinterrupte'
personal cleanliness