THE AMERICAN 



MONTHLY 



MICROSCOPICAL JOURNAL. 



Vol. XV. OCTOBER, 1894. No. 10. 



Go the Limitation of Tuberculosis. 



By dr. W. W. AIvIvEGER, 



washington, d. c. 



[Eead before the Americau Association of Microscopists, August, 1894.] 



The past twelve months have marked an era in the pro- 

 phylaxis or prevention of consumption. There no longer 

 exists any reasonable doubt as to the infective nature of 

 this disease ; and, being communicable, it follows that it 

 is to a greater or less extent preventable. There is, 

 therefore, no more important subject to which scientists 

 may devote their attention and enlist their services than 

 the consideration and adoption of measures looking to the 

 control and limitation of tuberculosis : since it causes 

 more deaths than any other disease, being directly re- 

 sponsible for one-seventh of the entire mortality of the 

 globe and fully one-fourth of the deaths which occur be- 

 tween the ages of 20 and 40 years. The task, however, 

 is not an easy one. Not that we lack knowledge or means 

 to wage a fairly successful warfare, but because the evil 

 is so wide-spread and deep-seated and mankind has be- 

 come so inured to its ravages and has so long regarded 

 it as hereditary and unavoidable that it is very difficult 

 to overcome the apathy thus engendered and secure the 

 vigorous and eflBcient co-operation of all concerned. 

 Moreover, being an essentially chronic disease, the meas- 

 ures necessary in its control are irksome and hence hard 

 to enforce, particularly among the indifferent and incre- 

 dulous. If one-tenth part of the number of deaths oc- 

 curred in any given community from some such acute 



