The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1903-12-04
CONSUMPTION.
The Modern Crusade Working
Wonders Against This Dread
Disease.

Secretary OF the New Have
County Anti-Tuborculosis AssocI
alton.
Personally, am Interested Il
tuberculosis, as one who has hau
It and been cured OF II. But / an
persuaded that the interest in /
should not be confined to thps
wlro have had 1t, nor 10 the modi
cal profession. There should b,
"A general interest in the subject
for several reasons. In the frs
place, tuberculosis IS a general dl
sease. No other disease eXcep
pneumonia has any death rat,
like 1t. The mortality from tuber
culosi- equals that from portion
ills, appendicitis, scarlet fever, ty
phoid fever, dipthetia, grip, cancer
and smallpox combined. In thi,
country one person IN nine dies d
1t; and Of the deaths which Occur
between tho ages OF fifteen ant
forty-hve one-third are due tC
tuberculosis. In Germany be-
tween the ages OF twenty and
twenty-five almost half the deaths
are from tuberculosis.
Not only is the prevalence OIL
the disease shown by the number
who die Of II, bat there is evidence
that "latonp tuberculosis occur,
In still greater frequency among
those who never die OF 1t, and who
usually never even know that they
have 1t. Nageli concludes an ex
tended investigation with the
statement that practically every
adult has latent tuberculosis
This means that each OF us has on
cysted in his luugs a certain mum
her Of bacilli which might cause
the disease but which usually
give no trouble because kept undel
control by good health or by thu
ilrmness OF the growth In which
they are inuased.
Not only is consumption a com
mon disease, but II is an infectious
disease, and this is another reasor
why the public should be inter
csted in It. 1t used to be though
that consumption was the type o
a hereditary disease, and onl,
specified classes OF persons couC
havcii, As a matter OF fact, an,
Kind of physique may be attacked
Persons with small Ghosts anC
who inherit sma "resistIn,
power are more apt to snccuml
20 the disease than others, but n,
one is immune. For instance
case Is reported even In Colorad,
Of a strong man who caught ii B!
occupying tent with a consump
tive who eNpectorated his infection
upon the floor I he disease, how
ever, is communicable in practical
ly only one way-though the OK
pectoration, and this is dangerou
only whom dry and pulverlzed
Moist sputum is harmless tunles
eoughed into the face or inocuate,
into an open ound or com mum
Gated through a Kiss On the mouth
but when mass OF sputum, con
( tanning millions OF bacilli, Is de
posted In tho corridors OF th
postpillce or railway station, ant
coming dry, Is trodden upon, tn
dust thus formed distributes thes
millions of bacilli through tn
atmosphere, and they are lnhAlel
4 by all who breathe it. Out.oI
doors the Infection soon become
too dilute to be harmful except /
the weakest systems, for a health,
body IS n germ-kiliing apparatus
The disease spreads through in
focted buildings. Dr. Biggs, IL
New York, has shown that in par
ticular tenement.houses ther
have been sometimes over a dozel
successive cases.
a third reason why every on,
/ ought to know something abOu
consumption is that II is SO easil,
! preventable. In fact, It's only be
cause OF the general ignorance ant
Indifference about 1t that thil
/ licudish disease is allowed to hav,
| its way among us. II is prevent
ed In two ways; first, by doslruCt
tIon OF the bacilli, and, secondly
10y fortifymg the system to resis
these. Consumptlves should hav
1 paper spit-cups, which, with th
eXpoctoration, should be burneC
daily; apartments which hav,
heen occupied by consumplive
should be- reported to the loca
bnard OF health and properly dis
injected. Splitting upon the lloo
should bo vented. But ordi
nances against splitting, to be etlec
tive and enforced, must first b.
sustained by an educated publ
sentiment,
Our mot important and i'm
mediate resource, however, is II
defensive rather than olTonsiv
warfare. five keep din condi
tion,p We can safely resist the at
tacks not only OF tnbercle-b -baclll
but OF other germs as we'll.
Not only is consumption u pre-
yentsble disease, II is now know
10 be N curablo disease. But i
! cnn hn cnrnd only nroyldod II Il