The emblem of the fight against tuberculosis. White chamomile - a symbol of the fight against tuberculosis

The white chamomile flower, symbolizing health and clean breathing, is the emblem of the fight against tuberculosis. The date was not chosen by chance. It was on this day, 136 years ago, that Robert Koch made a sensational statement for the scientific community. He announced the discovery of the causative agent of this dangerous disease - Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

In 1993, the World Health Organization declared tuberculosis global problem. Since that time, despite the great efforts of the TB services in many countries, the urgency of the problem has not lost its urgency. On the eve of the day of the fight against tuberculosis, the health worker of the Central District Hospital G.Kh. Shafigullina spoke about the importance of its prevention.

Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which is also called Koch's bacillus after the scientist who discovered it. This disease affects the lungs, but can also develop in other organs.

Most often, patients with pulmonary tuberculosis are the source of infection. When coughing, sneezing, talking, the patient spreads droplets of sputum containing the pathogen. You can become infected by breathing air that contains Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Even a single inhalation of tuberculosis bacteria can lead to the development of the disease. More often, prolonged and close contact with a patient with tuberculosis leads to tuberculosis. The patient's family members, colleagues and friends are most at risk of infection. Also, the lack of basic hygiene skills in the patient and his family members contribute to the spread of infection. One untreated patient can infect 10-15 people in a year. Animals with tuberculosis can pose a certain danger in the spread of tuberculosis infection. In this case, human infection occurs when eating most often dairy products that have not undergone heat treatment (boiling). Not everyone gets TB. It depends on the degree of the body's defenses, compliance with hygiene rules. Immunity is weakened by malnutrition, stress, alcohol abuse, smoking, drugs, various chronic diseases, and HIV.

Tuberculosis, as a rule, develops gradually, sometimes not noticeable to the patient: fatigue and general weakness appear, loss of appetite, weight loss, increased sweating, a slight increase in body temperature, then cough with sputum, possibly with blood, chest pain, shortness of breath with small physical activity. If you find these signs of the disease, you should consult a doctor. In case of illness, tuberculosis treatment is free. To do this, we have all the antibacterial drugs in the anti-tuberculosis room. The course of treatment lasts at least 6-8 months. Antibacterial drugs should be taken under the supervision of a healthcare professional. The first 2-3 months the patient is treated in a hospital (intensive phase of treatment) and takes drugs daily, then after the patient is transferred to the maintenance phase of treatment, he is transferred to a sanatorium, and then outpatient medication is possible at the place of residence. As soon as the patient begins to be treated, the likelihood that he will infect others is significantly reduced. antibacterial drugs help to suppress the reproduction of mycobacteria that have entered the body of a healthy person and the disease does not develop. In case of violation of the treatment regimen, unauthorized termination of antibacterial drugs, the development of a drug-resistant form of tuberculosis is possible. At the same time, conventional anti-tuberculosis drugs are ineffective and it is very difficult, and sometimes not possible, to completely cure such a patient.

Tuberculosis is a serious disease, it is easier to prevent than to treat. A number of preventive measures for the fight against tuberculosis. Prevention starts from childhood. All healthy children in the maternity hospital, as well as at the age of 7 years (with a negative result of the Mantoux reaction 2TE) are vaccinated against BCG tuberculosis. BCG vaccination creates immunity, increases the body's resistance to tuberculosis. When infected, vaccinated children do not get tuberculosis at all or it occurs in a mild form.

With timely detection and proper treatment, tuberculosis is curable today. Therefore, the early detection of tuberculosis is given great importance. For this purpose, a mass fluorographic examination of the population from the age of 15 and tuberculin diagnostics are carried out for all healthy children and adolescents. Comparing the results of previous tests, it is possible to select groups of people who are at risk of getting TB and need in-depth examination. Prevention of the disease is also facilitated by preventive treatment with anti-tuberculosis drugs for persons at risk of getting sick: those who are in contact with a patient with tuberculosis, children and adolescents with a positive Mantoux reaction for the first time (tuberculin test turn, and with an increase in the result of tuberculin test in dynamics. Isolation of children from contacts also is a preventive measure for tuberculosis.For this purpose, anti-tuberculosis sanatorium treatment is used.

In conclusion, I would like to say that your health is in your hands and only your active position will help defeat tuberculosis!

Tuberculosis is a social disease, so the organization of proper nutrition rich in vitamins and protein products and a healthy lifestyle. Pay attention to your well-being, compliance with sanitary and hygienic rules. If you see that a relative is a colleague or acquaintance for a long time coughing insist that he see a doctor.

White chamomile - a symbol of the fight against tuberculosis

On this day in 1882, German scientist Robert Koch discovered the causative agent of tuberculosis - Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which is also called Koch's bacillus. This discovery allowed the creation of new methods of treatment and prevention of the disease.

March 24, 1882 - the day Koch announced this discovery - is considered the birthday of phthisiology, the science of tuberculosis. Nearly 100 years later, in 1993, World Organization(WHO), tuberculosis was declared a national disaster, and March 24 became the World Day against this terrible disease.

Target world day- wide awareness of the population about this disease, the need for timely seeking medical help, propaganda healthy lifestyle life among children and adolescents, involving the public in solving social issues of preventing the spread of tuberculosis, raising awareness of mankind about the global epidemic of tuberculosis and strengthening measures to eliminate this disease. Currently, 1/3 of the world's population is infected with tuberculosis.

Widespread anti-tuberculosis activities began in the world at the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th centuries and was based at first on charitable activities. They were attended by various organizations and numerous representatives of all classes. Idea of ​​the Day white flower, as a symbol of healthy breathing, was born in Switzerland. Around 1900, in Geneva, young men and girls first appeared on the street with shields strewn with white chamomile flowers. They sold tokens, and each one put a feasible, sometimes even very large amount into donation mugs. Officially, the Day of the White Flower began to be held in the Scandinavian countries. This day was first organized in Sweden on May 1, 1908. The sale of the white flower as an emblem of the fight against tuberculosis attracted the attention of the population and brought income to anti-tuberculosis organizations. From Sweden, this custom passed to Norway, Finland, Denmark, Germany and other European countries. In Denmark and Norway, the right to sell the flower was a monopoly of the tuberculosis societies.

Numerous societies for the fight against tuberculosis also began to emerge in Russia. In 1909, the first free outpatient clinic for tuberculosis patients was opened in Moscow. Doctors worked there for free. They treated the sick and did a lot of preventive work among the population. In 1910, the All-Russian League for the Fight against Tuberculosis was organized, which three years later had 67 care clinics, and 2,000 beds were deployed in sanatoriums. It was decided to commemorate the anniversary of the founding of the League with the organization of the people's "tuberculosis day". The White Flower Day or White Chamomile Day was first held in Russia on April 20, 1911. Activities aimed at combating tuberculosis were carried out throughout the country. White chamomile is chosen as a symbol of the fight against tuberculosis. Thousands of posters and leaflets containing information about the causes of tuberculosis and measures to prevent it were pasted up and distributed in Moscow and other cities that day. The celebration began with a procession through the main streets, festivities were organized during the day and in the evening. In order to collect donations to the fund to fight tuberculosis, the participants of the action, including students and high school students, sold artificial white daisies made by children from orphanages. And the payment for such a flower was feasible - as much as they could. People pinned a paper or metal sign of a flower to their clothes. This holiday was celebrated by the whole city, white flowers adorned the hats of young girls and boys, even carriages of cabbies were decorated with flowers. The income from the first Tuberculosis Day in Russia exceeded 500 thousand rubles. The collected money was sent to help tuberculosis patients.

During the years of Soviet power, the action was not carried out, but today it has been revived. Now in March-April in many regions of the country you can see people selling white daisies - real or artificial, on the streets, goods marked with a chamomile sign are also on sale. The money collected during the campaign goes to help patients with tuberculosis.

Thanks to the Russian Federation TB work in last years managed to stop the growth of morbidity and achieve a decrease in mortality from tuberculosis, but they continue to remain at a high level, there is an increase in the spread of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis and tuberculosis associated with HIV infection.

There was such a spring tradition - on one of the warm May days to hold the "Day of the White Flower". It was the prototype of the tradition to hold annually the World TB Day, which will be established much later. The symbol of this day was a modest white chamomile...

The white chamomile flower, which gave the action its name, was chosen as the emblem of the fight against tuberculosis in 1911 at the initiative of the All-Russian League against Tuberculosis.
The idea of ​​White Flower Day was born in Switzerland. Around 1900, in Geneva, young men and girls first appeared on the street with shields strewn with white chamomile flowers. They sold tokens, and each one put a feasible, sometimes even very large amount into donation mugs. The sale of the white flower as an emblem of the fight against tuberculosis brought income to anti-tuberculosis organizations. In Russia, the White Flower Day was first celebrated on April 20, 1911.

The holiday "White Flower of Life" is a day of selflessness, human kindness and love for one's neighbor. He gives the sick hope for healing, those who helped - the opportunity to show their best human qualities.

World Tuberculosis Day is celebrated by the decision of the World Health Organization (WHO) on the day when, in 1882, the German microbiologist Robert Koch announced his discovery of the causative agent of tuberculosis. In 1993, the World Health Organization declared tuberculosis a national disaster, and March 24 was declared World Tuberculosis Day. World TB Day was established to remind society of the problem and encourage people to take care of their own health.

According to WHO forecasts, in the next ten years, tuberculosis will remain one of the ten leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the world.

The effectiveness of timely treatment of tuberculosis is high in the early stages and decreases sharply in the later stages of the disease. In this regard, early access to a doctor and timely fluorographic examination are of decisive importance. Under the condition of timely treatment, the mortality from tuberculosis is significantly reduced.

Many avoid fluorographic examination, considering it unhealthy. But everyone should know that the radiation dose received during such an examination is equal to one day spent in the sun, and does not bring harm to health!

How to prevent infection with tuberculosis?

1. Do not spend long periods of time in a stuffy, overcrowded room where there may well be people with active TB.
2. Make sure that a TB patient has been treated for at least two weeks before coming into contact with them.
3. Use protective masks if you have to work in the same room as a person with TB.
4. If you suspect that someone in your community has TB, encourage them to see a doctor and get treated.
5. Airing the room several times a day is one of the important conditions prevent the spread of tuberculosis.
6. If there is a tuberculosis patient in the family, give him a separate room or part of the room, separating his bed with a screen.
7. Never use dishes and personal belongings of a sick person!
8. All family members of a patient with an infectious form of tuberculosis must be examined by a phthisiatrician at least once every 6 months.
9. Follow the recommendations of the phthisiatrician.
10. Observe the rules of personal hygiene and make sure that a person with tuberculosis observes them.

A healthy lifestyle and timely fluorographic examinations are successful preventive measures in the fight against such a dangerous infection as tuberculosis.

For many centuries, humanity has been stubbornly fighting against the "white plague" - tuberculosis. At the end of XIX - beginning of XX century. was organized International League fight against tuberculosis, which began to convene International Tuberculosis Conferences. In 1902, a conference held in Berlin adopted a red cross with two horizontal or somewhat oblique stripes as the international emblem of the anti-tuberculosis movement. Sometimes these stripes are of the same size, sometimes one (upper) is somewhat shorter than the other *.

* (The Lorraine Cross is not only the emblem of the fight against tuberculosis. During the Second World War, the French Resistance forces also adopted the Cross of Lorraine as their symbol, probably because General De Gaulle, who led this struggle, was from Lorraine.)

The proposal to introduce this emblem was made by the delegate from Paris, Dr. G. Sersiron. A cross of this kind in the Middle Ages was a sign of the patriarchs of Byzantium and Jerusalem. During the first crusades this cross was used as a personal coat of arms by the Duke of Lorraine (France) Godfried when he became ruler of Jerusalem in 1099, and has since been known as the Cross of Lorraine. In the United States, the Cross of Lorraine was adopted as the emblem of the National Tuberculosis Association in 1906.

Some countries with a population professing the Muslim religion (for example, Spanish Morocco, etc.), not wanting to take an emblem resembling the religious sign of Christianity, modified the Red Lorraine Cross, replacing the two horizontal lines in it with two crescents facing the convex side down.

Postcard issued on the first "tuberculosis day" - April 29, 1911 in Moscow. Top left - image of the "cross of Lorraine" and white chamomile flowers

The Lorraine Cross has become a permanent emblem of postage stamps issued in favor of anti-tuberculosis organizations in very many countries. For the first time on postage stamps this was done in Belgium in 1925, and on charity stamps this emblem first appeared in 1920 in the USA. In many countries, lottery tickets in favor of the tuberculosis fund, decorated with the image of the Cross of Lorraine, have been issued and are being issued.

In Russia, before the Great October Socialist Revolution, tuberculosis was extremely common, but there was almost no fight against it. And it is no coincidence that at the International Hygiene Exhibition in Dresden in 1911, Russia took the shameful first place in terms of mortality from this disease.

The pre-revolutionary All-Russian Anti-TB League, founded in 1909, fought the disease, led by the largest domestic phthisiatrician V. A. Vorobyov, based mainly on charity. The emblem of this struggle was the sign of the white chamomile flower. Known for the sign of the Red Cross, entwined with white chamomile. On the days of the so-called mug collections - collections of donations to the fund for the fight against tuberculosis - philanthropists received a paper or metal sign with the image of this flower. On April 11, 1918, the All-Russian Tuberculosis League was abolished, and its property was transferred to the People's Commissariat for Social Security of the RSFSR.

From the first days of its existence, the young Soviet country began to actively fight against tuberculosis as a social evil. Palaces and mansions of the nobility began to turn into tuberculosis sanatoriums for workers. Tuberculosis hospitals and dispensaries began to open. All anti-tuberculosis institutions were taken to the state budget.

Specially trained medical personnel, in addition to working in these institutions, had to carry out extensive preventive work among the population. One of the ways to combat this social evil at that time was the organization of anti-tuberculosis three-diaries, in which, in addition to medical workers, the general population also took part. Three-days, held throughout the country, were one of the best methods of mass agitation and obtaining funds for fight against tuberculosis. The movement proceeded under the general slogan "Protection of the health of workers is the business of the workers themselves." Five such annual three-day meetings took place in Moscow (1922-1926). Each of them had its own slogan: in 1922 - "Dispensaries - centers for the fight against tuberculosis", in 1923 - "The fight against childhood tuberculosis", in 1924 - "The fight against tuberculosis as a social disease", in 1925 - "For the improvement of the work of tuberculosis dispensaries", in 1926 - "Improvement of the life of workers."

The sickle and hammer, decorated with a scarlet five-petal stylized flower, became the emblem of the fight against tuberculosis. In Ukraine, in the early years of Soviet power, the Red Lorraine Cross in combination with a white chamomile flower was also used as an emblem for the fight against tuberculosis.

During the three-day meetings throughout the country, in addition to agitation and mass work, a cash "circle collection" was held. Those who dipped money into the mug received the anti-tuberculosis emblem made of cloth, paper or metal. The collected money - and they amounted to significant amounts (for example, in Kharkov only in 1923, 17,500 gold rubles were collected) - went to improve the living conditions of patients, expand the network of anti-tuberculosis institutions. Over time, when the Soviet country got stronger and was able to take funding for the fight against tuberculosis at the state expense, the need for anti-tuberculosis three-day meetings disappeared.

Throughout the history of mankind, doctors and philosophers, priests and scientists have tried to find out the nature of tuberculosis. The most observant of them guessed that this disease was contagious. It is no coincidence that in ancient Persia consumptive patients were isolated from healthy ones, and in ancient rome knew about the danger of living together with a consumptive patient. In India, marriages with tuberculosis patients were banned. Main clinical manifestations tuberculosis cough, sputum, hemoptysis, exhaustion - described by Hippocrates, Galen, Abu inb Sina. Traces of bone tuberculosis were found on the skeleton of a man who lived in the Stone Age, and in the mummified corpses of Egyptians who died as early as 2000-3000 BC.

In the middle of the XIX century. the French doctor Villemin observed the infection of sailors with tuberculosis from a sick person earlier. To prove the infectious nature of tuberculosis, he collected sputum from patients and soaked guinea pig bedding with it. Animals died of tuberculosis. The infectious nature of tuberculosis was confirmed by the pathologist Konheim in experiments on animals. He introduced pieces of the organs of tuberculosis patients into the anterior chamber of the eye of a rabbit and observed the formation of tuberculin tubercles in the eye.

The largest scientific event in the history of medicine occurred in 1882. The German bacteriologist Robert Koch discovered the causative agent of tuberculosis, which was named Koch's bacillus. Koch discovered the causative agent of tuberculosis during a microscopic examination of the sputum of a tuberculosis patient after preliminary staining of the preparation with vesuvin and methylene blue. A culture of the causative agent of tuberculosis was isolated in pure form. in Berlin in 1882. Koch made a report "The Etiology of Tuberculosis", in which he presented convincing data on his discovery of the causative agent of tuberculosis, subsequently Koch was awarded Nobel Prize. Among the main reasons, Koch emphasized the role of social factors. “The readiness for illness,” he wrote, “is especially great in weakened organisms that are in bad conditions. As long as there are slums on Earth where a ray of light does not penetrate, consumption will continue to exist.” In 1890, Koch first received tuberculin, which he defined as "a water-glycerin extract of tuberculous cultures." At the Congress of Physicians in Berlin, he reported on this remedy, which supposedly can make animals susceptible to tuberculosis invulnerable and cure them. "Perhaps," said Koch, "this remedy will useful people"However, the revolution in the treatment and prevention of tuberculosis, which was supposed in connection with the discovery of tuberculin, turned out to be a myth. The hopes of thousands of tuberculosis patients who went to Koch in Berlin were replaced by a feeling of disappointment: tuberculin had no therapeutic effect, moreover, it caused the progression of the disease. Koch was condemned the medical community.

In 1902 At a conference in Paris, a red cross with two horizontal stripes was adopted as the international emblem of the anti-tuberculosis movement. Such a cross in the Middle Ages was the sign of the patriarchs of Byzantium and Jerusalem.

On the international exhibition in Dresden, Russia was declared the "champion" among European countries mortality from tuberculosis. The fight against this "white plague" was carried out by the forces and means of philanthropic societies. The "Russian Society for the Protection of Public Health" and the "Society of Russian Doctors in Memory of N.I. Pirogov" began to create plans for the study of tuberculosis. The All-Russian League against Tuberculosis has started its work. The League came up with the day of the "White Flower" (the day of "Chamomile"), which was used for agitation and propaganda, replenishment Money. The white chamomile flower was chosen as the emblem of the fight against tuberculosis.

World TB Day, held annually on March 24, aims to draw attention to the fact that in most of our planet, tuberculosis continues to be a dangerous epidemic that is not yet controlled by mankind. Although effective medicines have been available to treat the sick for decades, TB kills millions of people each year. March 24 was not chosen by chance, but to commemorate the day when, in 1882, Robert Koch made a sensational announcement announcing that he had discovered the causative agent of tuberculosis, the tubercle bacillus.

At present, a well-organized anti-tuberculosis service is functioning in the Mogilev region, fully funded by the state. It includes the Mogilev Regional TB Dispensary, the Bobruisk City Tuberculosis Dispensary, and tuberculosis rooms at district polyclinics. The Regional Tuberculosis Dispensary works in close contact with the MOCGEiOZ Healthcare Institution, the general medical network and other departments (veterinary service, ATC, etc.).

To date, scientists have uncovered the secrets of tuberculosis. Its causative agent has been studied in detail, developed effective methods diagnosis, treatment and prevention. However, tuberculosis continues to rage across the planet. The fact is that tuberculosis, as an infectious social disease, always responds negatively to all kinds of social upheavals. Those we have were: the second World War, Chernobyl accident, decay Soviet Union etc.

Along with this, a tubercle bacillus, like any creature, tends to gradually but surely adapt to environment including treatment with antibiotics. Suffice it to say that among newly diagnosed patients with tuberculosis, every fourth identifies Koch's bacilli, which are resistant to antibiotics. And among the registered chronic patients, every second has resistance to many antibacterial drugs. This can be partly due to the fact that no new antibiotics have been invented in the world for more than 40 years. As a result, the treatment of such patients is very difficult and expensive for the state, and drug-resistant tuberculosis is now regarded as a particularly dangerous infection.

Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by mycobacteria, which, in honor of their discoverer, were named Koch's bacilli. The source of infection is a sick open form of tuberculosis. The pathogen enters Airways healthy people with droplets of sputum when coughing, sneezing, talking, with dust, as well as with food. Tuberculosis infection can be contracted while living with a patient in cramped living conditions, as well as in public transport, in the store and just in the crowd. From the moment tuberculosis germs enter the human body It can take several months or even years before the onset of the disease. The resulting disease goes unnoticed for a long time and resembles a mild cold.

Getting infected with tuberculosis does not mean getting sick with it. Most often, people from the so-called risk groups suffer from tuberculosis. They are medical - people suffering from one or another chronic disease that weakens the body's immunity to infection (patients chronic bronchitis, diabetes, stomach ulcers, mental patients, etc.). There are social risk groups (homeless people, unemployed people who have returned from prison, migrants, domestic drunkards and chronic alcoholics).

Any disease is easier to cure when it is detected on early stage. The main method of timely detection of tuberculosis, lung cancer and other pulmonary pathologies in the adult population remains X-ray fluorographic examination.

All newly diagnosed patients with tuberculosis, as a rule, are hospitalized for several months in specialized hospitals, and then continue treatment on an outpatient basis. At all stages, treatment is carried out at the expense of the state, i.e. free for the patient. For this, the necessary anti-tuberculosis drugs are available in sufficient quantities.

In principle, tuberculosis is currently curable, provided that two conditions are met - the diligence of the medical staff and the desire of the patient himself. Unfortunately, some patients with a contagious form of tuberculosis categorically refuse voluntary treatment. For such patients, a specialized department for compulsory treatment was opened at the regional tuberculosis dispensary by a court decision.

The main method of preventing tuberculosis in children is anti-tuberculosis vaccination with BCG vaccine. The first such vaccination is given to each child in the maternity hospital, and then it is repeated at the age of 7. The effectiveness of these vaccinations is evidenced by the fact that in our region for many years a relatively low incidence of tuberculosis among children has been recorded.

Since tuberculosis is an infectious social disease, the functions of the state (society) and medicine as such should be singled out in a comprehensive program for organizing the fight against tuberculosis. In the program of anti-tuberculosis measures, the medical part is regular anti-tuberculosis vaccinations, health-improving work in tubercles, early detection of cases among children and adults, and full treatment. What health workers basically do. The state should take over the rest. This means, first of all, improving the well-being of the entire population. Active assistance to health workers in organizational matters during preventive examinations for tuberculosis. Compliance with sanitary standards at each workplace. As well as social protection of tuberculosis patients: free treatment at all stages - inpatient, sanatorium and outpatient, the issuance of a sick leave and the preservation of a place of work for the entire period of treatment, extraordinary allocation of housing for patients with infectious forms of tuberculosis.