The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-02-09
TUBERCULOSIS


districts He recommended that the
Legislature and citizens of North Gao
DINA investigate this plan, and give
Or. Lewis and their State Board OF
Health their earnest support in this
work.
Turning again to his subject, tbs
speaker said that tuberculosis o.
consumption as it is more common
~ called. is not an inherited disease.
1t is caused by q germ hat attacks
the lungs, and it is as much of an in
fictitious disease as smallpox, scarlet
fever or measles. though it may not
be taken in the same way.
The germ OF consumption is called
the "bacil1uS tuberculosis 1t is
found chiefly il the discharges from
the nose and throat Of conGun ptives.
When a cOrsumntive coughs, sneeZes
or SDits he throws out with the flying
particles thousands Of these germs,
which, il they fall on the sidewalk,
floor, furniture, clothing, and there
dry. the germs are taken up by air
currents in the form of dust, which
may be breathed into the lungs. and
if the vital forces are low for any
cause, these germs are liable to lodge
and grow and there is another case
of conSunl tic
While CONSUMPTION is a dangerous
infectious disease it does not. usually,
attack persons in perfect health. The
iiNtllii ooA iioS Liz W. VI ISSiSt
ing disease germs to = certain extent.
and it is only when the body is weak
ened by sickness, worry, o~ver-exertion..
or some other canse. that the germs
get a foothold. Therefore. to protect
ones self against consumption one
should try to keep the body in the
highest state Of health by regular liv-
ing. plenty of exercise in the ODen air,
frequent baths. good food, etc.
To reven the spread Of con
sumption it is necessary to prevent the
scattering Of the seed of that disease.
Every consumptive should carefully
catch and destroy all discharges from
the nose. throat and mouth. When
coughing or ~sneezing something
should be held before the face to catch
the flying PARTICLES, such as a piece o.
tissue paper, q Japanese napkin, q bit
Of cheesecloth,-something that is
cheap and can be destroyed. After
being used these articles should be
folded and put into q paper bag that
IS carried in the pocket, and at some
convenient time during the day It
should be burned with its contents.
The conservative should be most care
ful as to where he splits. He should
use a special receptacle with q cover
to keep out theflieS. for flies are great
carriers Of disease. He especially
cautioned conservatives from splitting
on sidewalks, floors. or in ordinary
cuspidores.
CONSERVATIVES should occupy a room
| alone. and have their own towel,
soap, etc. and should not use the
| cups. glasses, and other table furnl-
ture used by the rest of the family.
The careful conservative is not dan
gerouS to his associates. but the care
less cOnSumptiVe is a danger to every
one and q menace to the
Consumption is durable il taken in
the early stages. but the cure IS not
to be bought in drug-stores, nor IS II
found in taking patent medicines, nor
in drinking liquor. The cure con
sists OF life in the onen ar as Tar as
possible, Doth day and night. A suf1l-
cient amount Of n~ourishing food. or
which milk, eggs and fats are the pest,
and last. but bv no means least care,
ful medical SUPERVISION. he warned
his hearers against attempting 10 urea,
their own cases. and especially warned
them against patent medicines, so.
called sure cure for
| they were worse than useless ana oid
harm. Drinking liquor does narni'
not good.
The pictures thrown on he screen
showed bacillus tuberculosis. a
minute red shaped that causes the
disease. A picture Of a section OF a
healthy lung was shown on the screen
and then another after the lung had
been attacked by the germ an
other showing the lung after a cavity
had formed 10y the ueStiuctioi "
lung tissue.
Charts showing the relative NOR
tality from consumption Of the white
race and the negro, as shown by sta
tistics taken in various cities OF the
South and North. The death rate
from consumption among the negroes
is about three times that OF the
whites. This. the lecturer SAID, was
probably largely due to their habit
g ,-a.o.our1;n0 in their houses. their
well known aversion to fresh air. and
to the failure to observe sanitary
rules.
Figures We're shown illustrating the
unsanitary conditions to be found IN
The tenement houses of New York