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N O W P O S S IB L E B E C A U S E OF 2 0 0 0
OF E F F O R T A N D E X P E R IE N C E
HIPPOCRATES
KOCH
4 0 0 B.C. physician,
Hippocrates, describes correctly
1OQO
The German physi-
■
0046
cian, Robert Koch,
discovers the tuberculosis germ.
the signs and symptoms of con
sumption. Modern doctors no
longer wait for signs and symp
toms to appear before suspect
ing tuberculosis because usual
ly there are no signs and symp
toms when tuberculosis begins.
For 2,000 years doctors had been
in the dark as to the cause of this
disease, until Koch proved it is
caused by germs which can be
seen with a microscope If tuber
culosis germs can be seen in
your sputum, it means that you
are a spreader of the disease.
AUENBRUGGER
PIRQUET
An Austrian army
I pold F Auenbrugger,
I physician,
Dr. Leo
discovers
A V ie n n e se ch il-
dren's specialist. Dr.
von Pirquet, observes
that the presence of tuberculosis
germs hidden in the body can
be detected by a skin test known
as the tuberculin test. The French
physician, Dr. Mantoux, im
proved Pirquet's method, making
the test more reliable. Several
million tuberculin tests are now
given by physicians each year.
that by gentle tapping with the
fingers on the chest sounds are
revealed which indicate changes
in the lung caused by tuberculo
sis and other diseases. Napo
leon's physician, Dr. Corvissart,
made
"tapping" (percussion)
popular in 1808 and ever since
all physicians use it.
LAENNEC
1Q
qQ F Dr.
TheFrenchphysician,
IOI
René Théophile
Hyacinthe Laennec, invents the
j
stethoscope, the instrument doc
tors use for listening to the
sounds which air makes when
rushing in and out of the lung.
The stethoscope is still one of our
important diagnostic aids, but
physicians today no longer rely
on the stethoscope alone in diag
nosing early tuberculosis.
1 M1
YEARS
F
A TRUE STORY
Tuberculosis still is the leading
cause of death between the
ages of 15 and 45
In thousands of high schools and colleges
throughout the country, students are being tuber
culin-tested and X-rayed when necessary Stories
like this one happen every day. Modem parents
request that their children be tested because
the information the test and the X-ray give may
help to prevent future disease. Forewarned is
forearmed
I
Clemens
ROENTGEN
1OQE
The German profes-
IOY3
sor of physics, Wil
helm Konrad von Roentgen, dis
covers the X-ray. No one fore
saw the possibility of using this
penetrating ray to discover hid
den tuberculosis. Twenty years
had to pass before X-ray equip
ment was developed that would
enable physicians to photograph
the faintest shadows cast by dis
eased spots in sick lungs. Now
the X-ray is our most important
diagnostic aid.
I
No m m in iohn's family haa tuberculosis
F
John returns to school and ia graduated
easily tired
loss of weight
I h e sx-ficGu
ieveGL5
I
UAtetcudoSLl
BEFORE
S
u
m
p
to
m
l
GveyieGi
S
J
Z
INDIGESTION
/ c O U G H THAT HANGS ON /
PHYSICIANS DEPEND
ON THE X-RAY FOR
MARINO DIAGNOSIS
EARLY
Taking X-ray pictures is easily
learned but reading
them requires the judgment of an experienced physician.
It took many years of research before the meaning of the
faint shadows on the X-ray film becam e fully understood.
The most important recent discov
The X-Ray Doesn’t Cure Tuberculosis
Reading X-Ray Rims Requires Experience
Now the trained e y e can tell from these shadows in what
condition the lungs are and where the trouble is located.
ery is that some people may have
Not
It shows only the extent of the disease. O ne X-ray pic
ture alone does not show, even to the expert, whether
the disease gets worse or better But a series of X-ray
pictures, taken periodically, will disclose whether the
disease is making headw ay, remaining stationary, or
whether healing is taking place. A single n egative exam
ination gives no assurance that tuberculosis m ay not
develop later.
Al Tuberculosis
is in the Lungs
It may be anywhere, but 9 times out of 10 the lungs
are affected Hence chest X-rays tell the story in most
cases No two cases of tuberculosis are exactly alike
Therefore, each chest X-ray represents its own problem,
requiring expert judgment of an experienced physician
to interpret it.
tuberculosis that cannot be diagnosed
by any other method except by the
X-ray.
Tuberculosis
in
its
early
stages is often without signs and
symptoms. "Tapping” and "listen
ing," even the sputum test, may re
veal nothing while attempting to dis
cover early tuberculosis. However, a
positive tuberculin test means infec
tion and the X-ray may reveal the
sick spot in the lung before slowly
appearing symptoms such as fatigue,
loss of weight, indigestion or a cough
arouse any suspicion. The X-ray has
become an essential part of a lung
examination.
No chest examination
tor tuberculosis is complete without
the X-ray.
S ch o o l S ommo
A g e 19. did not teel sick until a
slight hemorrhage occurred. An
X-ray ol the chest w as taken
Tuberculosis
w as
discovered
Treatment was begun at once
The young woman
recovered
M any physicians now include the
chest X-ray as a routine practice
with prenatal examinations Tu
berculosis is often found in young
women
She had a positive tuberculin
test An X-ray of the chest w as
taken.
Early tuberculosis was
found. This is a typical example
of how searching for tuberculosis
among apparently healthy peo
ple reveals the disease before
symptoms appear When found in
the early stage the disease is
usually curable in a short time
<Jlolpoo
A g e 25 This man felt well but
for a cough which he thought
w as due to smoking X-ray shows
advanced tuberculosis in both
lungs His tuberculosis was found
b y a routine X-ray survey of the
employees of the mill where he
had worked for many years He is
now in a state tuberculosis sana
torium making a good recovery
Well-to-do man, a g e 67 By his
own statement was never sick a
d a y in his life The X-ray shows
chronic
tuberculosis
of
many
years standing Sputum full of
germs Tuberculosis was discov
ered in this man after the tuber
culin test had disclosed that his
grandchildren had
caught" the
germs from someone
Negro woman, a g e 27. Did not
complain of an y sickness but had
frequent head colds X-ray shows
ad vanced
tu b e r c u lo s is
T his
woman wan found by tracing ttm
contacts of a tuberculin-positive
child She is now in a county
sanatorium, receiving the best of
care and making good progress
towards recovery