Hazards of the Air 209 



obtained from the physician or from the 

 health authorities. 



The danger of infection with the germ of 

 tuberculosis through the air by unguarded 

 sneezing and coughing, and by dust, is very 

 widespread, because consumptive persons are 

 often for long periods not confined to their 

 houses, or rooms, or beds, but may be more or 

 less active centres of infection by mingling 

 with the well in all the ordinary walks of life. 

 We have seen already by what comparatively 

 simple means a large part of the danger of 

 the spread of tuberculosis and diphtheria might 

 be prevented. 



The risk of dust infection from diphtheria, 

 and probably from other somewhat similar 

 diseases, such as measles and scarlet fever, is 

 more apt to be limited to rooms or houses 

 where the disease has occurred, because the 

 victims of these diseases are usually sick 

 enough to be confined to the house or bed. 

 But there are, as all physicians know, fre- 

 quently enough cases of these diseases in 

 which the patients go about among their 

 fellows throughout the whole course of the 

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