Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-01-22

w found tuberculosis. Tuber
culoSis, like the poor from
,bo time of the Savior, we have always
with US. In financial way it is a
stuncndous question. In the United
States the cost to national. state and
municipal governments amounted tC
5000 900. 900 annually, and the number o
deaths during the last ten year
amounted to between 10000 and 112. .00
annually. The proportion of deaths
couaIed one-seventh of the total
deaths from all causes.
The disease was very ancient II
was one of the first OF which we have
a good description. 1t is infectious
and not contagious Despite the fact
that 1t had been known for hundreds
of years. 1t was not until 1884 that
Robert Koch described the cause-ba-
cIllus tuberculosis. A great deal OF
confusion arose at this time as to con-
sumption and tuberculosis; so much sc
that the great Virchow made the re-
mark that the most unfortunate thing
that could happen to consumptivc
WAS that he should become tuberculous
OF course today the statement seems
absurd. but when we investigate the
various conditions which we find post
norton. or after death, In the indi-
yidual who has died from tuberculosis,
not knowing the cause, we still might
say with the great Virchow that the
worst thing that could happen to a con-
sumptlve Is that he should become tu-
bcrculous. the statement is not so alb
surd as it seems.
The disease Itself Is caused by a
ne ri lfa,
effect of the organism in the body Is
to produce new growth. 1t Stimu-
lates certain tissues in the body to de-
Yelop in peculiar way. 1t develops
around the minute capillarles supply
ing that particular region with nutrI-
ton; 1t cuts Off the nutrition from the
part by the growth of this organism,
pressing upon the caplllaries to such
an extent that the inside of this minute
nodule degenerates. decays in a pecu-
liar cheesey way that we call caZIa-
ton Now at the time Vlrchow spoke
of the unfortunate condition In his life,
that the most unfortunate thing that
could happen to a consumptive was
that he should become tuberculous. he
referred to a widespread or general
lied condition OF tuberculosis charac-
terlzed by multitudes of these minute
growths within the body.
NO PART EXEMPT.
Now. any part of the body may he
affected by this germ. There Is no part
exempt from the ravagcs of tubercu-
1osis. When the lung alone is affect
ed we usually designate the condition
consumption. If bone is affected we
could say with just as great propriety
that it is consumption Of the bone.
The same process goes on in the bone
that goes on In the body as far as It's
sue itself is concerned. The brain it
self may be affected Exactly the
same process goes on in the brain that
goes on in the lung: the same growth,
the same cycle or change in the tissue
goes on, the same degeneration in the
nodule; the same form of caZiatlon OF
tissues, The germ will not live In mus
Gle as muscle. 1t lives in the con-
nective tissue of muscle and conse-
Quently may affect the muscle, so that
directly or indirectly all tissue of the
body may be invaded by and affected
by the organism OF tuberculosis. II IS
a very small organism it varies from
two to four mlcrons In length: that Is
from two to four-two hundred and fifty
thousandths of an inch In length 1t is
from three -tenths to five-tenths of n
ter.
Now we study bacteria. you will re-
member one way by staining them and
examining them with the microscope.
We use several dyes. In staining or
ganisms. the various bacteria take
these stains in a peculiar manner This
organism OF tuberculosis receives the
stain in n. peculiar manner. There is
one stain particularly, a red stain. that
ii takes only when heated to the boiling
point for some time; II does not take
any stain readily. This stain, how
ever II takes when heated to the boil
ing point quite readily. and after 1t has
taken this stain when 50 heated, 1t Is
very difficult to decolorlze it. or to take
the stain away from It, That is one
means we have OF Identifying this par
ticular organism among other organ
lms that we have. We have a num-
Der Of organisms: for instance. In in.
dividuals that are coughing up sputum
from their lungs. we might get from 10(
to 100 different varieties of germs from
that sputum.
SLOW IN GROWTH.
The organism is very difficult to
cultivate artificially. 1t Is also not only
slow In It's growth, but 1t Is very resis-
oant IL VIII remain NlaDle OF alive
alter the end of months, six or eight
months. possibly longer. For instance
IN a room like this, individuals affect
ed with tuberculosis come into this
room coughing, the spray from ths
lungs thrown out into the air, on the
Wall sor floor, the organism could Hive
IN this room for many months liable
10 infect any individual breathing II
IN when they are stirred up with the
DUST Of the room 1t is very resistan
TO sunlight. Now, most organisms die
IN the course of a very short time In
direct sunlight: they cannot stand the
sunlight. Sunlight. I want to impress
upon you, is one OF the very bes
usinfectants that God has given to us
We cannot improve upon the sunlight
Dy any chemical as disinfectint
agent. But when the organism Is cas-
out In the sputum OF individuals af'
fected with tuberculosis, II will stanc
uirect sunlight for something like q.
hours. How many days must thu
organism be exposed to sunlight u
get direct sunlight for 80 hours? 81
IL could remain fairly health!
oisease germ for months, even In sun
night, when protected by the sputun
Oh the Individual Cold does not al