The History of Treating Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis is caused by the bacteria MycobacteriumIn 1865 the French doctor Villemin explained the
Tuberculosis present even in mummies lasting fromexistence of an infection causing microorganism and
over 3000 years ago. Hippocrates called itthe possibility of disease transfer from man to cattle
“phthisis” meaning consumption and explainedand rabbits. He proved Tuberculosis did not appear
it is a very common and almost in all cases deadlyspontaneously in every person.
condition. Hippocrates even dared to warn hisRobert Koch discovered 1882 a microscopic way to
physician colleagues not to visit patients in last stagessee Mycobacterium Tuberculosis. After his discovery
of Tuberculosis as it might harm their reputation.the treatment for the condition began to develop.
Sylvius described in his writings the injuries caused byNutritional diets, rest and improved environment were
Mycobacterium in the lungs and other organs, as wellthe targets of sanatoriums appeared all over Europe
as their evolution to cavities and abscesses.and America; these institutes offered a healthy
1702 Manget described the ethiopathogenesis ofatmosphere for the patients and also isolated them
milliary Tuberculosis. Italian documents informed thefrom the healthy population.
population of the danger that lies in not burning theThe hope for a treatment increased when the Italian
objects of the dead patients as Tuberculosis provedphysician Forlanini quoted that a pulmonary collapse
to be a contagious condition.might improve the condition. Therapeutic
The English doctor Benjamin Marten wrote the”pneumothorax began to be induced and surgical
Theory of Consumption” in which he explainedmethods were found to decrease the volume of the
the existence of bacterial organisms causing the lunglungs.
lesions and the capacity of transmission to anotherAnother step forward was Roentgen’s
person. Only the prolonged contact with a sickdiscovery of the X-rays that permitted the dynamic
patient could make one catch the disease.observation of the evolution of Tuberculosis and the
Sanatoriums began to appear over night to assurecaused lesions in the lungs. When Calmette and
patients dietary food and rest after a botanyGuerin invented the BCG vaccine purified from a
student quoted “Tuberculosis is a curableMycobacterium Bovis fragment, the susceptibility to
disease”. He was himself infected withTuberculosis decreased. Finally in the 1940’s
Tuberculosis and went to the Himalaya Mountains toChemotherapy with antibiotics anti Tuberculosis came
change the climate as instructed by his physician. Theto light and Tuberculosis became a totally curable
student Hermann Brehmer returned home cured andcondition if treated in time.
began to study medicine focusing on Tuberculosis.