156 MICROBES AST) HEALTH. 



-While germs destroy dead tissue in the lungs, they 

 take no part in producing the long train of conditions 

 which lead up to the disease, and which may include 

 several years. 



Dyspepsia is the mother of consumption. Everyone 

 .understands that in every case of consumption, the 

 process of digestion and assimilation suffer more or 

 less from the first. These conditions are not caused by 

 germs and are not "catching." Their very nature 

 renders it impossible. The fact that consumption is 

 -of slow growth, requiring months and years to develop, 

 is sufficient to oppose all thought of contagion. 



Health boards teach that "there is no longer any 

 doubt regarding the cause of consumption. Scientists 

 are agreed that the germ of tuberculosis is the ultimate 

 -cause of all so called tubercular processes/' 



"All cases of consumption are taken from others." 



"Consumption is contagious." 



"Consumption is caused by a germ," etc. 



Are these statements true ? Let us see. In a recent 

 'discussion regarding the contagiousness of consump- 

 tion, as reported in the December, 1899, number of the 

 Physician and Surgeon, the following statements were 

 advanced by some of the leading physicians of this 

 country: "I certainly believe that the state of our 

 society at the present time does not warrant any such 

 measures as are being taken by the board of health. 

 "I do not think that the profession as a whole in this 

 state will back up the State Board of Health in this 

 connection, and one of the difficulties is that the man 

 who has charge of the work of the board of health in 



