News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1882-10-12
A CAISSON DISEASE.
RESULTING FROM HIGH ATMOS-
PHERIC PRESSURE.
The Nature of an Engineers Suffer-
ings, and what Renders his Life
EndurabIe
From the New York SUM-

IhSs, anu "naC RenderS his Life
EndurabIe.
| [From the New York SUM-
"Wbat is Chief Engineer Roebling's
disease ?" 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 a high atmospheric pressure.
You know that these two grapite piers
rest to-day Oh wooden boxes, turned
bottom upward, called caissons. These
we're constructed with the same hori-
zontal dimensions as the towers. For
instance, that on the New York side
was 102 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 ea1sson was built on ways,
launched like ship, and when towed
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
feet of water, the pressure was about
eighteen pounds to the square inch, but
it reached thirty-six pounds Before the
close"
'Did this pressure affect the health of
others ?"
every seriously. Some are to-day
hopeless invalids, like the chief engi-
neer. A number died, and only the
most robust fully recovered. In four
months there were 10 cases. Here is
medical definition of the disease It
is an ailment depending upon increased
atmospheric pressure, but always de-
veloped after the pressure is removed.
It is characterized by extreme pain 10
one or more of the extrennities, and some
times in the trunk, which may Or may
not be associated with epigastric pain
6nd vomiting. In some cases the pain
is accompanied by paralysis, more or
less completes; which may be general
local, but is more frequently confined to
the lower half of the body. Cerebral
syn ptoms, such as headache and YER
tigo, are sometimes present.
"In fatal cases the symptoms are con-
nectcd with congestion Of the brain and
spinal cord, often resulting in serious or
effusion and congestion Of
most abdominal viscera. The chief en-
gincer has the disease in acute form,
accompanied by intense neuralgia pains,
which seem as though the flesh were
beng torn from the bones. The pain is
remittent and paroxysmal, especially if
he attempts to move. In the last year
or two he has besn able to move at
times with less pain, but he has suffered
from a mild paralysis, which has kept
him a prisoner at home. You know 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 towed on the way from his home
in New Jersey when he changed his res
idence to Brooklyn.
'tWith 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
physical 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 I believe he
would care very little for this world"