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TB History (1/2)
TB has plagued humans for thousands of years. Evidence of TB in humans dates back to over 4,000 years ago in ancient Egyptian mummies. Throughout the 1600-1800s in Europe, TB caused 25% of all deaths. Similar numbers occurred in the United States.
On March 24, 1882, Dr. Robert Koch announced the discovery
of M. tuberculosis, the bacteria that causes TB. During this time, TB killed one out of every seven people living in the United States and Europe. Koch’s discovery was the most important step taken toward the control and elimination of this deadly disease. A century later, March 24 was designated World TB Day: a day to educate the public about the impact of TB around the world.
Historically, TB was known by a variety of names, including:
- Consumption
- Wasting disease
- White plague
- Phthisis
