The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-09-13

st-reptococcus and staphylococcus Is
formed
1T Is only after the formation Of this
partnership that true consumption exists
and becomes recognizable to the layman.
Even the average physician does not rec
ognize It earlier.
POISON ABSORBED INTO BLOOD.
'Th striking symptoms OF consumption
which attract the attention Of everyone
are micro-organisms which occur almost
eyerywhere In nature.
They look ike little balls strung out In
chains or punched like grapes. and are
/ given their respective names because OF
their respective resemblance TO these OBJ
jects.
Touching the relationship between con-
| sumption and tuberculosis. Doctor Flick
says they are practically the same thing.
| though differing materially from the scieu-
I tlfc standpoint. tuberculosis nearly al
ways terminates in consumption. the
transition being so gradual as to be i'm
perCeptible- He adds:
Tuberculosis is caused by the implanta-
tiCn and growth Of the tubercle bacillus.
BY itself this micTo-oTzHnism does little
rHrm. and rarely causes death
Could the strepzococcus and the sta
phylocCcCus be kept out. u would nm
! slowly through the lifetime Of an iudivid-
uAl without serious consequences.
EFFECTS OF MINOR ILLS.
Colds, influenza and pneumonia, says
! Doctor Flick. while not directly respon-
sible for tuberculosis. oftimes play an
important part IN It's Development and rev
elatlcu. The doctor explains:
a cold. an influenza. or a pneumonia
always is 4 serious matter TO a tuDercuIar
"These three diseases, ~fgurativeIy
| speakiuS, are the hunting dogs for tuber-
! cuIosig. because they bring the disease to
| uyht when its existence Is not suspected.
Doctor Flick dweils at great length on
the worlds death list due TO consumption
! In the United States the annual deaths
| from this cause exceed 1D.GD. In GeTmt-
nv the number OF deaths IS very nearly
the same. and in France very little below;
| Austria comes next with 5000, England
| follows with 5000, and Italy has about
5000.
| its hereditary tendencies, and cites many
| causes. including dissipation, want, over
work, alcoholism, and other sins ana ms
fortunes that serve to weaken the q
Climatic conditions, declares the winter,
/ have little to do with the production oil
| consumption, and quotes the census re
port of iayJ TO chow that the highest NOR
talitv from consumption IN the JnlL=d
states existed in such climates IS those
al California. Arizona, Oregon, Nevada
| Colorado, South Dakota. Kentucky, Ten
nessee. Virginia, North Carolina ana Sou'h
Carolina.
Concluding this portion OF his work. he
"Strictlv speaking. climate has no Caus-
| alive relationship to consumption. 1t in
flucnces the disease only in so far as II
affects the micrp-orEanLSmS which nave 10
do with the diseasa.
In a general way cold. dry climates are
loss conducive to the prosperity Of the
mi-crO-organisInS which have to do with
consumption than are moist, warm eli
"Consumption usually runs n more rapid
course in warm climate than in cold
on the subject Of immunity the writer
saws that the Jews enjoy the greatest i'm
munity, while among the Gentiles the
Greeks. Latins. TeutOus and Celts follow
In order.
CONTACT DISEASE ONLY.
Doctor Flick declares tuberculosis to be
contagious. but says that it is always and
only a contact disease. and cannot Be con-
yeyed except BY contact. OF the POSSIBLE
ity OF cuntagiCn, he writes:
The c-ontagiOusness of tuberculosis de-
ponds entirely upOn the brOken-down mat
ter. In tuberculosis Of the lungs il is the
spit. IN tuberculosis Of other parts it Is
the matter or puS-
There is no contagion in the breath of
a consumptive. During the acts of cough
iES and Sneezing. however. a spray ~
tunercuiar matter may be thrown ont If
the mouth and nose.
The form Of tuberculosis which rno-+
frequently Is the source OF contarion Js
tuberculosis Of the lungs. In this fOrro
after softening has taken place hroEen,
down matter may be given off CONSTANTLY
IN small quantities. II is only after cavity
formation. however. that contagion he Tl-s.
ly to he continuous.
The clothing Of the CONSERVATIVES who
are stl walking about f-pGunntIy ne
comes contaminated through coughinr and
splitting. especially when thor 80 = -,
away from themselves. This iz truo ~
m~ustaches. S anu