The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1904-10-13
CAUSES AND
PREVENTION OF
CONSUMPTION.

September Bulletin of North Carolina Board Of
Health
MONARY tuberculosis (con-
Il sumptionl Is the most common
form of tuberculosis, about 955 per
cent of all kinds. it is said The other
principal forms of tuberculosis are
scrofula (of the glands, white swell
ing <of the bones and joints), and
lupus (of the skin) These are neilder
IN character, and not Sc dangerous as
the pulmonary form
Consumption is the most fatal of all
diseases and is aptly called ''The Great
White Plague" 1t is estimated that
one-seventh of all deaths from every
cause in the Civilized world are due to
1t One-fourth of all who Gle in adult
ise--the most uselnl period-lt Is said,
ars the victims of this disease In
North Carolina, according to the last
census report, about one-tenth of al
deaths were attributed to consumption.
In other words, between four and five
Thousand of our people die every year
OF disease that can be prevented
CAUSES.
1t is communicable disease, which
msa rs that it is transmitted from one
case to another The essential ele
mant in the transmission Is a germ
known as the tulercie bacillus, an eS-
trr.r ely minute rod-lise body, one ten
thousand,h Of an iach long and one
fss, -thousandti CT an inch in thick
ness IN common with all commune
ca>.ts diseases, 1t is orert*ltd5ie disease
The causes of consumption are OF
two classes, predisposing and exciting
Pt's.t,sposing Causes-In every con-
stltution there is, In varying degrees,
certain power OF resistance to the in
roads OF disease germs, most pronounced
in those in vigorous health While 1t
may be said that the disease itself Is
vess .arely l! ever Inherited. the lack
OF this resisting power, inst as any
other constitutional peculiarly, is in
her!ted, hence the great susceptibility
OF taose belonging to consumptive
families This is greatly incr eased by
intermarriage between such, which
should not occur But resistance is
weakened by lowered vitality from any
cause, as sufficient and Impure air from
overcrowding, especially in dark, damp,
sunless, poorly ventilated apartments
insufficient or improper food other
diseases of a wasting character, as dys-
peos;a AMI typhoid fever, for example
oyerwork, worry, dissipation, etc ills
a mistaken notion that alcohol is
preventive or curative OF consumption.
The habitual user is an easier victim.
As ABOUT three-fourths of the nourlsh-
ment Of the body Is furnished by the
OK, gen taken in with the air breathed,
a ;.sformed or imperfectly developed
chest, with the corresponding deficlen-
cy Of lung expansion, is a predisposing
cause For the same reason, those
having normal chests but who do not
ex::and them by exercise in the open
are more susceI tible The I'M
proved genera! health Of the people re-
sui1'ng frrn7 the advance lii hygiene,
and 'he :jia;door life that has come to
be largely the vogue 10 recent years, Is
doubtless to no small degree response
BILE for the marked reduction in the
deaf from consumption
Exciting Cause.-The bercle
Eaciiius- This is found, with the ex-
cept'on Of infected meat ard milk,
which we believe to be rare So tar In
our State. only in the pus Or matter
thrown off by tuberculous patient in
the sputum or spit from the diseased
lungs, or discharged In the other forms
of tuberculosis 1t is said that the
number Of the baccilli or germs thrown
off in twenty-four hours in the ad-
vanced stage mount up sometimes into
the billions The sputum, therefore,
Is the chief source of the poison, and
consequently its management is the
most important item in the problem of
the prevention OF consumption. Al
thoush the germs may find their way
into he system by being swallowed in
infected food, tuberculous milk Ct
meat, or eatables oyer which flies from
sputum have crawied, from kissing q
consumptive on the lips, by putting
infected articles in the mouth, as for
example, coins that have been handled
by consumptive, etc, they are gener.
ally taken In with the breath in the
form of dust. As long as the spit re.
mans moist it Is innocent in this re.
gard, as the germs cannot be dislodged
and hoated into the air. For the same
reason the breath OF the consumptiv We
Is not dangerous, but the germs are
sometimes found in the fine spray Of
saliva expelled to a distance of several
feet In coughing, sneezing, loud talk
ing and laughing. The germs cannot
live for any length of time exposed tt