
The Forgotten Plague, Chapter 1
Clip: Season 27 Episode 5 | 8m 49s
The battle against TB had a lasting impact on America. Premieres February 10 on PBS.
By the dawn of the 19th century, tuberculosis had killed one in seven of all people that had ever lived. Doctors believed it was hereditary, but had begun to observe that fresh air and outdoor living could sometimes change the course of the illness. Physician and TB patient Edward Trudeau was convinced the clean mountain air was like medicine for the lungs.
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Corporate sponsorship for American Experience is provided by Liberty Mutual Insurance and Carlisle Companies. Major funding by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

The Forgotten Plague, Chapter 1
Clip: Season 27 Episode 5 | 8m 49s
By the dawn of the 19th century, tuberculosis had killed one in seven of all people that had ever lived. Doctors believed it was hereditary, but had begun to observe that fresh air and outdoor living could sometimes change the course of the illness. Physician and TB patient Edward Trudeau was convinced the clean mountain air was like medicine for the lungs.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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When is a photo an act of resistance?
For families that just decades earlier were torn apart by chattel slavery, being photographed together was proof of their resilience.Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipClip: S27 Ep5 | 1m 43s | Railroads advertised their station stops as havens for consumptives. Premieres Feb. 10. (1m 43s)
Clip: S27 Ep5 | 1m 42s | Consumptives played an integral role in settling the West. Premieres Feb. 10 on PBS. (1m 42s)
Preview: S27 Ep5 | 30s | The battle against TB had a lasting impact on America. Premieres February 10 on PBS. (30s)
Clip: S27 Ep5 | 1m 32s | Scientific knowledge of TB brought greater prejudice to its victims. Premieres Feb. 10. (1m 32s)
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Corporate sponsorship for American Experience is provided by Liberty Mutual Insurance and Carlisle Companies. Major funding by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.