I need to know what other stories besides "the masque of the red death" mentioned tuberculosis. Also, what is tuberculosis characterized by. I know its a lung disease that involves bleeding, but what else?

-- Anonymous, October 15, 2000

Answers

Dusty,

The term tuberculosis was not known until the 1880s when Robert Koch first recognized the bacillus that caused it. In Poe's day it was known as consumption. Yet, even this term is not generally used in his other tales and it is alluded to in a few other tales as the mysterious cause of an ailment such as Fortunato's "cough" in "The Cask of Amontillado". It may also have been referenced in "Ligeia" but I'm not sure.

Pulmonary tuberculosis is characterized by a cough often producing blood, fever, lassitude, some weight loss and, of course, breathlessness. It is contracted by inhaling the bacillus and also from drinking infected cow's milk. The disease can smolder for months before symptoms appear and one can act as a carrier and not realize it.

Regards,

-- Anonymous, October 17, 2000