In the Old West, a "lunger" was a slang term used to refer to someone suffering from tuberculosis, also known as "consumption". Since this disease affected the lungs, the term was seen as a derogatory way to refer to someone with the illness. The term was used to describe both chronic and acute forms of tuberculosis. The disease was prevalent in the Old West, and many people with tuberculosis traveled to the southwestern states in search of a warm climate and fresh air. The term "lunger" was used in the movie Tombstone to refer to Doc Holliday, who had contracted tuberculosis in 1872 while working as a dentist in Atlanta.