Tuberculosis: A wasting illness

Index Home

TB: A wasting affection of the Lungs

Tuberculosis (also known as TB), is a disease with devastating health, social, economic and cultural consequences. Greeks called it pthisis, and Romans called it consumption. Both these words mean “getting wasted”, or to “whither away”. We also know it as “white plague“, with sufferers becoming pale, before dying. Symptoms of this illness, namely fever, weight loss, cough, and coughing out blood are well described since ages. A German physician Johann Lukas Schonlein, first used the word “tuberkulose” or “tuberculosis” in 1832. This term means lumps, or tubercles that are pathologic hallmark of the disease. While it could affect all organs, lungs are principle sites of this affection.

Tuberculosis stamps from Greenland (2008) and Kuwait (1963), prominantly depict lungs.

Lungs are a paired organ, that make us breathe. They are principal sites of affection for TB. Dutch physician Franciscus Sylvius first described consequences of consumption in the lungs. In his book published in 1679, he recognised scrofula and nodules in lung as part of the same disease. This work was a beginning of understanding of this disease, which eventually affects different areas of both lungs.

Above stamps from Macedonia (1996) and Brazil (1982) identify Lungs as a key site of tuberculosis.
Early notions about nature of TB

Ancient and medieval physicians were unaware about person-to-person transmission of TB. Girolamo Fracastorius, an Italian Physician first described transmission of various diseases in early 1500s. He rightly believed that diseases like TB and syphillis could spread by tiny invisible “spores”. Benjamin Martin in 1720, and Jean Villeman in 1865 provided evidence that TB was contagious. These evidences were not well accepted at that time, and the credit was not be theirs.

Robert Koch: Discovery of TB-bacillus

Robert Koch, announced discovery of TB-bacillus on 24th March 1882. He also described its transmission dynamics. An article in medical journal Chest, pens philatelic ode to collective efforts of many in unravelling the mysteries of TB.

Stamps from Cuba, Rwanda, and Algeria issued in 1982 on centenary year of discovery of TB bacillus
Robert Koch, Microscopy, TB care in postage stamps from Germany, Hungary, Tanzania, Norway, Afghanistan, Nepal, Iraq and Portugal

Robert Koch first described TB bacillus. Medical term for this structure is acid-fast bacillus (or AFB), seen as a pink rod like structure, seen under a microscope, using Ziehl-Neelson staining (ZN stain). These pink bacilli as well as Robert Koch were celebrated by various countries in postage stamps issued in 1982. This was the centenary of this remarkable discovery.

Stamps from French Polynesia, Yugoslavia, Mexico, Zaire, France, India and Bangladesh issued in 1982 on centenary year of discovery of TB bacillus
First Day Cover, Robert Koch and 100 years. of Tb discovery 1982
Stamps from Chile, Central African Republic, and Andorra, issued in 1982 on centenary year of discovery of TB bacillus. Stamp from Sweden celebrates 1905 Nobel prize for Koch.
Two stamp-set from Poland depicts Robert Koch and Ode Bujwid (1857-1942). Bujwid founded first bacteriology laboratory in Poland. He also developed a novel method to produce “tuberculin” (an extract of TB-bacillus).
A first day cover from Turkey, with 24th March first day cancellation. This set of two stamps also depicts Tevfik Saglam, a distinguished Turkish Physician (1882-1963). He was president of Turkish National Association against TB till his death in 1963.
The road ahead

Discovery of TB-bacillus was a game changer. It changed the way TB was diagnosed, and treated. The same organism was identified in monkeys and in cattle. Extract of the bacillus or tuberculin was initially used to treat TB, and later on to diagnose hidden or latent TB. Physicians also started understanding TB better. About a decade later, Roentgen discovered X-rays.

A set of seven stamps from Guinea (1982), showing Robert Koch, his subsequent experiments and our steps towards understanding of the disease.

We opened doors to conquer the disease. Struggle however, was not yet over. We cover these struggles in our next blog.

A special cover on ambitious goal of Tb elimination in India, 2016

34 comments

  3. Interesting and fun way to learn about TB and was a little curious to know if our country had any stamp with related to health😊

  9. Very creative and concise medical information with history.Congratulations Sir on this unique presentation of medical history

  11. It is a wonderful write up about history of TB and relating the history with postal stap collection makes it a creative work.
    Enjoyed reading it..

  12. Are Topic related/ celebrated stamps such as TB or health care related available at the post offices? If yes, maybe hospital’s official posts can use these only as a trademark. A fun way of promoting the otherwise decline stamps and postal usage.

  13. Very innovative. Load of creativity and a very beautiful way to to travel the path.
    Must congratulate you for such exhaustive collection of stamps on TB.

  14. A very unique and interesting way to share the knowledge ! Both about the disease and the stamps. Thanks for sharing.

  20. Very nice write up on a very relevant disease of our times. Would definitely use this blog for presentations on TB to introduce the audience to the history of this disease.

  22. “क्षय रोग”,as aptly named in Hindi..very informative and colorful presentation of a very gloomy disease..great endeavour sir..

  23. Very well written blog. A collection of rare stamps and very informative. It denotes a mixture of knowledge with creativity.

Comments are closed.