Phthisiatry (from the Greek ίθίσις - "Consumption, depletion" and ιατρεία - "treatment"). Phthisiology (from the Greek ίθίσις - and 'lt>gt>s). The Greek word logos (traditionally meaning word, thought, principle, or speech) - section of clinical medicine that studies causes, patterns of distribution and mechanisms of tuberculosis development caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MBT), pathological processes in the human body and methods of prevention, diagnosis and treatment. So, Phthisiology means the care, treatment, and study of tuberculosis. Phthisiatry/Phthisiology - a branch in medicine that specialize in TB, and provide specialized medical care for tuberculosis patients.
Tuberculosis (from Latin tuberculum) - is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Archaic names: phthisis, tuberosity, consumption, tabes, evil, grief, and etc.
1.1. THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE STUDY OF TUBERCULOSIS BEFORE THE DISCOVERY OF MYCOBACTERIUM TUBERCULOSIS BY R. KOCH
Numerous historical documents and medical investigations give evidence to the spread of tuberculosis (TB) in ancient days. This is confirmed by the data excavation of ancient documents written by people, that in the XXVII B C, traces of tuberculous lesions of the spine have been found in 4 out of the 10 skeletons of Egyptian mummies. There was an increase in mortality due to disease during periods of famine and economic crises, and significant sharp increases in the prevalence of tuberculosis as a result of numerous wars.
Hippocrates - 400-350 BC in the book "The causes and symptoms of chronic diseases" presented the description of the disease, which was later interpreted as consumption, tuberculosis - fever, sweating, fatigue and exhaustion.
Aristotle (384-322 BC) has suggested a contagion consumption, noting that in the air around the consumptive patient there is some pathogenic cause.