When afflicted with this disease, tube roles of hard tissues grow inside the lungs. These nodules are composed of millions of cells. Robert Koch, a German scientist discovered the bacteria of this disease in 1882. They are rod shaped and approximately 1/7000 mm. in length and 1/2000 mm. in breadth.
Tuberculosis has strong symptoms. A patient afflicted with T.B. often gets violent attacks of cough. While coughing, he sprays small drops of water and sputum into the air round. These contain bacteria of this disease.
When the water drops and sputum dry up, the bacteria start flying in the air. If somebody inhales them, can also get infected. A person suffering from this disease can transmit it to all the people around.
For thousand of years, there was no treatment to cure this disease. Anybody who caught it was sure to die. In 1994, a miracle drug called "Streptomycin" was discovered for the treatment of this disease.
A few years later two more medicines, Para amino salicylic acid and nicotinic acid and hydrazide were discovered. Now days this disease is effectively treated with these drugs, beside many others. Though the treatment of this disease takes several months, yet the patient regains health.
A patient of tuberculosis should not be kept at home, because he can infect his family members also. He should be admitted into some T.B. Sanatorium or hospital for better care to speed up recovery.
This disease can be easily detected with x-rays. A vaccine has also been developed for the prevention of this disease. This is known as BCG if a new born child, within a few days of his birth, is administered of this vaccine he becomes immune to T.B.
