Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1897-02-27
CONSUMPTION.
A Communicable Disease-How to
Prevent Taking It
An Article Prepared by a COmmlrloe of
tho Trl-State Medical Association OF
Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee
Appointed at its Session In
November, 1896.

CONSUMPTION in some Of its forms is the cause
If about one death in every seven that occur
throughout the civilized world. Other forms
md other names for the disease are, wasting
disease, marasmus, ~scrofula, decline lupus ana
white swelling. tuberculosis is a name applied
10 all forms Of the disease, consumption being
applied to tuberculosis Of the lungs.
We shall use the word consumption In this paper
It is the more familiar term. But the conui'
tionS which, occurring in the lungs, cause con-
sumption, may occur in any part oil 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.
Its gravity should be appreciated, and the
efforts of all should be exerted to stop Its dread
full progress. Yet little in this direction Is be-
ing done, although facts revealed by the investl'
CATION OF the past twenty years show that this
can to a great extent DO accomplished. Let us
state some Of the facts upon which the scientific
world is agreed,
Consumption Is a Contagious Or Com
municab!e 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 c%onsumptiye husband, parents by
caring for a child, friend from friend. Com-
mupities have been free from the disease until,
as In some of our noted health resorts, an Influx
OF cousumptiys visitors Is followed by Its ire
ouent occurrence In the resident population.
The communicability Of consumption Is also
proven beyond dispute, by experimental inocula-
tlon. Susceptible animals. as monkeys anu
guinea pigs, develop typical cases OF eohsump-
ton when inoculated with the speclnc germ'
while like animals fail to develop the aisea'e
when kept free from the germ, although KEPT
closely confined in conditions unfavoraoie 10
their health.
The communicabllity of consumption was NOT
recognized earlier from observation because Oh
the very chronic course of the disease; months
or even years may elapse between the Tune Oh
contracting the disease and the development OF
pronounced symptoms.
The Cause OF Consumption
Is the growth within the body OF rod'like germs
or microbes, so small that only the most power
ful microscopes can reveal the presence. A
single microbc Is one ten thousandth OF an inch
I'm length and It's length is six times that OF It's
width or thickness. The germs by their growth
in the tissues usually make little noau4es OF
tubercles. From these tubercles we derive the
term tuberculosis, and the germ Is known az the
bacillus tuberculosis.
Wherever these germs grow In the Douy the
| tissues are apt to soften and break down. III
the lungs this softened pus-like matter Is
| coughed UP. This sputum, or matter coughed
up from a consumptiye lung, Is always
laden with germs. All discharges from thper-
| culous areas contain tubercle bacilli. 1t is by
means of these discharges, chiefly from the
lungs, that consumption is communicated
These discharges are the whole source OF
danger so far as the communication OF the
disease from one human being TO another Is con,
cerned. Cattle are subject TO the disease ano
the milk and meat of such animals are a source
of danger. But the chief source Of danger Is
from infected human beings. Could all the
sputa matter coughed up from the lungs Of
consumptives be destroyed by burning as 1901
as raised, consumption would soon De a rar'
disease.
For consumption is preyentable. Ihls lac
should be known throughout the land.
How the Consumptive May Avoid Spread
ing tho Disease.
Every fair minded person who has, or Il
threatened with consumption Will spare III
pains to avoid transmitting his disease TO others
The c%onsumptiyc is a safe companion so long q
ho destroys his sputa. Neither the ar pfeathe'
nv him. nor the exhalations from his body cal
cause the disease. SO long as the matter ex
perforated remains moist the germs are hell
glued to 1t and therefore do no harm. But l
1905, J.;n. aud than hv ono mnane Or another |
ground into dust. This sputum dust, contain
ing myriads OF bacilll is spread by the oroof
and buster or by the breezes, and Is brea'he'
into the lungs OF others. For the consumptlV
to spit upon tho floor Of a room, or upon IN
stairs or passages of any building Is to endange
the lives of every one entering that apartment
And every one with a chronic cough should con
slider himself as possibly a consumptive. In
deed no one with a cough and expectoratlo
should spit upon the floor OF any building,
upon stairways, sidewalks or paths.
While in the house the c%onsumptive Shout
always spit into a cuspid0r or special cul
These vessels should contain a five per cent 50
luton OF carbolic acid, or Of some other stron
germiclde. These cups and cuspidOrs shoul
never become foul, but should be frequent
washed In germicide solutions. Boxes VIII
sawdust In them may be used as receptacle
These should never be left uncovered for files
get on them, for a fly can carry of numbers
the bacilli On one of Its tiny legs. Nor shonl
these boxes be used longer than twenty-fol
hours and then the box and all Its conten
J be burned.
Pieces of paper, or paste board should not
used to receive the sputa, as the bacilli We
readily soaks through ordinary paper.
II, by accident any sputum gets or the hoo
It should be scrubbed with the solution OF ca
bolic acid at once. The c%onsumptlve should n
| spit into his handkerchief. This soon becom
+ dry and there is great danger OF inhallng y
. pulyerlzed matter when it is again used, tn
causing further infection. II is now believ'
that many consumpliyes who might otherwi
, have recovered, have gone the downward roi
because they have reinfected themselves In II
: and other ways. II a handkerchief must
! used, 1t should be used only once and then p
/, into n germicide solution, or Into boiling watt
=. Japanese handkerchie!s or pieces of old clot
q are better for this purpose, and they shOuld
burned as soon as once used. IL the patient
at church or where he cannot at once burn Inc
cloths, he should have envelopes in which
can place them so he can carry them with safe
TO where they can be destroyed. The consum
tive should not spit on the sidewalk, path
roadway. In the city he ought to carry I
v japanese handkerchlefs and envelopes or s
flask for use even out of doors. In the count
:, there Is little risk in splitting in out Of the W
. places, provided no chicken or COW can get
= Chickens have been known to contract consun
ton from eating such sputa. The patient Shot
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