Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1891-11-12
SPREAD OF PHTHISIS.
PROF. TYNDALL ON THE PRopA-
CATION OF CONSUMPTION.

The Massacre OF Nursss-A PIes for
spIttoons-Ths Interssting CoReIu-
siOns OF DIR. Cornet. . Patient Ger
man Investigator.
In a late FortnightIy Professor Tyndall
has very important article on "The
Origin, Propagation, and Prevention Of
Phthisis. 1t is a condensed account of
the result of the discoveries of DIR. Cor
net, colleague of Dr. Koch, at the I'm.
perial Sanitary Institute at Berlin. What
DIR. Cornet has discovered says the Re-
Uie'c Of Rerietcs, practically amounts 20
this, that the tubercle bacilli, or the in
fective matter Of consumption, is almost
entirely propagated by the conversion of
the sputum OF consumptive patients into
dust, which is afterward breathed by
people. Hence, the true way to prevent
the spread of consumption is to induce
all consumptive patients to use a spittoon
and never to expectorate at large.
DIR. Cornet found that the consump-
tive germ retained its virulence for at
least six months The dust of the room
in which a consumptive patient has lived
contains the seeds of the disease, which,
when taken into the lungs of healthy
man, may produce consumption. The
real cause of consumption running in
families is not because il is inherited, but
because there is family infection, due 10
the breathing of the dust of the dried
sxpectoration of the consumptive
patient. The room in which a consump-
tive patient has lived, and who has not
used a spittoon, the walls and all the fur
niture are full of virulent bacilli, whereas
the dust in rooms where the spittoon is
constantly used is absolutely free from
the deadly germ.
The first law, therefore, which must be
laid down for consumptive patients is,
never use a pocket handkerchief and
never spit on the floor, and always
and everywhere use proper spit
toon. DIR. Cornet would have spittoons
in all offices, workshops. all public build
ings, corridors, and staircases. In fact,
to read DIR. Comets suggestions, we
seem to be within measurable distance
from the time in which, if consumptive
patient is found splitting upon the floor
Or into his handkerchief, he will promptly
sent to Jail or hospital for period not
exceeding two months.
Professor Tyndall gives some very re-
markable figures as to the mortality of
nurses in Germany as the result of their
liability to tuberculosis. More than one
half the deaths of Catholic nurses in
81 German hospitals were due to this dis
ease. Nursing is one of the deadliest oc-
cupations known. to man, or rather to
woman; healthy girl Of II, devoting
herself to hospital nursing, dies, on an
average, 81 1 years soon than girl Of the
same age in the general population. A
woman of "a will live % years longer in
the outside population than what she
would do If she were nurse in hospi-
sal. This extreme mortality, DIR. Cornet
thinks, might be reduced by the rigorous
use of the spittoon.
The following is Professor Tyndall's
summary of the German investigator:
II is universally recognized that tubercu-
losis is caused by tubercle bacilli, which
reach the lungs through the inhalation
Of air in which the bacilli are difFused.
They come almost exclusively from the
uIleu bpuluin Oh COnbNiilpbiNb peIbOuSs
The moist sputum, as also the expired
breath of the consumptive patients, is,
for this mode of infection, without dan
ger. If we can prevent the drying of
the expectorated matter, we prevent in
the same degree the possibility Of infec-
ton. 1t is not, however, sufficient TO
place a spittoon at the disposal of the
patient. The strictest surveillance must
be exercised by both physicians and at
tendants to enforce the proper use of the
spittoon, and TO prevent the reckless dis
posal of infective phlegm. Splitting on
the floor or into pocket handkerchiefs is
the main source OF peril. To this must
be added the soiling of the bedclothes
and the wiping of the patients mouth.
The handkerchiefs used for this purpose
must be handled with care and boiled
without delay. Various other sources of
danger, kissing among them, will occur
TO the physician. A phthisical mother,
by kissing her healthy child, may seal
its doom.