The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-02-06
CONSUMPTION.
An Important Paper by Charleston
Doctors

IL
Doctors.
This widespread and all pervading
disease is probably at this period en-
gaging the attention of all guardians
OF public health to far greater degree
than any other malady. 1t is disease
confind to no locality. Ii is prevalent
in the, Artic Circle and under the
Southern Cross. Wherever mankind
can live there can the tuberculosis
bacillus thrive. There are a few
localities where there seems to be a
com narrative immunity-certain.h high
hills in Mexico, as at Zacatacas, and ID
New Mexico, and Colorado, and the
Engardine, but in almost every place
where teeming millions live there the
bacillus finds congenlal and ever
present source for its propagation. So
with such an organic cause naturally
where the harvest is ever ready the
keen anxiety of guardians of the gener-
al health of municipalities is engaged
to limit the spread Of consumption.
During the past twenty years great ad-
vance his been made in the knowledge
of consumption, and greater and grea;
er publicity his been given to scientific
methods for it's limitation-popular
information signifying that the disease
is propagated by the bacillus tuber-
culosis has been spread through count
less chann nels, and that the all-pervad-
ling all-compellipg necessity exists for
the destruction or thorough disinfec-
ton of the sputa of the diseased subject.
Every person affected with this dis
ease become a burden on the bread
winners of q long and expensive fight
is at once put in motion. Few survive
and MANY perish, and evrey tubercu-
lous patient is o menace to every mem.
ber Ola household. So infinitely small
and minute is this bacillus that when
dried it floats in the air as the mote
floats in the sunbeam. 1t is taken in
to the lungs as the air is inhaled and
it is absolutely imperceptible. Is it
not, therefore, natural and proper That
ceaseless combat should be carried
out with 30 insidioUs foe? Every
household should realize that every
member who has tuberculosis is men
ace every other member of the home
circle. The remedy is at hand. Des-
troy the sputa and do it at once.
The tubercle bacillus Is one seven
thousandth Of an inch in lenth: in
breath one hundred and twenty. five
thousandth of an inch. 1t varies some
what, but the above il an average state
ment of the dimensions of this in
finitely small parasite.
Let us see what is the harvest in
Charleston for one year of the tubercle
bacillus
There were deaths from consump-
ton, % whites, l2e black and colOred :
mirrasmus,4 A whites, 54 black and color
ed tuberculosis, 1S whites, 6S black
and colored. Total, whites "A black
and colored 248.
Two hundred and ninety-two deaths
due to the great white plague and its
allied diseases.
One death in every six of the deaths
in Charleston due 10 one cause.
| There were more deaths among the
white race from the tubercle bacillus
than there were from typhoid fever,
diphtheria and scarlet fever.
There were more deaths among the
colored race from The tubercle bacillus
than from diptheria, scarlet fever, ty-
phoid fever, cancer and kidney di.ease,
and this tubercle bacillus is specific,
well known form of bacterial species.
| Is it not time to push all our energies
towards its destruction One of the
most important public acts should be
to forbid the entry or admission OF q
tuberculous patient into the public
or private hospital. Provision should
be made by every municipal govern
ment for a separate ward for all such
causes. Outside of tile requirements of
the Christian dispensation for US to
succOr the poor and the needy it is a
necessity for our own protection in
limiting the spread of q dangerous
malady.
We submit circular issued by this
department January /, 1885, for the
guidance of all interested in this
crusade against consumption
Department of Health.
Charleston, S. C.. January !, 1895.
| Consumption is a disease which can
be taken from others and is not simply
caused by colds. A cold may make it
easier to takethe disease. tits usually
caused by germs which enter the body
with the air breathed. The matter
which consumptives cough or spit up
contains the germs in great numbers
frequently millions are discharged in
single day. This matter, spit upon
the floor, wall or elsewhere, is apt to
dry, become pulverized and float in the
air as dust. The dust contains the
germs, and thus they enter the body
with the air breathed. The breath of
consumptive does not contain the
germs aud will not produce the disease.
A well person catches the disease
from consumptive only by in some
way taking in the matter coughed up
by the consumptive.
Consumption can often be cured if
its nature is recognized early and
proper means are taken for its treat
ment. In a majority of cases it is
not fatal disease.
1t is not dangerous for other persons
to live with a consumptive if the
matter coughed up by the consumptive
is at once destroyed. This matters
should not be spit upon the. floor,
carpet, stove, wall or street, or any
where except into cup kept fo- that
purpose. The cup should conlain'
water, 80 that the mater may not dry