[The insurance against tuberculosis:  historical aspects and criteria of legal medicine]

In the period after the First World War, tuberculosis was a real social emergency and, as such, has been addressed by the legislature providing for the economic conditions that would ensure the worker and his family.
It was discussed whether today still makes sense to keep up this protection in the light of the presence of other significant social problems. In recent years, however, tuberculosis has increased again and, for this reason, it is not to be relegated to a minor problem.
The economic benefits, of course, cannot replace the loss of earnings due to illness but makes the period considered less traumatic. Furthermore, considering the high specificity of modern diagnostic tests, the whole issue should be revisited.
This article briefly outlines the historical evolution of insurance against tuberculosis and the medical and forensic criteria to be assessed in the different phases of tuberculosis.