(Part of celebrations at IRT PMC, Perundurai) <br /> <br />A hundred years ago, Koch found <br />The bacillus causing TB, <br />That gave the world's scientists the ground <br />To find the drugs as remedy. <br /> <br />Then, TB was a pandemic, <br />And was called ‘Consumption' that killed <br />The high and low, as all turned sick <br />And sanatoria all filled. <br /> <br />Most people feared the ‘phthisis' much; <br />And treatment was by good food, air; <br />And nurses gave the magic touch <br />Of kindness, tender loving care. <br /> <br />The bacilli by droplets spread <br />To lungs, and every body part; <br />The person melted, ridden-bed - <br />A downhill course right from the start! <br /> <br />Then came the anti-TB drugs <br />That inhibited growth of rod; <br />A prolonged course thus healed the lungs: <br />A two year treatment looking odd! <br /> <br />A hundred years from then, today, <br />Disease is rampant in third world, <br />As many people huddled stay; <br />HIV heralds ‘Abscess Cold'! <br /> <br />There is a cure for TB now, <br />As DOTS and DOTS PLUS can save most; <br />Unhalted stays the disease, oh, <br />As people die or it turns worst! <br /> <br />Resistant strains emerge out fast, <br />Though patients can be healed at home; <br />No more the disease looks aghast, <br />As ‘six-months' treatment is welcome! <br /> <br />Yet, millions continue to die, <br />Despite new drugs and early finds <br />Of cases, testing that can't lie, <br />And cures are rather very high! <br /> <br />The war against TB must wage; <br />The dreaded disease must be stopped; <br />No one shall die in any age; <br />Resistant strains must all be mopped! <br /> <br />Let's contribute our mite today; <br />The fight to STOP TB is on; <br />All third world nations must find way <br />As newer diseases are born! <br /> <br />Thank Robert Koch for his work hard; <br />Thank scientists who find newer drugs; <br />Thank doctors, nurses in each ward; <br />All sputa must be freed off bugs! <br /> <br />Written by Dr. A.Celestine Raj Manohar M.D., <br />Dean
