Tuberculosis isn't particularly feared today, but in the 19th century, it was one of the leading causes of death. If you were living a century ago, you probably carried the tuberculosis bacillus. The infection rate was close to 100 percent in major cities. If your infection developed into active tuberculosis – also called "consumption" – you faced a 20 percent chance of surviving. It was a terrifying, highly contagious and nearly untreatable disease, and it reached epidemic proportions in Milwaukee.
