"GALLOPING" CONSUMPTION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21763, 31 March 1934, Page 7 (Supplement)

"GALLOPING" CONSUMPTION

LACK OF RESISTANCE Often one is asked: " Is there any difference between galloping consumption and ordinary consumption ?'' No, there is no difference, inasmuch as both are produced by the tubercle germ. The development and severity of the disease are largely determined by (1) the number of the germs which enter the body and 2) by the resistance which the infected person's body is able to put up. .One could compare "galloping consumption " to a bush-fire. There are two paddocks side by side, one containing dry stubble and the other containing green grass. Into each paddock a spark is dropped. In the one containing dry stubble the fire will quicklj «et a good hold, will then sweep rapid.y through the paddock, destroying everything as it goes, whereas in the green paddock the spark will either be overcome or, if it does manage to start a fire, the fire will be able to spread only slowlv inch by inch, foot by foot, as it will have gre;Jt resistance to overcome. Eventually the fire may manage to burn up the paddock, but if it docs so it will take very much longer than the fire in the dry stubble paddock, let the sparks were the same; so with galloping consumption " the person who develops it may be likened to the dry stubbie paddock which put up practically no resistance to the spark, and similarly these peoule put up no resistance to the attack by the tubercle germ. .