Evening star., 1902-02-22
AND CURE
Valuable Rules for the Treat
no
ment Of Consumption.
% at
TO RELIEVE Y SUFFERING
PAMPHLET JUST ISSUED By THE
HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
Conditions That Are Favorable to
Contagion-How the Disease
May Be Avoided.

Consumption is, If early, Intelligent treat
ment be instituted; curable," says pam
phiet just issued by the health department
OF the District of Columbia, under the di-
rectfon Of DR.. William C. Woodward, the
health officer. The pamphlet is entitled
ihe prevention of the Spread Of Consump-
ton. 1t will be widely distributed and
the health officials hope that the dissent
nation OF the information contained In the
pamphlet will result in increased health
fuiness in the national capital. Continuing
on the line quoted above, the pamphlet
says:
Proper treatment relieves the suffering
or old cases and occasionally cures them
The earlier the disease is recognized and
treatment commenced the greater are the
chances for its cure, and while in some
cases 1t may be of advantage to go to the
mountains or to the seashore, yet the fresh
air and sunshine of ones own home are
good substitutes if properly used"
The pamphlet, furthermore, contains the
statement that every case of consumption
comes from some other case of the same
disease, and, proceeding, says:
1t is the purpose of these notes to inform
persons who are well how to avoid con-
tfactlng this disorder from those who are
sick, and to show those who are already
spHerlng from consumption how to avoid
giving the disease to others. The public
should not be msled, however, by the pres
ent general agitation by sanitarians for the
adoption Of measures to prevent the spread
OF consumption into believing that every
occasional association with person suf-
1erlng from that malady is a serious men
ace to health. The danger against which
outcry Is made results from the great
number of cases Of consumption in the
community rather than from the danger
from each particular case. and from the
fact that at the present time few patients
are at all careful to follow the simple rules
which must be obeyed In order to prevent
the spread Of the disease. or, In fact, even
know such rules.
THE most important factor in the pre-
vent1On of the spread of consumption Is the
education Of the public as to the means
by which the disease is carried from per-
son to person and from the lower animals
to ..ma man:
germ called the tuberce bacillus. The dis
ease Is communicated from one person to
another. or from theIlower animals to hu-
man beings through such germs.
Necessary Conditions.
1.-TWO conditions are necessary before a
person can develop consumption:
Il. The germs Of consumption must find
their way into the body.
''2 The tissues Of the body must be in
such condition. as will permit these germs
to grow:
urally found within the body. They must
be introduced from without. In order to
grow after entering the body they must
find the tissues In q suitable condition,
which means, generally. that the body must
have been weakened in some way.
''The germs OF consumption may enter
the body in any Of three ways:
First. By being breathed into the lungs
with the air.
Second. By being taken into the stom-
ach with the food or drink.
Third. BY finding lodgment on some
wounded surface.
Through the Lungs.
THE greatest danger lies in the air we
breathe. There is but little doubt that cons
sumption can result from eating the flesh
or milk Of animals suffering from that dis
ease, either uncooked or not properly
cooked The spread Of consumption through
food and drink Is, however. not nearly SO
common as Is its spread through the air
we breathe. The occurrence of the disease
through germs which have fallen on wounds
is rare and requires no further considera-
tion here.
1.-THE most common form Of consumption
Is that affecting the lungs. Unfortunately
this is the very form in which the germs
which have grown within the body most
easily find their way into the air.
'.The greatest source Of danger from a
consumptive is the matter which he splits
up. This material Is not very dangerous
SO long as 1t remains wet because 1T is not
likely to reach the lungs or stomachs Of
other people, but as soon as 1t dries 1t
finds it's way into the air, and thus, sooner
or later, may find its way into the system
Of some other individual through the breath
or through food or drink, and thus give
him consumption.
"The breath Of a consumptive patient
does not ordinarily carry the disease. It
becomes dangerous only when It contains
particles of mucous or pus. Such particles
coughing and sneezing, and possibly
through forcible and rapid talking.
Lessening the Danger.
much can be done to diminish the danger
from splitting and coughing by consump-
tives.
First. A consumptive patient should
never cough or sneeze near other persons.
or in a closed room or In q closed car or
carriage, except while holding handker-
chief or similar article before his mouth
Second. A consumptve should never
spit when the material which he spits I'D
can dry and pass beyond his control before
1t has been disinfected.
''The material spat up should be spat into
a spit-cup specially provided for that pur-
pose, Of which there are several more or
less desirable forms on the market. While
the patient Is INDOORS II may be Spat into
spittoons containing a disinfecting solution:
for instance, one of the solutions men
toned below. 1t is better to spit into a
pocket handkerchiefs than on the floor or
on the sidewalk, but care must be taken
that the handkerchief used is not allowed
to dry before dfsinfection, as the handling
of handkerchief charged with dry matter
from the lungs Of a consumptive may scat
ter the germs Of the disease through the
air.
sumptive should m every case be DESTROYED
or dlsinfected before It Is allowed to dry.
''The contents, of spittoons and of spit-
cups charged With material which a con-
sumptiye patient has spat up may with
safety be emptied at once into the sewer
if It be well flushed afterward. Under such
circumstances there is no danger OF the
material drying and the germs are soon
destroyed by natural processes. The spit
cup or spittoon should be boiled or dis
infected with disfnfecting solution be-
fore being used again. If the matter spat
up by q consumptive cannot be emptfed
directly into sewer, its dangerous ouali-
ties can be removed by boiling It. or by
the use of q chemical disinfectanti as. cor
rosiye sublimate dissolved in water. one
part Of the sublimate being used for each
boo parts of water; carbolic acid dissolved
in water, one part Of the acid to each
90 parts OF water; or 40 per cent solution
OF formaldehyde mixed with water, one
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