Table of Contents
How was TB treated in the 1920s?
In the 1920s and 1930s, following trends in Germany and America, collapse therapy was a popular method of treating pulmonary tuberculosis in Britain. The intention was to collapse the infected lung, allowing it to rest and heal.
How was tuberculosis discovered?
On March 24, 1882, Robert Koch announced his discovery that TB was caused by a bacteria in his presentation “Die Aetiologie der Tuberculose” at the Berlin Physiological Society conference. The discovery of the bacteria proved that TB was an infectious disease, not hereditary.
What was tuberculosis also called during the early 20th century?
Tuberculosis, also known as consumption, is a disease caused by bacteria that usually attacks the lungs, and at the turn of the 20th century, the leading cause of death in the United States.
How did TB spread in the 1800s?
In 1869, Jean Antoine Villemin demonstrated that the disease was indeed contagious, conducting an experiment in which tuberculous matter from human cadavers was injected into laboratory rabbits, which then became infected. On 24 March 1882, Robert Koch revealed the disease was caused by an infectious agent.
Did sanatoriums cure TB?
Rest and good food may be pleasant for the patient; but they are not necessary for his recovery.” Though sanatoriums had no effect on curing tuberculosis, according to Lee B.
How was tuberculosis stopped?
The Search for the Cure In 1943 Selman Waksman discovered a compound that acted against M. tuberculosis, called streptomycin. The compound was first given to a human patient in November 1949 and the patient was cured.
Why did people have to go to a sanatorium for TB?
The rationale for sanatoria in the pre-antibiotic era was that a regimen of rest and good nutrition offered the best chance that the sufferer’s immune system would “wall off” pockets of pulmonary TB infection.