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15
Air Sanatoria for the Treatment of Patients. It is now clear that
Tuberculosis is due to neglect of the simplest sanitary precautions.
The idea that Consumption is an inherited disease and could not be
escaped, has now been disposed of. Persons may inherit a certain
delicacy of constitution, and cultivate it further by all sorts of insanitary
living, sins against hygiene and the like.
The chief predisposing causes are those that lower the vitality of the
individual, such as bad air (consequent on overcrowding), damp dwellings,
insufficient food, and intemperance.
The immediate or existing cause is the Tubercle Bacillus, which
can only be obtained from some other human being or beast affected
by Tuberculosis.
This Bacillus may gain an entrance into the body by being inhaled
with dust, or by being swallowed with food and drink.
From 30 to 40 per cent, of cows suffer from Tuberculosis, so that
unboiled milk is the chief offender, and infants and young children
frequently get Tubercular Disease of the glands of the Intestines.
The measures required for the Prevention of Tuberculosis, are:—
I.—By Individuals.
(a.) The careful disinfection of all expectoration from a consumptive
patient.
(b.) The disinfection of all milk consumed as food, by boiling,
or by " Pasteurisation," viz.: heating the milk in a special
apparatus to a temperature of 158 deg. F, keeping at that
temperature for 30 minutes, and rapidly cooling.
(c.) Choice of a house, which should be situated on pure, dry,
and well-drained soil.
II.—By Local Sanitary Authorities.
(a.) Control of buildings, especially with regard to site, soil, subsoil,
drainage, dryness, cubic space, &c.
(b.) Prevention of overcrowding.
(c.) Notification of Tuberculous Disease.