752 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION H. 



wherever the tubercle bacillus has settled consumptive pro- 

 cesses have begun to make their ravages. On account of 

 the formation of small noduli or tubercles accompanying the 

 destructive activity of the microbe in the healthv tissues, the 

 disease was called tuberculosis, and we speak of tuberculosis 

 or consumption of the lungs, throat, bowels, mesenteric glands, 

 kidneys, &c., according to the seat of the disease caused by 

 the bacterium. 



It is the object of this paper to discuss the different ways 

 by which consumption or tuberculosis might be propagated, 

 since it is of great importance that the public should be 

 educated to regard consumption as a disease of infectious 

 nature, and by knowing all sources of infection to learn to 

 avoid them. 



There are three principal roads on which the tubercles 

 bacillus attacks the human organism, — viz., by the respiratory 

 apparatus by breathing ; in the second place by the skin or 

 direct subcutaneous inoculation ; and thirdly, by the alimentary 

 canal, by ingestion with the food. 



1. By breathing. This is, without doubt, the most usual 

 way by which phthisis is acquired. The expectoration of a 

 patient suffermg from tuberculosis contains a nearly innumer- 

 able quantity of the bacilH. The patient when he is coughing 

 expectorates carelessly on the ground or on the floor, saturating 

 by doing so the whole air of the room with the contagious 

 matter, and impregnating the walls, carpets, clothes, &c. with 

 the mischievous contagion. The spitting deposited in this way 

 is allowed to dry up and turn into dust without losing any 

 of its infectious qualities. It has been proved that dried 

 sputum might retain its infectious properties for a period 

 extending over six months. Especially the carpets and pocket 

 handkerchiefs of phthisical patients are very dangerous indeed 

 in this regard, and very fit to preserve the fatal poison for a 

 long time, thus imparting the bacillus at any time to the 

 respirated air. We therefore see that it is not absolutely 

 necessary to come into direct contact with the coughing 

 phthiscial patient for the conveyance of this minute vegetable 

 being from one to another. That this is not exaggerated, 

 artificial experiments, as well as every day's experience, have 

 fully proved. Many authors, as Villemin, Tappeiner, 

 Schweninger, and others contrived to produce consumption of 

 the lungs in animals by adding to the breathed air dried-up 

 phthisical sputum dust. A very interesting case is reported 

 by Dr. Henry Toulmain and published in the issue of March 



