mouth and which have been used by consumptives, kiss upon the lips persons suffering from consumption, swallow tubercular pus in the form of dust which has accumulated in the throat and fauces during the act of respiration. Secondly, through the lungs-when people inhale dried-up tubercular pus in the form of dust. Thirdly, through wounds-when people get tubercular pus into an open cut or an abrasion of the skin. Of the three ways in which the disease germ gets into the system, that by the stomach is the most frequent. There is not so much danger of getting tuberculosis by eating meat and drinking milk that people need to be afraid to use these articles. Thorough cooking destroys the bacillus tuberculosis and therefore removes all danger; but even this need not be resorted to in the case of milk when the dairyman is known to be careful and honest. If you do not know your dairyman you had better boil your milk. You can do most towards protecting yourself against tuberculous meat and milk, however, by exerting your influence to bring about proper government inspection of slaughter-houses and dairies. If you are living in the same house with a consumptive be careful not to use the same dishes and eating utensils unless they have been first thoroughly boiled. Above all things do not eat of the delicacies which have been sent to the invalid and which he has eaten of, nor help him sip his wine. When you have been in contact with tubercular patients wash your hands at your earliest convenience, and be sure to wash them carefully before eating. Do not buy any food from a person suffering from tuberculosis, and as a matter of general precaution, have all food which goes on the table raw well washed. Never put coins, articles of toilet, or other small objects into your mouth, for they may have been used by a consumptive just before falling into your hands. This is particularly true of money, and when such has been handled the hands ought to be washed before eating. A most prudent habit to form is never to eat without first having carefully washed the hands. Do not use a pipe, wind instrument, such as a flute or horn, or an instrument or implement which goes to the lips or into the mouth, that has been in use by a consumptive. Do not kiss persons on the mouth who are suffering from tuberculosis of the lungs when the disease has arrived at the stage when they begin to spit. Even with the cleanliest persons some sputa will adhere to the lips when a handkerchief has been used. When you have for any length of time been in a room with a consumptive, in which perfect sanitary measures are not practised, do not swallow your spittle until you have had an opportunity to rinse your mouth and throat. If you are compelled to be about a consumptive frequently, endeavor to have him disinfect all the tubercular pus immediately upon its being thrown off, for in this way you protect yourself against all danger. Should you not be in a position to see this carried out, avoid as far as possible inhaling dust in the room or upon the premises. Never allow clothing or furniture that has been used by a consumptive, or that has been kept in a house occupied by a consumptive, to come into your house or room until it has been thoroughly disinfected. When you are compelled to change your residence be sure to make inquiry about the house into which you are going to move as to whether or not it has been occupied by a consumptive, and if it has, see that it is thoroughly disinfected before you move into it. The walls of the room which was occupied by the consumptive ought to be scraped and washed with some powerful disinfectant, such as mercury or carbolic acid. There is a great deal in family and individual predisposition to tuberculosis. If any of your family have died of the disease it is some evidence that you are prone to it, and you ought as a matter of prudence to keep away from it as much as possible. Individual predisposition is usually acquired and consists chiefly in a run-down condition or a deformed or improperly developed chest. If you are suffering from dyspepsia do not permit it to run on, but have it remedied at once. Stomach troubles are powerful predisposing causes of tuberculosis. Malnutrition of any kind predisposes to the disease. If you are losing weight, or if you find that your food disagrees with you in any way, seek a remedy. Perfectly healthy digestion and assimilation are excellent guaranties against tuberculosis. Do n't forget, however, that the excessive use of alcoholic drinks produces indigestion and irritability of the digestive tract, and in this way becomes a prolific predisposing cause of tuberculosis. The loss of rest and worriment become predisposing causes by lowering the nerve force of the body and thus interfering with digestion and assimilation. Have regular hours of sleep and avoid worriment of all kind, but do this especially when you are unavoidably exposed to the disease. If you have a deformed or badly developed chest you need to be especially careful not to expose yourself to tuberculosis. Develop and improve your chest by pulmonary gymnastics. Let your sleeping-room be well ventilated, and spend as much time as possible in the open air. If possible obtain employment which will keep you out-of-doors. It has been shown that a non-porous soil predisposes to tuberculosis. If your dwelling-place is damp, see that it is properly drained and made dry by means of cement. If you can select home, choose it on a porous open soil. your Impress indelibly upon your mind that no new case of tuberculosis can arise without an old one. If you can therefore absolutely avoid cases and every source of infection, you are safe whatever predisposing cause you may labor under. With the present prevalence of the disease, however, no one can avoid every source of infection, and it therefore becomes important that predisposing causes as well as sources of infection should be avoided. HOW PERSONS SUFFERING FROM TUBERCULOSIS CAN AVOID GIVING THE DISEASE TO OTHERS. [Published for Gratuitous Distribution by thy Pennsylvania Society TRACT NO. 2. The disease occurs in man and in animals, and can be conveyed from the one to the other. Animals, when they suffer from the disease, become a source of danger to human beings, because of domestic relations and because they supply food in the form of milk, or are used as food in the form of meat. They have no control over the disease, but are a passive means of spreading it. Man, as a rational being, has entire control over the spread of the disease, when he himself is the victim. He can do this, too, without depriving himself of any of the comforts of life, or of the companionship of his relatives and friends. His power to control the spread of the disease is absolute, and it is so because the contagium, by which is meant the infecting particles, is confined entirely to the matter given off by a tubercular sore, wherever that sore may be located. The infecting agent of tuberculosis is a little microscopic disease germ, called the bacillus tuberculosis. Tuberculosis cannot exist without this germ-cannot be produced without it—and, when it exists, this germ is invariably given off, when the disease has progressed far enough, in the form of broken-down tissue, technically called pus. In consumption this broken down tissue is spat up, and is called sputum; in other forms of tuberculosis it is usually called pus. The great and all important rule which must be observed by a person suffering from tuberculosis in order to prevent the spread of the disease, is to take away from all broken-down tissue its infecting power before permitting it to pass from under control. Every person suffering from tuberculosis has it in his power to do this. When a consumptive begins to spit, he should, when possible, spit into a cup in which has been placed a germicide (a drug having the power to kill the germ). This cup should be made of material that does not corrode, and should be of a shape that readily per mits of thorough cleansing. Paper-cups, which may be used, are to be had at drug stores, and they commend themselves for the reason that they are very cheap, and can be burned after using. A large china coffee-cup, with a handle, answers all purposes very well. As germicides, one may use carbolic acid (a liquid solution should be used, and thirty drops added to a half pint of water and this placed in the cup), corrosive sublimate (owing to the fact that corrosive sublimate coagulates albumen, it is well to use only tartaric acid sublimate, or citric acid sublimate tablets, which can be procured at drug stores-half of one tablet added to a half pint of water will give the proper strength), or ordinary lye, out of which soap is made. If no germicide can be obtained, at least water should be put in the cup. The cup should be thoroughly scalded with boiling water at least twice a day. Handkerchiefs should not be used when it is possible to use a spitcup. When, however, the sick person is out-of-doors, or is where he cannot use a spit-cup, he should provide himself with handkerchiefs made of material which is cheap enough to permit of being burned, and which does not readily absorb moisture. Paper is the best material for such purpose. It can be obtained at drug stores in a cheap and suitable form, known as "Japanese handkerchiefs." Great care should be taken by a consumptive that his hands, face, and clothing, and when he is in bed his bed-clothes, do not become smeared with the sputa. If any of these accidents happen -and they do happen very readily-the parts which have thus become infected should be cleansed at once with soap and water. Kissing, especially on the mouth, should, under no circumstances, be practised by a consumptive. Shaking hands had also better be dispensed with. For the deprivation of these social customs, he will have the reward of knowing that he protects those near and dear to him. which he is com others, or which When the exigen A consumptive should not hold a situation in pelled to handle the food or wearing apparel of brings him in very close relations with others. cies of life, however, necessitate his holding such position, he should exercise every possible care to prevent any of his sputa from getting upon his hands, or upon the articles which he handles, or upon the persons upon whom he waits. He should avoid coughing upon or in the direction of the food, the dining service, or kitchen utensils. At the family table the consumptive should have his own eating and drinking utensils. These should be washed separately, and should be used by no one else. The bed-clothes and linen of a consumptive, or of a person suffering from any other form of tuberculosis, should be thoroughly boiled before washing. The living-room and bed-room of a consumptive, or person suffering from any form of tuberculosis, should be kept very clean, and should be frequently aired. As much sunlight as possible should be admitted. Persons suffering from other forms of tuberculosis than consumption should observe the same general rules as consumptives, and should carefully destroy the infecting power of all matter given off from the tuberculous sore in the manner laid down for the disinfection of the sputa of consumptives. The careful observance of the rules laid down in this tract will make the persons suffering from tuberculosis entirely harmless to their relatives and friends. It should be borne in mind that the breath of the consumptive is entirely devoid of danger. The disease-germ cannot be conveyed by the breath, but must be carried by the matter given off in the form of broken-down tissue. Although it has already been said, it may be well to repeat for |