Denver labor bulletin., 1915-04-24
WHITE PLAGUE and
HOW TO PREVENTIT
Campaign to Assist Workers
in Avoiding the Disease
Children Are the More Susceptible to
to Germs and Should Be Kept Away
From the Dangers Of Infection

Editors Note-This article has been
prepared for the Denver Labor Bulletin
by the National Association for the
Study and Prevention of tuberculosis.
To the man who works for his living,
falling sick with tuberculosis means a
very real danger not only to his own
life but to the lives of his wife and chill
dren as we'll His Weather neighbor
may lay aside his routine cares and
take the cure for tuberculosis without
materially affecting his family's health
or income. The consumptive working
man, on the other hand. must give up
his job and with it his only income, and
at the same time he is frequently COM
PEELED to remain 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 of tuber-
culosis into your body.
tuberculosis is infectious and commu-
nicable from one person to another. 1t
differs in some respects from scarlet fe-
yer. measles. or smallpox, so-called
contagious" diseases, in that tuberculo-
sis requires repeated exposures and GER
tain special conditions to pass the germs
from the sick to the we'll 1t is not in
herited, but must be communicated
through one of the following sources
from one person to another:
a. The infection is derived in the
very large majority of cases from the
sputum discharged from open or ulcer
ating tubercles in the lungs.
~ A certain number of persons,
chiefly infants. estimated variously from
one to ten per cent OF all cases receive
the infection from the milk of tubercu-
losis cows.
t3) A very few others may possibly
obtain the infection from the urine and
fecal discharges OF cousumptiyes or from
the pus joints or other parts Of the body
which are the seat OF ulcerating tubercu-
losis.
a. In few extremely rare instances
the infection is conveyed through the
blood of the mother to an unborn child,
but the offspring seldom survive long.
% No infection can be conveyed
from tuberculosis OF the CLOSED" or non
liberated variety, or after alterations
are completely healed.
With regard to the manner OF infec-
tion, still bearing in mind that tubercu
losis must he communicated from one
.
the most frequent mode OF Infection il
by inhalation; the second is by swallow
/ ing, and the least common, by inocuIa-
/ tion of wound or abrasion. Consider
/ ing each of these modes of infection n
/ little more carefully. We learn that:
! ~ The bacilli are inhaled most often
| in dust The dust is most often con-
taminated by careless splitting; but the
germs may also be given out in the act
of coughing with the mouth unprotect-
ed or hawking, sneezing loud talking,
singing or laughing. Quiet breathing car
ries no infection.
! ~ The bacill may be swallowed
with food which has been contaminated
with infected hands or otherwise and
also with the milk. butter. and other
dairy products derived from cows suf-
] feriug from bovine tuberculosis.
t3l incubation by the infection of
cuts, scratches. or abrasions is not fire.
quently observed.
While no age race. or class is immune
against infection from tuberculosis. chill
dren are more susceptible than anyone
| else. At the age of Is, frequently as
high as 15 Dcr cent OF the population
may show the presence OF the germs,
though not that many may be sick with
! tuberculosis. in view. however OF the
fact that these germs may lay quiet in
the body OF the child for years until
with unfavorable surroundings his re-
sistance is lowered. causing the disease
to develop, it is extremely important
that fathers and mothers do everything
possible to keep their children away
from danger of infection in their earlier
years
! Everything should be done at home to
keep the child rugged and healthy. The
father and mother, whether they have
tuberculosis or not, should be scrupu-
lonslv careful in their habits OF splitting
and personal hygiene. The working ra-
thcr owes it not only to his own health
but to that of his children to avoid
tuberculosis in every possible way