While tuberculosis has afflicted mankind for thousands of years, it is truly a disease of civilization, first emerging in plague proportions in the 18th and 19th centuries (Kiple 136-137). It is an illness primarily of the urban poor, and its spread is correlated with urbanization, industrialization and immigration patterns of the modern age. Tuberculosis in the lungs has historically been known as consumption, phthisis, wasting disease, graveyard cough, and decline (Smith 2-50). Symptoms include lassitude, irregular appetite, wasting, flatulence, irregular pulse, night sweats, severe nasal congestion, chest rales and cough, often bloody (haemoptysis). There is always fever. The disease can affect joints or lodge in spine and brain tissue, where it causes tubercular meningitis. When affecting other areas of the body, it has been termed scrofula ('the king's evil'), appearing as degeneration of neck lymph nodes, swelling, skin ulcerations, puffiness and wasting.
Smith provides a list of the many compounds and practices in popular use during the 19th century against the disease (40-43, 45-46). Scrofula was believed to be primarily hereditary, and was usually attacked by a variety of infusions and anti-inflammatory applications including gentian, lime water washes, lead ointments, and hot bread or yeast poultices. By the 1830's, the French were enthused with iodine, using it in tinctures both orally and in baths. Mercurial pills appeared by the early 1840's, along with the use of juniper drops, cream of tartar and copious use of cod áliver oil. The observation that tuberculosis mortality was lower or rare amongst butchers led to the rubbing of lard and oils on affected parts of the skin.
Cures for consumption or phthisis could kill the afflicted patient as easily as those used for systemic tuberculosis; copper sulphate, potassium nitrate, tartrate of antimony, quinone and creosote with hydrocyanic acid were all popular. Prepa...