The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1897-11-20
CAUSE OF CONSUMPTION.
Nature of the Disease, or the
Origin Of tuberculosis.
The Subject Treated I'M n Paper
Made Supplemental to the Re-
port of the Michigan Board
of Health.


of Tuberculosis Consumption" has
been reprinted as supplemental to the
annual report of the Michigan state
board of health for the present year.
1t is designed to treat this dreaded
disease in language that the lay reader
is able to understand. The doctor says
in part:
Tuberculosis Is that disease process
whose most common and best known man.
Hesitation Is called consumption. For the
purpose OF this paper 1t might be said that
tuberculosis is consumption. But, strictly
speaking, tuberculosis Is not so much one
disease as q disease process, which attacks
various tissues of the body and takes the
name OF different diseases, according to its
location and the circumstances OF It's at
tack
Nature of the Disease.
What is the nature OF tl:- disease proc
ess, or. better. what is the cause? 1 will
venture the declaration that to-day. tie
best minds of the profession are united m
the belief that the essential cause of the
disease is a living germ which finds en-
trance to the tissues of the body and lives
and multiplies there. 1t will be freely
granted that other causes contribute TO the
disease. and above all stands out the fact
that in some systems, and especially In
some states of those systems, the germ
home. while in other systems the germ
finds II impossible to effect a living settle
ment or accomplish any harm. If intro
duced 1t perishes But all this tends TO con-
firm. NOT to weaken" the belief that the
germ is the true cause.
Found In Every Organ.
1--WE think of consumption as a disease
of the lungs, and so II usually is, but tuber-
culosis, in Its widest sense. is disease
which attacks almost every organ and
tissue of the body. To name its localities
and varieties would be TO make a catalogue
of bodily structures. 1t is so well known
in the alimentary canal as to have given
rise to the common name, consumption OF
the bowels In the membranes OF the
brain 1t is the disease once known as
dropsy or water on the brain. The bones
and joints often suffer. Truly. I know no
organ. tissue or locality of the body that
Is absolutely safe from it's ravages. Thus
we have an immense number of apparently
different diseases all caused by the same
germ, and possibly all contracted from the
same patient
Identity. of the Disease
yet more: other animals suffer from the
same disease. and may take it from man.
and man may take it from them. But there
is here some difference of opinion as TO
whether the disease is absolutely the same
in animals and man. The germ in fowls is
different: all are agreed upon this: as 10
other animals, l will give you two quota
tons on opposite sides. DR.. Theobald
Smith, of Boston, in paper before the As
ISOLATION OF American Physicians in May.
1896 claims that the germ In cows differs
from that in man. and that the Infection
of human beings from the milk and meat
of cows is doubtful. Vaughan, of the Uni
versity of Michigan, seems, as nearly as
can judge from the reports, to have part
ly agreed with him. Per contra, DR.. d. II.
Bergay, Of Philadelphia, before the County
Medical SnciafV December lf 1Sle
There Is no longer any dispute as to the
identity of the disease as II occurs in man
and the domestic animals. only excluding
fowls
HOW the Germ Enters the Body.
First, 1t is universally agreed that the
breath of the consumptive patient does not
contain. the germs. No matter how badly
disease the lungs may be, il is safe TO
breathe the air Of the room, unless IL Is
poisoned in some other way than by his
breath. In what other way can 1t be poi
soned? Thus: The expectoration from the
lungs OF the sufferer is loaded with the
germs. These germs cannot float in the
air so long as the eXpectorant Is moist; but
II 1T falls upon the floor, the bedding or
the walls of the room and dries there, 1t
may in various ways be reduced to a fine
dry powder, especially by treading and
sweeping; and this dust. flying in the air.
carries the poison directly to the lungs OF
everyone that inhales it. The crevices OF
the floor, the walls, and especially every
ledge and projection on which dust may
lodge, also may become loaded with the
poison, and the room, thus infected, may
remain a source of danger for years. The
germ, thoroughly dried and kept dry, re-
tans its WEALTHY long time. l will quote
an instance where II was known to have
done so for six years. and II for six know
not why not for a hundred: "A lady and
five daughters moved into a house where,
six years before. consumpVve had lived.
The mother became tunerculous within a
year and died or the disease three daugh-
ters also became tuberculous, one Of whom
died; the others recovered by leaving home.
Examination of the dust of the room
showed the presence of the germ of tuber-
culosis.'
Prevention of Tuberculosis.
what means of prevention remain to us ?
Practically, they are already given in
stating the means of diffusion II l had
time for but two words to explain the pre-
vention of consumption / would say: De
stroy expectoration.' Every particle of
the discharges from the lungs should be
gathered and saved as If they were the
most precious essences and then DESTROYED
with all the care that human ingenuity and
faithfulness can suggest. / will not mi
nutely detail these measures here, for in
every case the advice of a skilled phy-
stefan should be sought on this point. 1t
may be said that the expectoration should
not be received on cloths unless they are
burned at once: certainly this expectora-
ton should not be thrown upon the ground
anywhere or into any outbulldlng what
ever; 1t should be destroyed by fire or by
some powerful disinfectant, far better by
fire.
Plenty of Pure Air.
What. then, are the means. in addition
to the destruction of the expectoration, for
diluting this poison? Best of all the freest
possible circulation of air through the
rooms consistent with the, safety OF the
patient. and with proper care this may he
very free. Especially at times of sweeping
or busting, IL possible to remove or protect
the patient a strong current of outdoor air
should he turned through the room. Dust
should be frequently. almost continuously,
removed from the rooms, the walls often
wiped down and swept, window lodges and
all projections where dust may lodge wiped
off with damp cloth or sponge and the
floor kept scrupulously clean and pure. The
bedding should be continually covered with
a sheet or spread that may be boiled as
often as changed. and this should be often.
Advice to Nurses.
After every precaution is take en- Il would
De best that person with a strong hered-
itary faint or history should not nurse or
be much with a consumptive patient Who
ever does so nurse should get all the fresh