The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-11-22
TO PREVENT CONSUMPTION.

~ 06V6NI SOIN0O"F IONs
The Latest Medical Views Concerning
Tubercular Diseases.
Medical views of consumption have
greatly changed within the last few
years. 1t was once regarded as in
durable; it is now regarded as durable,
ii the right treatment is begun early.
1t was once regarded as specially
transmissible; so much so that children
OF consumptive parents often looked on
themselves rs doomed feeling which
of itself did much to induce the
dreaded result. Now the disease itself
is not believed to be transmitted, but
only condition of special suscepti-
bility to- the disease, a susceptibility
which may be overcome or guarded
against by proper precautions.
Consumption was formerly looked
upon as incommunicable. 1t is now
believed to belong to the great class of
infectious diseases caused by microbes.
The discovery of the microbe-the
tubercle bacilus-was made by Koch in
1882. and has been confirmed by nu-
merous original Investigations con.
Quoted by other experts.
Tests on animals prove that this mi
crObe communicates tubercular disease
when introduced into their systems;
and that the result, fatal or otherwise,
depends mainly or wholly upon whether
The animals are closely confined amid
bad surroundings, or are allowed free
exercise in the open air.
AS to the durability of the disease.
post-,noreem examinations at the New
York hospitals constantly show that
large numbers of psrsons who have
once been cOnsumptive have fully re-
covered. and have died long afterward
of other diseases.
In consequence of these near views.
the question of prevention has become
extremely important. But to know how
to prevent consumption, we must know
how it is propagated.
Typhoid fever, the seat of which is
in the walls of the intestines, is propa-
gated mainly by the microbes in the dis
charges. which later find their way into
the intestines again through infected
drinking water.
Consumption. on the other hand, hav-
ing its special seat in the lungs, is
mainly propagated by microbes con-
tanned In the approximations.
The microbes are harmless SO long
as they are in a fluid state, but when
allowed to dry. they are taken up in
the air as dust and inhaled.
This infected duct may lodge on the
walls OF the room. and communicate
the disease to tenants of the house. II
has been scraped off with a sponge.
and animals inoculated with it have
become Tuberculosis; while animals
inoculated with scrapingss from unin-
fected rooms showed no signs of the
disease.
10 prevent consumption, therefore
l. Observe all the conditions of Wig
orous health. Most kinds of microbes
are powerless against high health.
2. Have all sick rooms thoroughly
ventilated. 1t requires many microbes
to infect. Ventilation greatly reduces
the danger.
8. Let the expectorations be invari-
ably received in spit-cups. and care.
fully disinfected.
But consumption may be commune
Gated by the milk of consumptive COWS.
Therefore, let all milk be boiled. This
destroys the various kinds of microbes.
and should be made a permanent habit
as q guard against all infectious dis
sases.-Youth's Companion.
"A very go0a ilnlmenJ for sores and
bruises is made of oneshalf pint of
sweet oil. one ounce of laudanum, and
q piece OF camphor gum the size of q
walnut.-Housekeeper.