Evening journal., 1908-01-18
TUBERCULOSIS
BY Or. Henry a. cIsavsr.

and is written at the request Of THE /
JOURNALI
ANY answer to an inquiry in refer
ence to the treatment and recovery of |
a tuberculous patient should, inorder to /
be understood. be preceded by clear
statement as to what is tuberculosis
and what phase of it Is under discuss
sion. AS a rule. to the minds Of the
public, tuberculosis means consump-
tion, or more exactly speaking tubercu-
losis affecting the lungs. This to the
physician is an error since IL attempts
to narrow the field of activity of the
disease in a way that cannot be done.
Tuberculosis may affect any part OF the
human body. AS an illustration, con-
sumption, scrofula. some forms of the
disease of the brain and its coverings,
certain bone and joint diseases, all are
forms OF tuberculosis. In this article.
however, reference will be understood
as being made to the lung tuberculosis
or consumption.
As to the causation OF tuberculosis
it has been definitely established that
the specific cause of tuberculosis is a
very small rod shaped parasite belong
ing to one of the lowest orders OF Life
TO which the name tubercle bacillus has
been given. This name has been given
because of the appearance of the dis
eased points, which at first have the
appearance Of small nodules. Entrance
into the body is gained by way of the
Emphatic system, the tOnsils and the
patches of lymphatic tissue in the wall
of the small intestine having been
found to be especially easy Of attack.
The bacillus having great vitality and
peculiar power of penetrating the
mucous membrane and lymphatic tis-
sue soon passes into the deep tissues
and fluids. Grober claims and Ravenel
agrees with him that the tonsils are the
most frequent source of the tubercu-
losis at the apices of the lungs, the
strong point in this argument being a
demonstration of a direct lymphatic
route between the glands Of the neck
and the lungs. Following the l1nowl-
edge of the specific cause and the
definite route taken. it is next in order
to inquire how this specific cause and
the human body are brought into con-
tact. There are the following ways;
Ain the food as in the flesh of dis
eased cattle and the milk from sucn
cattle.
B-The inhalation in the form Of dust
Of the dried spittal from persons al
ready suffering from the disease.
| C-Contact with the infected ind-
viduals as in kissing or with sub
stances which might have been held
in the mouths Of such persons, as pipes,
| drinking glasses and communion cups.
What happens when these small
| parasites come in contact with the hui
man tissues? AS this question opens
up much technical discussion, and this
article is not intended for the profess
sion. II will be sufficient in continuing
the logical chain Of thought to note
merely that two changes are produced.
| The one destructive of a degeneration
peculiar to the action of this bacillus;
the other a conservative one. a forma-
ton of fibrous tissue. the method by
which nature attempts to heal destruc-
tive action.
We may, however. take up the ques-
tion of treatment. This is compara-
lively simple. That ono most success
ful as yet may be briefly summed up
as follows: Life in the open air and
sunshine; feeding in its most concen-
trated form. even carried to forced
feeding. There is no specific treat
ment; drugs are useless save to relieve
some few symptoms. We have 70
definite agent such as we possess to-
phobia. Many experiments have been
made and many failures recorded.
There is, however, good reason to think
that the day Is not a century distant
before we shall control tuberculosis by
a specific serum treatment. In the
absence to-day Of any specific treat
ment along general and hygienic lines.
ment along general and hygenic lines,
Il might appear as though the pros
poets of the sick were poor, indeed, but
right here is where the ray of hope
appears and will be shown in the
answers to the questions which viii be
taken up in the order in which they
were asked.
Question No. lis the disease per-
manently cured OF is life only pro-
longed? In answer to this the writer
would first cite that tuberculosis tends
to heal itself. The proof Of this is that
it is well known to the great hospitals
from their post mortem reports that
many persons who have died from
causes other than tuberculosis. have
presented permanently healed areas Of
tuberculosis demonstrable under the
most rigid microscopical examination
Such may be divided into the following
classes: A-Cases in which the his
tories give no account whatever OF
tuberculosis symptoms.
B-Cases in which the histories re-
port conditions vaguely described as
Chronic bronchitis" winter cough"
etc.
Ceases in which there is positive
evidence Of marked tuberculosis and
recovery.
Question No. 2-What percentage of
tuberculous patients are cured? While
the question is vague, since 1t takes no
account of the surroundings of the
individual. his bodily vigor. or the
stage Of the disease. it may be answer
ed by taking up the favorable and the
very unfavorable cases. BY favorable
is meant those cases who come under
observation early in the disease. VINO
live in good surroundings and are Of
good natural vitality. In such cases
the proportion of cures may be esti-
mated to be as high as eighty 10
ninety per cent. By unfavorable is