The white plague returns to London-with a vengeance

Abstract

In 1660, John Bunyan (1628-88), an English Christian writer and preacher, described tuberculosis as "The Captain among these men of death" when tuberculosis case rates in London had reached a phenomenal 1000 per 100 000 population per year,1 far more than current rates of 340 per 100 000 in sub-Saharan African countries.2 During the 19th century, the white plague, as tuberculosis was named in Victorian Britain (due to the loss of skin colour seen in London tuberculosis patients), continued to ravage Britain, and up to 25% of deaths in Europe were caused by this disease.