Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1890-11-01
DEATH AMONG THE FIREMEN.
About Forty Per Cent. Die of Respi.
ratory Diseases-The Effect OF Con-
sumption.

ratory Diseases-The Enect of Con-
sumption.
IFrom the Philadelphia Press.l
DIR. Mays, of this city, has recently been
conducting investigations for the purpose
of determining what proportion of deaths
among fremen are due to consumption of
the lungs. The results appear in the Phil
adelphia Medical and Surgical Reporter,
and they reveal the fact that this class of
men are singularly prone to fall victims to
that gravest of maladies.
: He sent out circular to each of the
fire departments of the principal Ameri-
can cities, and the returns showed that
during given period there had been four
hundred and thirty four deaths from all
causes, one hundred and forty-four of
those deaths being caused by consump-
ton, thirty-eight by other diseases of the
lungs, one hundred and twenty-five by
other diseases than consumption and those
of the lungs, and one hundred and thirty
by accident.
According to this showing very nearly
one-third of those who died had consump
ton, and larger number died from that
disease than in consequence of accidents,
not withstanding the hazardous nature of
q.
does not give a true idea of the freman's
liability to pulmonary diseases; nor, per-
haps, Of his whole liability to consump-
ton, for it it quite certain that this dis
ease makes a frequent beginning in pneu-
monia or bronchitis among these men.
The total number of deaths from pneu-
monia were thirty but there is a
good reason for believing that at least
some of these were due to consumption.
From an inquiry into the length of sick
ness of those who are reported as having
died from pneumonia in the Philadelphia
department, probably none died from
acute pneumonia. But even if this suspi-
cion is not well founded, in any case it
still retains fact that forty per cent. of
the causes of death to which the fireman
is liable come through respiratory diseases.
Considering that fremen are picked
mon, and subject to rigid physical exami-
nations when they enter upon their duties,
they may be considered an unusually
healthy class when they join their depart
ment, and singularly free from even the
tendencies to consumption. Now the gem
orally accepted theory as to the causation
of this disease is that it is conveyed from
one person to another; in other words,
that it is contagious, and of germ origin.
DR.. Mays emphasizes the fact that fire.
men, of all men, are the least liable to
contract consumption by contagion, hence
he believes that the results Of his investi-
cations among this class of men goes
long way to prove that consumption cam
not possibly be dependent upon single
specific cause. He says that he who care
fully watches the different steps in it's de-
velopmsnt must feel that it arises only
when and whore the bodily energies are
slapped and exhausted, regardless of the
absence or presence of exposure to spe-
ciac germ. Hence, any cause which is ca
pable Of destroying the vigor and vitality
Of the body is also potential cause OF
pulmonary consumption.
So far as he is able to Judge, there Is no
class Of men who are more open to ener-
waiting and depressing physical influences,
or who suffer greater deprivations OF rest
and sleep than the hremen Of large cities.
Liable to be called out at any time, their
life is, in greater part, one Of perpetual
excitement. The sudden transition from
warm room to active duty on cold
winters night--somstimes the urgency
being 70 great that they are compelled to
AAish thias tetlst u Fcuts 70 4 Axe, the