Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1916-08-16
!. y. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. !. i. !. j.
y. WHAT CAUSES -.
y. TUBERCULOSIS Z? u.
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out the germ, the tubcrclc bacillus
Whether the disease appcars in the
lungs. in the hand, in the hips, or in
the eye, it is the same germ that al
ways causes il.
Looking at it from another way,
however. the germ of tuberculosis
can never cause the disease unless
the soil has been prepared for iu. It
is rs If the germ were the seed and
the body were the soil You cannot
raise wheat on Il hard, cobblcStone
pavement. nor can you grow corn on
Il boardwalk. Neither can you grow
tuberculosis from the tiny plant-like
germ which causes the disease, on a
soil which is hard and resistant. The
tissues OF the body in which the dis
ease is to dCveiGu must first be
weakened and made ,i2bby and pre-
somewhat as the farmer prepares
his soil Jeforc sowing his seed.
What are the causes that prepare
the soil for tho growth Of tubcrcu-
i"SiS germs in the body? There are
first OF all. Il group Of causes which
lie within the Individual himself,
which we may call personal causes.
Some OF them may be controlled by
the individual and some OF them are
beyond his control. Take such
causes. for example. as intempcr-
ance. lack OF proper food, a weak
cncd physical condition caused by
grippe. colds, pneumonia, measles,
typhoid fever, etc.--thcsc are some
Of the personal causes which pre-
pare the soil for the tuberculosis
seed. Then there is also another
group Of causes which are entirely
outside OF the individual and which
we may designate as environmental
or social causes. Some Of these are,
for example. bad living and working
conditions. lack OF play and recrea-
ton facilities. unclean streets, etc.
These two groups Of causes may
either separately or altogether. act
upon one SO that his normal strength
and vitality, which We call resist
ance. is lowered and he readily be-
comes a prey to the disease germs
which are constantly lurking about
and which he may be harboring in
his body without knowing it. Let
MS consider some Of these causes a
little more in detail.
or the personal causes that lead
to tuberculosis, probably intcmpcr-
nnco may be rcckOned as one of the
most important. BY intemperance is
meant everything in the way of self
indulgence that Injuries the body.
One may be Incorporate in eating
and by partaking OF too much food
may produce permanent digestive
disturbance which weakcns the bod
lily resistance. One may be intcm-
pcrate in the use OF drugs or in
other ways. thereby weakening the
bodily resistance. The most fire.
uuent form OF intemperance, how
ever, is the use OF Intoxicating Ii
Quors. Any man who drinks beer,
wine or whiskey 10 excess is prepar-
ing the soil for his lungs for the
seed OF tuberculosis This is the rca-
son why the mortality from tubcrcu-
olsis among men and women who
are accustomed to drink is so high,
much higher. according to reliable
statistics. than among people who
do not use intoxicating liquors.
Many children from the time they
ale born into the world are doomed
to starvation. Other people because
they like candy. pie and cake better
than meat. bread and vegetables. are
starving themselves willfully. This
"ndrrfccding or lack Of proper food
will as surely prepare the soil :or
tuberculosis as if one deliberately
set out to do SO.
Many people have a notion that
# they have apparently recovered
from bad cold or an attack OF grip
or pneumonia. there is no further
danger and they arc perfectly safe
Oftentimcs the most dangerous Pc
riOd in an acute disease is during
the few weeks Immediately after the
patient is able to be up and al; ut.
1t is during this time Of GONZALES
cenCc that the seeds Of disease Will
find sure root If special care Is nor
taken Fresh air good food rns1