🔗 Check out all our links, sources, and socials:https://linktr.ee/thecadaverslessons

Before COVID-19, tuberculosis was the most prevalent infectious disease in the world—and throughout history, it has claimed more human lives than any other infectious disease.

Known by names like Consumption, Phthisis, the Wasting Disease, the White Plague, and the Robber of Youth, tuberculosis has haunted humanity for thousands of years.

In this episode of The Cadaver’s Lessons, we trace TB from ancient civilizations to modern medicine, exploring how physicians slowly went from superstition and royal healing rituals to identifying the bacterium responsible for one of history's deadliest diseases.

📚 References

1. Barberis I, Bragazzi NL, Galluzzo L, Martini M. The history of tuberculosis: from the first historical records to the isolation of Koch's bacillus. J Prev Med Hyg. 2017;58(1). Source
2. Croix M. Tuberculosis (TB). Merck Manual Professional Edition. Updated May 2026. Accessed August 23, 2026. Source
3. Tobin EH, Tristram D. Tuberculosis overview. StatPearls [Internet]. StatPearls Publishing; updated December 22, 2024. Accessed August 23, 2026. Source
4. Rutgers Global Tuberculosis Institute. History of tuberculosis. Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. Accessed August 23, 2026. Source
5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. History of World TB Day. Updated December 5, 2024. Accessed August 23, 2026. Source
6. World Health Organization. Reduce the burden of TB among people living with HIV. In: WHO Consolidated Guidelines on Tuberculosis. National Center for Biotechnology Information; accessed August 23, 2026. Source