The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1891-01-22
pEATH,AMoNo THE FlREMEN,
About 20 Per Cent. Die Of Respiratory
Dlsenses-Ths Effect Of Consumption.

Dsenses-Nhe huect VI Sohs"ihptton.
DR.. Mays Of this city has recently been
conducting Investigations for the pur-
pose OF determining what proportion Of
death among the firemen are due to con-
sumption of the lungs. The results ap-
pear In the Philadelphia 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 Amer
lean cities, and the returns showed that
during given period there had been 4A
deaths from all causes, IA Of these
deaths being caused by consumption, 50
by other disease Of the lungs. 122 by
other disease than consumption and
those OF the lungs, and 100 by accident.
According to this showing very near
one-third Of those who died had con.
sumption. and a larger number died from
that disease than In consequence ofacci-
dents, notwithstanding the hazardous
nature Of their calling. But this, says
the doctor, does not give true idea Of
the fireman's liability to pulmonary dis
eases; nor. perhaps, Of his whole liabil-
ity to consumption, for 1t is quiet GER
tain that this disease makes frequent
beginning In pneumonia or bronchitis
among these men.
The total number OF deaths from pneu-
monia were thirty-eight. 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 II this sus-
picion Is not well founded, In any case 1t
still remains fact that forty per cent.
Of the causes of death to which the fir =
man Is liable come through respirato. y
diseases.
Considering that flremen are picked
men, and subject to rigid physical exam
nations when they enter upon their du-
ties, they may be considered an un-
usually healthy class when they join
their department, and singularly free
from even the tendencies to consump-
on. Now, the generally accepted
theory as to the causation Of this disease
is that it is conveyed from one person .
another; In other words, that it Is CO :
tagious. and Of germ origin.
DR.. Mays emphasizes the fact that fir A.
men, Of all men, are the least liable to
contract con sumption by contagion,
| hence, he believes that the results of his
| Investigations among this class OF m 4
goes long way to prove that consunI !,
| ton cannot possibly be dependent upor
single specific cause. He says that he
| who carefully watches the different steps
in its development must feel that II
arises only when and where the bodily
energies are sapped and exhausted, re
CARELESS Of the abs ,nce or pres ence o.
exposure to specific germ. Hence. ANY
cause which Is capable of destroying the
vigor and vitality Of the b"dy is also {
| potential cause Of pulmonary consump
tion.
So far as he is able to Judge there |,
no class of men who are more open tt
enervating and depressing physical in
fiuences, or who suffer greater depriva
lions Of rest and sleep than the fireme,
of large cities. Liable to be called gu
at any time, their life is, in or at part
one Of perpetual excitement. The sud
den transition fro warm room t,
active duty on cold winters night
sometimes the urg' ncy being so grea
that they are compc lied to finish thei
toilet en- route to fire; the daring, tn,
excessive and almost supc chumAn exer
ton demanded in battling with tn
flames; the extreme oscillations Of ten
perature to which their DO lies are sui
jected, bathed in rerspirntion at on
moment and drenched and chill by q
icy stream Of water the ne. t; tn neces
sity during emergen les Of wearing an
even sleeping in wet clothing fl om on
re to another, are burdens which N
human constitution can long success
fully Withstand, and are unquestioI
ably some of the most pro ninent cause
which undermine health Of thes
self-sacriflcing men and make them 8
vulnerable to the disease under consiC
eration.-Philadelp Press.