The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1897-03-03
CONSUMPTION.
L Communicable Disease-Eow 10
Prevent Taking It
An Artiole Prepared NJ = Commh zee Of
the Tri-ststs Medical Association OF
Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennsssse
Appointed ut Its Session In
November, 1890.

throughout the civilized world. Other forms
and other names for the disease are, wasting
disease. marasmus, scrofula, decline lupus and
white swelling. Tuberculosis is . name applied
TO all forms Of the disease, consumption being
generally applied to tuberculosis OF the lungs.
We shall use the word consumption In this paper
as It Is the more familiar term. But the condi-
tions which. occurring In the lungs. cause con-
sumption, may occur In any part Of the body
the bowels. the brain. the bones. the glands, the
liver, all may be invaded.
Consumption Causes More Deaths Than
Any Other One Disease.
It's gravity should be appreciated, and the
efforts Of all should be exered to stop Its dread
full progress. Yet little in this direction is be-
ing done. although facts revealed by the investi-
cation Of the past twenty years show that this
| oan to great extent be accomplished. Let us
state some Of the facts upon which the scientific
world Is agreed.
Consumption Is n Contagious Or Com
municabie Disease
This means that every new case is contracted
from some other one. This is proven BY clinical
| evidence. Wives often contract the disease by
nursing a consumptive husband, parents by
caring for a child, friend from friend. Com
munities have been free from the disease until,
as 10 some OF our noted health resorts. an influx
| OF consumptive visitors Is followed By Its fire.
quent occurrence In the resident population.
The communcability Of consumption is also
proven beyond dispute, by experimental inocula-
tion. Susceptible animals. as monkeys ana
guinea pigs, develop typical cases OF consump-
tion Wheh lnocuiated Win tine spec'nc gern'
WINE ike animals fail 10 develop the disease
when kept free from the germ, although kept
closely confined In conditions un'aVoraoie 10
| their health,
The communicaoIlity OF consumption was not
recognized earlier from observation because OF
the very CHROME course oil the disease; months
or even years may elapse between the time o.
contracting the disease anu tue oe'eiopheh' VI
pronounced symptoms.
The Cause Of Consumption
lsthe growth within the body OF rod'ike germs
or microbes, so small mat only the most power
tui microscopes can reveal tue presence. n
s'nS'e n'crooe Is one yen tiousana.' " an ,n. W..
In ieng'h ana us iehgln Is SIX Times .nat Vi ns
"iutn OF thichhess' inc gerns Wy 'hoi s,o".n
10 inc tissues usually make iit"e noou'o' VI
tuDercles' FROM lhese tupercies We oef'o .ne
Term 'uoercuiosis' ana 'he germ 10 hho"h % 'n'
oaciiius 'npercuioss.
wherever tnoso germs grow IN 'ho oouS 'ne
TISSUES are APT 10 soi'en ana orea" ao"n. ~
Tue idnss 'als soi'eneu PusnAo ""t'
coughed up. fhis sputum' or matter cougueu
up from eonsump'lFe iuhg' a'w"y'
iaaen WIN germs. Az oischarges from 'upe'
cuious areas contain tupercie pach'' ~ 70 y!
means OF THESE discharges chiehy iIo"' INC
iungs' that consumption IL communicates.
lhese discharges are inc "noio so"i.'
danger so iar as the communication Vi 'no
disease from one human oeing 10 aho.ner - oon
cerned. cattle are SUBJECT 10 'ne o'sease an"
the MIX ana meat Oh sucn animals are oou'.e
OF DANGER But Inc chteI sourcb Vi uansei 70
from lnfected human beings 'ouiu an IA.
sputa lmatter coughed up) from the iupSs VI
| consumptiVes DC destroyed py burning as soon
as raised, consumption "ouiu sooh 10 f"'e
disease.
For consumption Is preventable. Ibis iac'
| should be known throughout Inc iahu'
How the Consumptive May Avoid Spread
ing the Disease.
Every fair minded person who has, or Is
threatened with consumption will spare no
pains to avoid transmitting his disease to others
The consumptive is a safe companion so long as
he DESTROYS his sputa. Neither the air breathed
by him. nor the exhalations from his body can
cause the disease. SO long as the matter OK
perforated remains moist the germs are held
glued to it and therefore do no harm. But 1t
soon dries and then by one means or another is
ground into dust This sputum dust, contain
| ing myriads of bacilli Is spread by the broom
| and buster or by the breezes, and is breathed
| into the lungs OF others For the conSumptive
to spit upon the floor OF a room, or upon the
stairs or passages OF any building Is to endanger
the lives Of every one entering that apartment.
And every one with a chronic cough should con-
slider himself as possibly consumptive. In
deed no one with cough and expectorauon
should spit upon the floor OF any building, or
upon stairways, sidewalks or paths.
While In the house the consumpttve should
always spit into a cuspidor or special cup.
These vessels should contain 1--WE per cent So
lution OF carbolic acid or of some other strong
permicide. These cups and cuspidors should
never become foul. but should be frequently
washed In germcide solutions. Boxes with
sawdust In them may be used as receptacles
These should never be left uncovered for flies to
get on them, for a fly can carry of numbers OF
the bacllli on one OF its tiny legs. Nor should
these boxes be used longer than twenty -four
hours and then the box and all Its contents
be burned.
Pieces OF paper or paste board should not be
used to receive the sputa as the bacilli very
readily soaks through ordinary paper.
II. by accident any sputum gets on the floor.
IL should be scrubbed with the solution OF car
boIIc acid at once. The consumptlye should not
spit into his handkerchief. This soon becomes
dry and there is great danger Of inhaiing the
pulyerIzed matter when 1t is again used, thus
causing further infection. 1t is now believed
shat many consumptives who might otherwise
have recovered, have gone the downward road
because they have relnfected themselves in this
and other ways II handkerchief must be
used II should be used only once and then put
into germcide solution, or into boiling water.
.Japanese hapdkerchieTs or pieces OF old cloths
are better for this purpose, and they should be
burned AS soon as once used II the patient Is
at church or where he cannot at once burn these
cloths, he should have envelopes in which he
can place them so he can carry them with safety
to where they can be destroyed. The sonsump-
tive should not spit on the sidewalk, path or
roadway. In the city he ought to carry the
Japanese handkerchiefs and envelopes or spit
flask for use even ont of doors. In the country
there is little risk In splitting In out OF the way
places. provided no chicken or cow can get 1t.
Chickens have been known to contract consump-
ton from eating such sputa. The patient should
never swallow his own sputa as this causes con-
sumption OF the bowels