In the old days when there wasn't any cure for consumption (or tuberculosis), how long could people last after diagnosis? Was it a question of years or months? I'm not interested in modern day rates as it's easier to treat nowadays, but I need a time frame for a history project. It doesn't say anything relevant on wikipedia as I've looked there already.
Respiratory Diseases - 3 Answers
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1 :
TB is such an interesting disease! The belief that TB is/was necessarily a deadly disease is a misconception. Many people who are exposed never develop any symptoms at all. Of the people who do develop symptoms, some just loose a little weight and feel crappy for months. Others have the typical lung "consumption" and others manifest symptoms in places other than their lungs! So, let's talk about TB historically. Historically, there were no ways to test a healthy person for TB, so the only way to diagnose the disease was to test sputum, the bloody mucus that people suffering from traditional TB cough up. By the time a person is coughing up sputum, they are in the advanced stages of the disease. So, they might only have a matter of weeks or months to live by the time the disease is caught and recognized. Historically, people lived with the bacteria without ever having symptoms or knowing they'd been exposed. They died of unrelated causes. Historically, some people had mild forms of TB and recovered. Historically, the best way to treat/prevent TB is good nutrition and environment. Hope that helps.
2 :
Generally, the TB germ and the adult human are evenly matched. Most infections will be contained by the body. There will be calcified areas in the lymph nodes along the lungs. These have been described in Egyptian mummies. But some persons, perhaps weakened by previous illness, poor nutrition, etc., will not develop enough immunity or resistance to contain the TB germs, and the disease will progress. Or, they can be doing well when some stress weakens their resistance. Most progression is rather slow, but it can be quite rapid in certain circumstances. Especially in children.
3 :
I was told stories by my mom who lived in holland after the war when thousands had TB due to unsanitary conditions in the work camps etc.. Those with TB were sent to a special living quarters (sanitoriums) which were totally open to the outside. basically the hospital had a roof to keep the rain off and no walls so that fresh air was all they breathed. Her brother (who nazis forced to work in camps and he developed TB) was in the santorium for almost one year before going back home but he did survive and lived to be into his 70s. here at least in Vancouver we are starting to see resurgence of TB especially resistant strains amongst some the street people
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