The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1893-09-15
DEATH. AMONG THE flREmsN.
About 40 Per Cent. Die OF Respiratory
D'senses-The Effect of Consumption.

About 40 Per Cent. Die OF Respiratory
Dseases--The Effect Of Consumption.
DIR. Mays of this city has recently been
conducting Investigations for the pur.
pose of determining what proportion OF
death among the iiremen are due to con-
sumption of the lungs. The results APP
pear In the Philadelphia Medical and
Surgical Reporter, and they reveal the
TACT 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, 81
by other disease of the lungs, l22 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 iireman'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 IL 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 firemen are picked
men, and subject to rigid physical exam
nations when they enter upon their du-
ties, they may be considered an I'M
usually healthy class when they JON
their department, and singularly free
from even the tendencies to coItaump-
t on. Now, the generally accepted
theory as to the causation IF this disease
is that it is conveyed from one person 20
another; in other words, that it is co :
tagious, and of germ origin.
DR.. Mays emphasizes tue fact he , fir =
men, of all men, are the least liable tu
contract con .umption by contagion,
nee, he believes that he results OF Lis
Investigations among this class o. n n
goes long way to prove that consun j.
tion cannot possibly be dependent upon
single specific cause. He says that he
who carefully watches the diffe. ent steps
in its development must feel that il
arises only when and where the bodily
energies are Slapped and exhausted, re
CARELESS of the abs rnce or pres ence OF
exposure to a specific germ. Hence, any
cause which is capable of d stroying the
| vigor and vital ty of the b " is IA so g
| potential cause Of pulmol ~ consunr
| ton
50 far as he is able to il se there 4
| no Glass of M i wao are r1Ure open tC
enervatng and depressing physical in
huences, or wac suffar greater depriya
lions of rest and sleep than the fremer
of large cities. Liable to be called out
at any time, their life is, in gr AT par
one of perpetual excitement The sud
don transition fro 1 Il W trm room tt
active duty on cold winters night
imetines the urg ucy eng so grea
that they are comp, led to finish the
toilet en- route to fire; tie daring, tbs
excessive and almost supt hum IN exer
ton demanded in battl ng with tn
flames; the extreme oscillations of ten
perature to which their be les are su'
iected, bathed in erspir ton at on
moment and drencnNd and chill d by al
icy strenm o. water the ne t; til neees
sity during emargen les of wearing ant
even sleeping III wet cloth ng fl 1m on
ire to another, are burdens which N
human coDsth ltion can long success
fully withstand, and are unquestion
ably some of tie most pro ninent cause
which undermine e he 9TH of thes
self-sacriticing men and make them S
WI nerablc to the disease under consid
Grafton. Philadelphia P.ess.