The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-11-16
HOW TO AVOID CONSUMPTION.
Rules Which if. Followed will Save Many
Lives.
Tract issued by 1.-THE sPennsylvaniaSociety for
the Prevention of Tuberculosis.]

| RI
the Prevention of Tuberculosis.]
Tuberculosis, popularity known sunder
the names of consumption, decline,
| scrofula, marasmus, wasting disease,
hamilton, lupus and white swelling, is
contagious disease, which means that
every new case is produced by exposure
to some other CASE The knowledge of
this fact gives the key note to personal
avoidance of the disease. Fortunately
| science has demonstrated how person
| suffering from tuberculosis can give it
| to another, and hence we know Just
what to do to avoid getting it. This
| knowledge moreover brings us great con-
solation,, for it takes away all cause for
fear and..for expressing the. unfortunate
victims, of the disease. To avoid con-
sumption ourselves we do not have to
be unkind to our dear ones who have it
nor to deprive them of the society of
their relatives or in fact of any of the
comforts of this life. The contagium of
tuberculosis lies entirely and acone in
the pus (matter given off either in the
form of spit in consumption, of matter
in assesses and in lupus, or of discharg-
es from the bowels in marasmus and in
tuberculosis of the bowels. In short pus
(matter) given off from a tubercular
sore, wherever it may be, is the means
| of giving the disease. to somebody else.
This tubercular pus can find it's way
into healthy person principally in
three ways: First, through the stomach;
| SECOND, through the lungs, or third,
| through an open wound. First, through
| the stomach: When people eat imperfect
| ~ cooked tuberculous meat, drink milk
| from badly diseased tubercular cows,
eat food out of the same dishes or with
| the same eating utensils as consump-
tives, eat food with unwashed hands
| after having been in contact with tuber-
cular patients, eat food that has been
| handled by persons suffering from
| tuberculosis, put coins, articles of toilet
or other small objects that have been
handled by persons suffering from tuber-
culosis into the mouth, use musical in
struments or implements which, when
| in use, are placed to the lips or in the
| mouth and which have been used by con-
sumptives, kiss upon the lips persons
suffering from consumption, swallow
| tubercular pus in 1.-The form of dust
which has accumulated in the throat and
fauces during the act of respiration
Secondly Through the Lungs: When
people inhale dried-up tuburcular pus in
the form of dust Thirdly, Through
Wounds When people get tubercular
pus into an open cut or an abrasion OF
| the skin.
| Of the three ways in which the disease
germ gets into the system that by the
stomach is the most frequent. There lis
not SO. much danger of getting tubercu-
losis by eating meat and drinking milk
| that people need be afraid to use these
articles Thorough cooking destroys the
| bacillus tuberculosis and therefore re-
moves all danger; but even this needsnot
| be resorted to in the case of milk when
! the dairyman is known to be careful and
honest. 1t you do not know your dairy
man you had better boil your milk.
You can do most towards protecting
yourself against tuberculous smeat and
milk however by eXertlng your influence
| to bringssabout proper government inspec-
| tion of slaughter houses and diaries. If
| you are living in the same house with
consumptive be careful not to use the
same dishes lin eating unless they have
been first thoroughly boiled. Above all
| things do not eat of the delicacies
which have been sent to the invalid and
which he has eaten of nor help him sip
his wine When you have been in con
| tact with tubercular patients wash your
hands at your earliest convenience, and
be sure to wash them carefully before
eating. Do not buy any food from a
| person suffering from tuberculosis, and
as matter OF general precaution have
all food which goes on the table raw
we'll washed. Never put coins, articles
| of toilet or other small objects into your
| mouth, for. they may have been used by
| consumptive just before falling into
your hands. This j. particularly true
| 1od hn To ha acha hafor
| eating A most prudent habit to form
| is never to eat without first having care
| fully washed the hands. Do not use a
! pipe, wind instrument such as a flute
| or horn, or an instrument or implement
which goes to the lips or into the mouth
that has been in use by a consumptive.
Do not kiss persons on the mouth who
are suffering from tuberculosis of the
lungs When the disease has arrived at
the stage when they begin to spit Even
| with the cleanliest persons some sputal
will adhere to the lips when a bandker-
chief has been used. When you have for
any length of time been in room with
a consumptive, in which perfect sanitary
measures are not practiced, do not swal-
low your spittle until you have had an
an opportunity to rinse your mouth aud
| throat. Ii you ARE compelled to be
about a consumptive frequently endeav-
or to have him disinfect all tubercular
| puS luluiculduCiy upUtt lUS uolHS OuIOWu
| off, for in this way you protect yourself
| against all danger. Should you not be
| in a position to see this carried out avoid
as far as possible inhaling dust in the
room or upon the premises. Never allow
! clothing or furniture that has been used
by a consumptive or that has been kept
| in a house occupied by consumptive to
come into your house or room until it
| has been thoroughly disinfected. When
| you are compelled to change your resi-
| dence be sure to make inquiry about the
| house into which you are going to move
as to whether or not it has been occu-
| pied by consumptive. and if it has see
that it is thoroughly disinfected before
you move into it. The walls of the room
which was occupied by the consumptive
ought to be scraped and washed with
some powerful disinfectant, such as mer-
curry or carbolic acid.
There is great deal in family and in
| dividual disposition to tuberculosis If
any of your family have died of the dis
ease it is some evidence that you are
prone to it, and you ought as matter
of prudence to keep away from it as
much as possible. Individual predisposi-
tion is usually acquired and consists