The Grenada gazette. (Grenada, Miss.) 1885-18??, 1886-10-23
VEXED WITH DISEASE.
unhealthful Occupations Of Arti-
sans and Laborers.
Diseases That Arc In~sepsrable from Ger
tain E~mpiOyments The Inhalation OF
Poisonous Fames-TrOubles Of Metal
Workers., MirrOr-Makers, Etc.

The working.man or woman is cx,
posed to various causes of disease C
which the salesman, student or pro.
fessional worker is not. The effects OF
improper food, too little sleep, poor
drainage and bad ventilation are felt
by all; but the conditions under which
the artisan labors, the strain upon GER
tain parts of his body, and contact
with materials that produce changes
because of their mechanical or chemi-
cal properties endow some occupations
with disease-producing powers quite
different from those met with in other
industrial employments.
Thus. there are many trades in
which the workman is exposed to the
inhalations Of dangerous materials.
These may act as ~irritants to the deli
cate lining of the nose, throat and
lungs, causing disease if the breathing
of such matters be continued long. or
there may be gases given of which,
when brcathed, are absorbed and poi
son the entire system. Goldsmiths,
silversmiths and jewellers are exposed
TO various kinds Of irritating vapors.
Articles made Of brass, copper Or Ger
man silver are prepared for gliding by
being dipped into nitric acid. A gas
called hyponitric acid is given off in
this process that is capable of causing
death when inhaled nearly pure,
and produces dangerous effects upon
the lungs, even when largely diluted
with plenty Of fresh air, when it is
breatl,cd for a long time. The shop
sweepings are gathered and burned,
then treated with mercury 10 save the
gold that is always contained in them;
the mercury is then driven off by heat.
If this is not done in the open air the
workmen are exposed to the fumes of
mercury, which may produce the most
distressing results. The contact OF the
acids with the skin is impossible to
wholly avoid, and they produce obsti-
nate eruptions upon the palms and
backs Of the fingers. The gases given
OIL during the process of electroplating
are nearly as bad for the health when
breathed as those developed in the
"wet processes" The confinement in
a vitiated atmosphere helps to develop
consumption of the lungs, and more
than half the deaths among such art
lsans are recorded as due to this dread
disease. Electrotypers are exposed
TO these same dangers.
Etching is done on metal or glass
II OH copper, the etchcr runs the same
risks as the goldsmith; if upon glass, a
still more poisonous and irritating ma
teriai, hydroauoric acid, is used that
produces painful alterations upon the
hands, and, when its vapors are
oreathed, causes intense catarrh Of the
nose, eyes, throat and lungs. These
effects from inhalation Of irritating
gases may be prevented by great at
'ent'on to securing perfect ventilation,
and the workmen should wear gloves
70 protect the hands from contact with
the acids. Happily, etching from glass
mas lately been, to a large extent, ST.
persedod by the sand-blast.
oioth-bleachers arc exposed to the
tunes Of chlorine, which. when
"reathed in large quantities, destroy
~ae sense Of smell and cause h%oarseness
sno bronchitis. One part of chlorine
~ with five Of pure air, produce
bronchitis, pneumonia, and choking In
su'lnals, and would cause similar ef-
0a when brcathod by man. Straw
10y makers breathe the fumes Of burn
~ sulphur (~sulphdrous acid and gss)'
wash act like those Of chlorine. Work