, 1870-03-29
EORTY.F0UR POUNDS TO TIE
INCH
How Non Die in Compressed Air
How 1t Feels to Have too Much 10
Breathe

How Mon Die in Compressed Air
How ii Feels to Have too Much 10
Breathe.
Three men who LAvo been here at work in
the air-chamher Of the cast bridge pier at St
Louis, hayo died from the eHocts Of working in
the abnormal atmosphere. In the inquest thst
WIS held on the body Of Theodore L. Baum,
tho following interesting testimony was elicit
cd. Dr.. Loris Raur SAYS:
I an not In condition to advance positive
vicvs on these cases. am still engaged in
tho Investigation Of cascs, and, therefore,
must reserve my full opinion for L future oc-
csason- As faz, however, as have advanced.
which the laborert in the Ai1-chamber arc at
tackled is chiefly attributed to the change from
very condensed 70 C somp9Iahsely p5a ra5etled
tion, for learn that, whilst 1t work In the
air-ehante1, the working mon do not suffer in
tho least from want Of ais, nor from any cp-
preston Of breathing
Thcre is With the pressure compression Of
Atmoerhere-A Bupetabundancc Of respirable
air. The trouble commences when they return
to the surface. They arc in \ great deal OF
pain Of body-more particularly in the limbs.
and Lose, almost in an instant, their use, and
sink down. limp, to the ground. cannot
conceive Any other cause thAn the enormous
pressure Of three Atmoepheres upon the sur
face Of TIE body, which Affects every part
equally. The blood cannot circulate With the
same case in compressed blood vessels, hence
the heart becomes agitated, more acti&e, its
contrsctions multiplied, which is experienced
ty alnost everyone who enters the lower air
chamber: At moment when this triple At
raoephetic pressure IL removed, al the vessels,
and mora particularly the capillaries, become
notably aistenacd, and, in cases Of leath, re-
main 60.
~ have 70 offer no explanation Why the spi-
nal cord and eventually the brain, surez more
t11a TnV~r tr.A
other organs. can but s1v that, according to
MY observations, it is 30, for bath the symp-
toms during life and the condition after death
point that Way.
ferently Affected By these Influences does not
change my riews in the main- Tho same oc-
ours when persona ascend high mountains and
expose Themselves to highly r4reted As1noe-
rhete. Some ars eerioun1y Threatened and AZ
3ccted thereby; others can Stand It viii, iaapu-
nity and with little or no ineonvenience A
similar relation exists evidently in the present
instance. Perhaps Tie mode Of life ruAy have
something to do with it / should think that
the use Of ardent spirits would ho highly pre-
Judicial undnr theee circumstances.
Mr. ". E. McComas, superintendent OF
construction on The bridge, being sworn, states
~ saw Baum the day be wss taken 70 work,
and had lin sent to the hospital the same
evcning-Tuceday last lBa* none OF the men
when they went down into tho caisson: De
hours. Saw shortly after that he felt badly,
md sent for Dr. Hill. The pressure Of tbs Air
Was 4s to A pounds, We have no trouble With
those who haye been in before. The trouble is
generally with new men. Old hands are not
seriously Affected. Not III gTeen ones take i
veil: think it depends upon the habits and
condition Of the person. Tho hands are gen
orally brought mo By their friends, and tell
them what prccAution to take Woskmen gon-
orally rtay IN the Ar loek from Ave to eight
Minutes langer star. think, wonld be bone
tcial They etay two hou1a in the air chamber