Tuberculosis: Early Treatment

¹ A German physician, Special Assistant to the Surgeon, Headquarters, Western Area Command, United States Army.

Tuberculosis is still a disease of military importance. Early recognition and treatment are necessary to minimize its incidence and morbidity. Initial and periodic chest x-ray films, as well as tuberculin tests, are of great value in the discovery and prevention of infection with tubercle bacilli. The possible development of mutations does not warrant the neglect of chest x-ray films even when it may be necessary to repeat them at frequent intervals.

Treatment of tuberculin converters before clinical signs are evident is believed to be warranted in the presence of known massive exposures. Effective therapy can be given in an on-duty status. Reactions of 1+ to first-strength tuberculin may return to negative under therapy. Reactions to second-strength tuberculin are likely to be positive after first-strength reactions have become negative. Under ideal circumstances, converters should be followed periodically until the second-strength reaction has been negative for at least one year.