Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-30
CONSUMPTION INFECTIOUS.
To Bring the Disease Under Ssnftarv
Survefllance.
From he York Trfhan.

To Bring the Disease Under sanftarx
Survefllance.
From the New York Tribune
One Of the most important reports ever
submitted to the board OF health OF this
city is that In relation to tuberculosis DR.
Biggs refers to the high mortality from this
disease-over 5000 in ls92-as indubitable
evidence Of the necessity for bringing IL
under the sanitary surveillance Of the de-
partment The argument 10 unanswerable
II there had been 900 deaths In this town
from cholera during the same period it
would have been regarded q y a plague spot,
ana 1892 would have gone on record In black
letter a year of pestilence With the
same mortality from tuberculosis, and with
kindred diseases like bronchitis and pneu-
monia fatal In corresponding degree. there
is no public alarm. although the prevalence
OF these scourees points unerringly TO their
infectious nature. For this popular apathy
In the presence OF appalling diseases the
boards OF health and the medical profession
ed TO lace facts which are In plain sight
and to warn the community that tubercu-
losis is an infectious disease directly COM
municable in the sick room from patient to
nurse and friends
DIR. Biggs raises an alarm signal n his re-
port He contends that tuberculosis is q
contagious disease. and is distinctly pre-
ventable; that IL is acquired by the direct
transmission Of the tubercle baciln from the
sick to the well. usually by means OF the
dried and pulverized sputum floating as dust
In the air. and that it can be largely pre-
vented by simple methods OF disinfection.
These conclusions are accompanied by prac-
teal recommendations for securing officisl
surveillance Of the disease. One of the
measures which he advises is the establish
ment of a consumptive hospital for exclu-
sive treatment Of the disease. Another 10
the isolation of patients suffering from pull
monary consumption in public hospitals.
var,,or 40 tone "a
ton between physicians and the sanitary
authorities. by which meteorological exami-
nations of sputuin can be conducted In pri-
waite houses and tenements.
When DIR. Kochs conclusions respecting
the origin and infectiousness Of consump-
ton were announced. a committee OF the
British Medical Association addressed a
circular to the profession inviting opinions
respecting the communicability of the dis
ease. Although the theory was then a novel
one there were 26l replies tending TO con-
firm IL and giving practical illustrations of
the infectious nature of the disease A large
majority OF these cases were instances of
the communicability of the disease from
husband to wife or from wife to husband.
In $50 out OF 1872 cases OF this nature those
TO whom the disease was impaired had no
predisposing faint or tendency One man
who contracted consumption from his wife
communicated IL in turn to a servant nurs-
Ing him. Another instance Indicated the
spread of the disease from q young man to
his sister, who took care OF him. and then
from her to a companion in excellent health.
One of the best-known cases recorded In
the medical books is that OF a consumptivs
French dressmaker. who lived In a cottage
and piled her trade. She had three APP
prentices, young women OF different fami-
lies and in robust health. Each in turn re-
manned over night in the cottage a week at
a time and shared the dressmaker's bed
The dressmaker died of consumption after
a protracted illness. Each OF the appren-
tees contracted the disease from her and
died in the course Of few years.
The medical profession is aware Of the in
fictitious nature of consumption, but IL is
naturally reluctant to add to the terrors of
this dreadful scourge by telling the truth
about it. When 5000 patients are dying an
nually in New York from tuberculosis the
time has passed for hesitation and silence.
The sanitary authorities and the medical
profession ought TO be brought into the
closest possible relations in order that mea-
sures for restricting the ravages Of con-
sumption may be adopted. II is highly
probable that by the enforcement OF SAN
itary regulations providing that consumptivs
patients shall sleep alone. and that their
sick rooms shall be Systematically disinfect-
ed, marked redultion in the mortality from
tuberculosis can u effected.