Origin of tuberculosis

Ancient times

Tuberculosis existed 15,000 to 20,000 years ago. It has been found in relics from ancient Egypt, India, and China. Archaeologists detected spinal tuberculosis (Pott’s disease) in Egyptian mummies.

In the early days it was called

consumption (the infection appeared to ‘consume’ the patients)
phthisis pulmonaris

Middle ages

Scrofula (tuberculosis of the neck) was found in the middle ages. It was also called as the ‘king’s evil’. It was believed that the kings of England and France could cure scrofula by touching the people affected.

18th century

In the 18th century tuberculosis reached its peak in Western Europe. Houses were poorly ventilated and overcrowded, sanitation was primitive. Malnutrition and other risk factors led to the rise of the disease. Tuberculosis was called ‘White plague’ because of the extreme paleness of patients.

In the 19th century, tuberculosis was known as ‘the captain of all men of death’.