CONSUMPTION, TUBERCULOSIS, or PHTHISIS, a more or less rapidly ad vancing process of lung-destruction, a disease characterized by emaciation, de bility, cough, hectic fever, and purulent expectoration. It is caused by a germ known as the tubercle bacillus. The predisposing causes are very variable, hereditary taint, scrofulous diathesis, syphilis, smallpox, etc., exposure to fumes and dusty air in certain trades; violent passions and excess of various kinds; sudden lowering of the tempera ture of the body, etc. The more imme diate or occasional causes are pneu monic inflammation proceeding to suppu ration, catarrh, asthma, and tubercles in the lungs.
The morbid appearance most fre quently to be met with on the dissection of those who die of phthisis is the exist ence of tubercles in the cellular sub stance of the lungs, most usually at the upper and back part; but, in some in stances, occupying the outer part, and forming adhesions to the pleura. In some cases life has been protracted till not one-twentieth part of the lungs ap peared on dissection fit for performing their function. The left lobe is oftener affected than the right. This form of
the disease is known as pulmonary tu berculosis. The tubercle bacillus also affects the lymphatic glands, the bones and many other parts of the body. Re moval to an equable climate or to a pure and mild air, may arrest the disease in its incipient stage. In October, 1890, Dr. Koch, of Berlin, gave to the medical world his theory of the treatment of tuberculosis by a new medicament which he styled lymph. Its composition was made known by Dr. Koch, Jan. 15, 1891. It consists of a glycerine extract, derived from the pure cultivation of tubercle bacilli, and contains besides the effective matter all the other matters soluble in 50 per cent. glycerine. The remedy does not destroy the tubercle bacilli, but rather the affected tissues. It has been tried in various tuberculous affections, including lupus, and the fluid has a dis tinctly specific action on tubercular proc esses of all kinds. No markedly success ful results have been obtained from its use. There are quite a number of prep arations of tuberculin now in use. See KOCH, ROBERT.