CONSUMPTION. 



There are more deaths from consumption than from 

 any other disease. It is estimated that in the United 

 States alone more than one hundred thousand die an- 

 nually from consumption. Why so many deaths from 

 this disease? 



The ordinary case of consumption is no more nor less 

 than a slow process of pneumonia or inflammation of 

 the lungs. 



The lungs may be represented by a tree hanging with 

 its top down. The body and limbs of the tree would 

 represent the large and small air tubes. The body 

 would represent the trachea or "windpipe/* and the in- 

 numerable branches, their divisions and subdivisions 

 would represent the smaller tubes, and three or more 

 dilatations like a small hollow bead on the end of each 

 twig would represent the air-cells. The air tubes open 

 into the air cells, and both tubes and cells are lined 

 with mucous membrane which is continuous from the 

 mouth and throat. All are held together by a connec- 

 tive tissue frame work. This frame work is elastic, 

 hence the power of the lungs to expand and contract. 

 The heart and lungs are the only organs through which 

 all the blood passes. In the heart it simply passes 

 from one cavity to another, but in the lungs it must 

 pass through the intricate network of thin- walled ves- 

 sels called capillaries. 



