The Gem worker and the Idaho labor herald. (Boise, Idaho) 1914-1917, 1915-04-08
. CATCHING" TUBERCULOSIS,
OR INFECTION


ing, falling sick with tuberculosis
means a very real danger not only to
his own life but to the lives of his
wife and children as well. His wealth.
Ter neighbor may lay aside his routine
cares and take the cure" for tubercu-
losis without materially affecting his
family's health or income. The CON
sumptive workingman, ON the other
hand, must give up his job and with
it his only income, and at the same
time he is frequently compelled to re-
main at home, a constant source of
danger to his family, unless he is
properly instructed. 1t may save you
who read this article considerable
money and suffering if you learn from
it how to avoid the entrance ftuber-
culosis into your body.
Tuberculosis is infectious and COM
municable from one person to an
other. 1t differs in some respects
from scarlet fever, measles, or small
pox, so-called Contagious" diseases,
in that tuberculosis requires repeated
exposures and certain special condi-
tons to pass the germs from the sick
to the we'll. 1t is not inherited, but
must be communicated through one
of the following sources from one per-
son to another:
% The infection derived in the
very large majority of cases from the
sputum discharged from open" of I'LL
cerating tubercles in the lungs.
~ A certain number of persons,
chiefly infants, estimated from one to
ten per cent of all cases, receive the
infection from the milk of tuber-
culous COWS.
(3) A very few others may pos
sibly obtain the infection from the
urine and fecal discharges of con-
sumptives or from the pus joints or
other parts of the body which are the
seat of ulcerating tuberculosis.
(4) In a few exteremly rare in
stances the infection is conveyed
through the blood of the mother to ar
unborn child, but the offspring sell
dom survive long.
(5) No infection can be conveyed
from tuberculosis of the CLOSED" OF
non-ulcerated variety, or after ulcer.
ations are completely healed.
With regard to the manner of infec
ton, still bearing in mind that tuber.
: culosis must be communicated from
) one person to another, we find thai
by far the most frequent mode ofin.
: lection is by inhalation; the second i,
by swallowing, and the least common
by incubation of a wound or abra
sion. Considering each of these mode:
of infection a little morecarefully
we learn that:
CD The bacilli are inhaled mos
often in dust The dust is most OTTER
contaminated by careless splitting
; but the germs may also be given on
in the act of coughing with the
mouth unprotected or hawking
sneezing, loud talking, singing OF
laughing. Quiet breathing carries nj
infection.
(2) The baccilli may be swallaw
ed with food which has been contain
mated with infected hands or other
wise, and also with the milk, butter
and other dairy products derived
from cows suffering from bovine tn
berculosis.
(3) lnoculation by the infection
of cuts, scratches, or abrasions is no
frequently observed.
While no age, race, or class is i'm
mune against infection from tubercu
losis, children are more susceptible
than any one else. At the age Of /!
frequently as high as rs per cent 0
the population may show the pres
ence of the germs, though not tina
many may be sick with tuberculosis
In view, however, of the fact tina
these germs may lay quiet in the bod,
OF the child for years, until with un
favorable surroundings his resistanc,
is lowered, causing the disease to de
yelop, it is, extremely important tina
fathers and mothers do everythin,
possible to keep their children ava,
from danger of infection in thei
earlier years.
Everything should be done at hom
to keep the child rugged and healthy
The father and mother, whether the,
have tuberculosis or not, should b
scrupuIously careful in their habits o
splitting and personal hygiene. TIL,
working father owes it not only t,
his own health but to that Of his chill
dren to avoid tuberculosis in ever,
possible way.
INCREASE WAGES
Wheeltno w Va Had .ar~;ose :,