This late 1920s or early 1930s silent black and white short directed by Leo Lipp for the National Tuberculosis Association (founded as the National Association for the Study and Prevention of Tuberculosis, now the American Lung Association) dramatises the life of a young man infected with TB by a careless aunt to emphasize the need for testing those with symptoms of the disease (TRT 10:25).

An opening title card: “Tuberculosis– Destroyer ancient as man– yet at last we know enough about it to root it out” (0:08). A physician sits at an office desk surrounded by five young men and women. Behind him is an X-ray photograph showing lungs and a ribcage (0:17). Intertitles: “Tuberculosis is caused by a living germ.” A splice. A still image of microphotography enlarged to poster size. A pointer indicates a TB germ (0:30). “The germs get into the body in various ways.” A young woman, a girl, and a baby carriage, stroller, or pram. The little girl picks a piece of candy up off of the ground. The mother dusts it off, and passes it back to the girl, who begins to lick it (0:46). “Anything which touches the lips of a person who has the disease may carry the germs.” A Western Union telegram delivery man licks a pencil while filling out a form. Two young boys share a harmonica (1:26). “How can little John escape getting into his lungs some of the germs of his Aunt Alice, who thinks she has only bronchitis.” Two women sit in a living room. A young boy approaches them from behind. One woman, with luggage and a fur, coughs into a handkerchief, then kisses the boy (1:51). “Tuberculosis germs get a foothold in the lung.” Animation shows small black germs multiplying and spreading across an enlargement of a lung cell. Other cells of the body gather at the edges of the frame (2:25). “The race is on, but the cells succeed in jailing the germs into a tight capsule called a tubercule.” A “wall” forms, encircling the germs (3:08). “Nearby lymph nodes become infected too.” A splice. “How such first infection looks on an actual X-ray film” A splice. (3:37). “Years pass, John is now a senior in high school.” John smokes a pipe while Aunt Alice continues coughing. “He works too hard– he plays too hard, and stays up late at night” (3:55). Young men throw a medicine ball in a boys locker room. John lies down on a bench (4:22). “Tuberculosis germs attack his lung.” Splice. “Fortunately John’s trouble is discovered during a school tuberculin test survey.” A line of young men approach a doctor and nurse at a school desk. John is tested (5:00). Later, John’s arm is examined by the same doctor. A small growth is visible (5:51). “The X-ray shadow tells a story.” The doctor examines an X-ray in a darkened office on a lightbox. He picks up a telephone receiver. “Evidently John did not get his infection from you or from Mr. Brown.” Aunt Alice visits the doctor. “Germs were found in her sputum” (6:14). Aunt Alice at home. “The disease spreads– a cavity forms.” A splice. “Tuberculosis germs crowd the cavity… To rest the disease lung and close the cavity the lung is collapsed by a simple operation called pneumothorax.” Intertitles continue without illustration (7:17). The physician continues speaking to the young students. “But, Doctor, surely money is well spent on a cure?” asks a young woman. “Yes, but money spent for prevention will make cure unnecessary. We want to beat our silent enemy to it, and strike him down before he strikes us” (8:18). The camera zooms in on the physician, as he grasps his hands and addresses the viewer directly, imploringly. “Every young person from 15 to 25 years ought to have the benefit of the tuberculin test and the X-ray…” (9:08). A TB “double cross,” the logo of the NTA. “The End” (10:00).

Tuberculosis (TB), also historically called consumption, is an infectious disease usually caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) bacteria.Tuberculosis has been present in humans since ancient times. TB is spread through the air when people who have active TB cough, spit, speak, or sneeze. Modern prevention of TB involves screening those at high risk, early detection and treatment of cases, and vaccination with the bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine. As of 2018, one quarter of the world’s population was thought to have latent infection with TB.

This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com