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Such milk is dangerous to infants and young children, being a cause
of the " wasting " diseases so often met with at that period of life.
But the main cause of the spread of consumption is the spit of
consumptive persons.
The spit infects everything on which it falls, and it is dangerous in
the form of minute droplets sprayed into the air by consumptives in the
act of coughing.
The spit is even more dangerous if allowed to fall on the ground and
to become dry; for then floating in the air as dust, it may be taken into
the lungs in breathing and so spread consumption from one person to
another, especially to those predisposed to the disease.
Destroy the microbes and consumption will not be spread.
There is little risk of taking the disease from the breath of a
consumptive person if the precautions herein set out are observed.
Fresh air and sunlight are preventives of consumption : they kill the
microbe and also act curatively; therefore, the consumptive person, if
well clad, can hardly be too much in the open air.
Personal Precautions to be observed by Consumptives.
For the protection of their own families, and to prevent the spread
of the disease to other persons, the following precautions should be taken
by all who are suffering from consumption.
A consumptive person when coughing should hold a handkerchief or
rag or piece of paper in front of the mouth, and should never cough in
the direction of any other person.
Do not swallow the spit, as by so doing tubercular disease may be
set up in the bowels and other parts of the body not already affected.
Do not spit about the house, or workplace, or in the street, nor on
the floor of any cab, omnibus, tramcar, railway carriage, or other conveyance,
nor in theatres, concert rooms, or other public meeting places.
Spit only into a covered cup, spittoon, or bottle kept for the purpose,
and containing water, to which a disinfectant should be added.
Out of doors a small wide-mouthed bottle, with a well-fitting cork,