How Did Thomas Wolfe Get Tb? The Tragic Story Of A Literary Genius

Thomas Wolfe lived in his mother’s boarding house for about 10 years. It’s likely that he was exposed to tuberculosis (TB) there. This was a common disease in the early 1900s, particularly in crowded living conditions.

Boarding houses were often overcrowded and lacked proper ventilation. This created an environment where TB could easily spread. TB is a highly contagious disease that spreads through the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks. People who live in close quarters, like those in boarding houses, are at higher risk of contracting the disease.

The symptoms of TB can be mild at first, making it difficult to diagnose. People with TB may experience fatigue, weight loss, night sweats, and a persistent cough. These symptoms can easily be mistaken for other illnesses, which makes it harder to identify and treat the disease. While Wolfe did experience many of the early symptoms of TB, he was diagnosed in 1938, when it was much too late for treatment. He died at the age of 37.