Connecticut western news., 1882-09-27
A CAISSON DISEASE.
The Nature of an Engineers Suffer- ings, and what Renders his Life EDdurable
From the New York Sun. l


 Endurable.
 From the New York Sum-
 "What is Chief Engineer Roebling's disease P' was asked of an engineer of the East River Bridge.
 "A very rare one," he replied. "It is the calsson disease, the result of en- during 0 high atmospheric pressure. You know that these two granite piers rest to-day on wooden boxes, turned bottom upward, called caissons. These were constructed with the same hori- zontal dimensions as the towers. For instance, that on the New York side was 1O2 by 172 feet, and was nine feet high. The roof of the caisson, or the bottom of the box, was made twenty two feet thick, of solid timber, bolted together.
 "The caisson was built on ways, launched like ship, and when lowed to the point where the pier was to be located, courses of granite blocks were laid upon the top, and by this means it was sunk until it rested on the bed of the river. Then air was forced into the chamber of the caisson by engines on the shore until the water was displaced and the river bed was left bare. This pressure was maintained day and night and workmen were employed digging out the earth from beneath the caisson. so that it should gradually and evenly descend. As the caisson settled, the masonry on it was built up, so that the top of the stone work was always above water.
 "A good foundation was not reached on the New York side until we reached depth of seventy eight feet. Of course workmen had to work in this compressed air, and the chief engineer was often with them, as he was anxious that no mistake should be made at the founda- tion of the piers. The pressure of air required to keep the water out of the caisson increased in exact proportion to the depth. When the digging was be- gun, the caisson being covered by forty I eighteen pounds to the square inch, but it reached thirty-six pounds before the close"
 "Did this pressure affect the health of others ?"
 "Very seriously. Some are to-day hopeless invslids, like the chief engi- neer. A number died, and only the most robust fully recovered. In four months there were no cases. Here is a medical definition of the disease It is an ailment depending upon increased atmospheric pressure, but always de- ve!oped after the pressure is removed. It is characterized by extreme pam in one or more of the extremities, and some times in the trunk, which may or may not be associated with epigastric pain aud vomiting. In some cases the pain is accompanied by paralysis, more or less complete, which may be general or local, but is more frequently confined to tue lower half of the body. Cerebral symptoms, such as headache and yer. tigo, are sometimes present.
 "In fatal cases the symptoms are con- nected with congestion of the brain and spinal cord, often resulting in serious ol sanguineous effusion and congestion oi most abdominal viscera. The chief en. gineer has the disease in acute form, accompanied by intense neuralgia pains, which seem as though the flesh were being torn from the bones. The pain is remittent and paroxysmal, especially il he attempts to move. In the last year or two he has been able to move al times with less pain, but he has suffered from mild paralysis, which has kept him prisoner at home. You kuow'he never saw the towers and cables until he caught sight of them from soft bed on the deck of the canal boat, upon which he was lowed on the way from his home in New Jersey when he changed his res. idence to Brooklyn.
 "With him the cerebral symptoms have not been so acute, and fortunately his brain has been clear, although he has had headache and dizziness. He knows everything that goes on about the bridge, and he takes deep interest in it. The disease has wrecked his phy sical life, and many man would have prayed for death, but his keen in tellect has found stimulant in the ex, pectation of having his name linked with the greatest suspension bridge in the world, and but for this believe he would care very little for this world.