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