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9
It is beyond doubt that consumption is an infectious
disease, and it is probable that in a few months the law as
now in force in Scotland will be extended to England.
Although infectious consumption is not infectious in the same
way as measles, scarlet fever, small-pox, or diphtheria. A
healthy person runs little or no risk of contracting consumption
from being in contact with a person affected with the disease,
provided that proper precautions with regard to cleanliness,
ventilation, and the destruction or disinfection of the "spit"
are being carried out, but there is danger of infection from
sleeping with a person with consumption, as persons give out
a fine sort of spray in breathing, which carries the consumption
bacteria to some distance from the mouth of the sick
person.
A healthy person is a person with healthy lungs, but
healthy lungs are easily weakened by want of exercise or by
infectious diseases, such as pneumonia, measles, whooping
cough, &c. As these diseases are very common in children
the necessity of games in the open air and breathing exercises
for the expansion of the lungs as a necessary part of
education, is shown.
Dr. Huber points out that the death roll for all wars in the
nineteenth century was about fourteen millions, whilst the
death roll for consumption was more than double.
This horrible and unnecessary mortality was slowly
decreasing in the decade 1881-90. The total mortality from
tuberculosis in proportion to all other diseases was as 1 to 8
reduced in 1891-1900 to less than 1 to 9.
The causes of this disease are well known. Dirt, damp,
absence of sunlight and fresh air, and drink are the chief
things that lower the vitality of the body and make it a suitable
breeding ground for the bacillus of consumption.
Now I imagine the most rigid economist would be prepared
to spend money out of the rates if it could be shown
that by investing a portion of the rates in simple preventive
measures they were putting their money into a paying concern.
This I think, those who take the trouble to study the
question, will admit the prevention of consumption must
prove to be in the immediate future.