Back when I was in high school, we were reading Upton Sinclair's "The Jungle" in history class. We had to split up into groups and answer simple reading comprehension questions. One such question was to list examples of ways some of the workers died. I rattled off my list, ending with consumption. A boy in my group immediately told me, "You're so stupid. 'Consumption' is when you eat!"

At the time I wanted to strangle him and leave for college right then and there, but have found it hilarious ever since.

My kids learned about consumption from playing The Oregon Trail game when they were kids. One day you were fine. The next day you were dead from consumption or typhoid or pneumonia and the graveyard music was playing. Now THAT was a fun game.