Tuberculosis is a disease that attacks an individual's lungs and makes it very difficult for the victim to breath, eventually suffocating them. Tuberculosis has existed alongside humans for a long time, there is evidence that proves tuberculosis was present in certain Neolithic human settlements in the Mediterranean. There have also been findings of tuberculosis and it's mycrobacterial infection in mumified Egyptians. It was believed that tuberculosis was something that you would inherit if your family had a history of tuberculosis illness. Therefore, it wasn't believed that it was easily transmissible. In the 18th and 19th centuries tuberculosis was often referred to as consumption, or rather, "comsumption of the lungs". Treatments for tuberculosis included bloodleting, using purgatives, a healthful diet, exercise like horseback riding, and in the final stages opiates would be administered. It was not until 1865 that it was thought tuberculosis may be contageous. A Parisian military doctor by the name of Jean Antoine Villemin proved that tuberculosis could be transmitted from infected animals to healthy ones through innoculation. The real infectious agent in tuberculosis is the bacterium known as bacillus, which was discovered in 1882 by German physician Robert Koch. Victims of tuberculosis were often described as melancholy as they would waste away because of the disease. Symptoms of late stage tuberculosis included loss of body weight, skin pallor, and suken in eyes. It wasn't until the late 1800's that tuberculosis was even added to an encyclopeida. By this time, however, the dangers of tuberculosis were becoming well understood, but there was no cure that would accurately prevent or treat the infection until the 20th century. Some famous victims of tuberculosis include John Keats, Frederic Chopin, and all of the Bronte sisters. 

Source: Tuberculosis - History, Causes, Treatment | Britannica