TB's History

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared TB a "Global Emergency" in 1993 because of their concern about this modern epidemic which is out of control.

TB kills more adults each year than any other infectious disease, including malaria and all tropical diseases. More women die of TB than from any other disease.

According to the WHO, one billion people will be newly infected, 200 million will get sick, and 35 million will die from tuberculosis 'if controls are not urgently strengthened' in the next two decades.

Many governments are not facing the facts that TB is being transported around the world by immigrants. It is a fact that TB is prevalent in poorer communities. The disease, "Consumption" as it is known in History books kills by literally, 'consuming' the lungs of its victims and drowning them in their own blood. 

The reality is that for the moment at least, the disease barely affects the American, British or South African affluent white population. This is changing and MDR TB will affect everyone if we do not pull out all stops and fund effective research into rapid diagnostic methods and new treatments for this disease

The outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease received priority attention in England and the world and yet TB and its catastrophic effects on people is hardly worth a mention in parliament. Deaths from TB and HIV/AIDS are boring!

We need to focus attention on the plights of people in TB infested countries and  put political correctness to one side. 

Screen immigrants and do follow up visits to them to ensure that they do not have TB. Educate all school children about TB and encourage them to educate their parents.

We need to do everything in our power to assist third world countries cope with this disease that is consuming and destroying a life every second of every day.

The History of TB in the world 

• Proof of TB has been found in 4 000 year old mummies.
• There was no treatment.
• Patients were put into nursing homes high up in the mountains.
• Many Europeans suffering from Consumption were sent to sunny climates and so they transported the disease to countries like Africa.
• Robert Koch discovered in 1882 that TB was caused by a bacteria.

TB Bacteria Culture
 (Dept of Health)

• The bacteria was cultured and a vaccine was developed.
• Anti-tuberculosis drugs were discovered by  only in 1944.
• These drugs were a major break through -
• TB was curable with the use of the drugs
• Mozart, the Bronte sisters and Robert Louis Stevenson all died of TB
• Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu were both treated for TB and recovered.

The History of TB in South Africa  

There is evidence that tuberculosis was introduced to South Africa by the colonists who came from Europe. It only became established in South Africa after about 1800.

Why did the Karoo have such a high rate of infection? 

We have our wonderful climate to blame for this. People who had tuberculosis were sent away to try and get better. The doctors recommended that they be sent to places of high altitude, where it was dry and sunny. They believed this would help the disease which was called "consumption." The disease literally consumed your body and lungs and then you would drown in your own blood. T

People, sick with TB were sent to live in South Africa. They went to stay in the Karoo (Beaufort West and Matjiesfontein) and so they spread the germs to our South African people. The Karoo towns developed the highest mortality rates from TB in South Africa. This trend continues today as these areas are lacking in funds, have inadequate housing and the rural people are poor and far from medical treatment.

The Mining Industry  

The discovery of gold and diamonds resulted in an influx of people from overseas in the 1800. Many miners who came from Europe were infected with TB. Cecil John Rhodes, the mining magnate was himself sent here because of his TB.

Conditions on the mines favoured the rapid spread of TB 

• The compounds where the men stayed were overcrowded.
• The shafts in the mines were poorly ventilated and the bacteria spread to healthy miners.
• The miners had a poor diet and they were not very healthy.
• They worked very hard and their hours were long.
• The dust in the mines caused the miners to get a lung disease, called silicosis. These people got TB easily.
• The migrant African labourers went home at Christmas and so they spread TB to their families in the rural areas.

  ---

Urbanisation  

• People came to live in the cities because of drought and a lack of work.
• Slums developed.
• Many people lived together in one house.
• Poor people lack a good basic diet and suffer from malnutrition.
• TB spread rapidly in poor areas where no health care facilities existed.

  ---

HIV and TB  

HIV severely weakens the immune system and so people who suffer from AIDS have no resistance to disease. TB is the first indication of AIDS in more than half of the developing world. People with both diseases also suffer double discrimination. TB makes the poor even poorer as people become sick and income is lost in families that are already battling. The stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS is also causing problems for TB sufferers in  communities that view AIDS patients as a threat to society.