Mohave County miner., 1893-02-25
timers Consumption.

The necessity for a scientific and thor.
ough inswection OF mining methods, SO
far as ventilation is concerned, is forced
upon attention by the alarming prevail
ence of miners consumption. 1t is a
disease Of modern origin, and is believed
to be due TO inhaling poisonous gases,
arising from the use and com bustion OF
high explosives, IN which nitroglycerin
is the powerful constituent. NtroSlyceriu
| was discovered in 1916, and has come into
use in mining only within the past twenty
five years. Before then only black powd r.
was used. So far as We can learn from a
study OF mining records or medical ac-
counts, the disease known IA miners
consumption was unknown until very
lately. II is for this reason that it is sup.
posad to he due to the gases arising from
the use OF nitroglycerin. To determine
the truth of The claim would require "A
widely extended and well ell.directei inves.
tigation by physicians whose practice
is in mining regions. Work OF this kin
would certainly be cheerinlly a me by
physicians, If there Were some department
OF the State or Government which wonli
intelligen,ly inangnr ,te il.
II il were once determined that i il dpr
to these gases, then tn problem of betirr
mine ventilation, and the way TO secure
it, so that the disease may no longer mur.
der its hundreds OF victims, will he new
one for the tate and mine manager IT,
consider.
The disc .se is one which ia closely al
lied to ordinary consumption, and appears
to he impOS~ bl4 TO cure. So far as We
know, and 80 far az ~e can learn from
inquiry, il never attarks any hu veternn
miners, who are .'ur .lly Eh ,sa VIII have
been most and lon !e4t exposed 10 the i'm
fluences supposed 10 pr Iancn it. May q
one we all knos, frbm Gdpin, Gle ~
Greek and Boulder cylHties, has gon.
down to deuh With il. II ls, tDO, mos
deadly on the Comsto:k. Dan DeQrillr
writes MS that "almD4t every wssk frpu
one to three are b)rne ID the grave on tnr
Comstock with this disc l+e, and at the
same time reports OF the d.lth of o'hsr~
are constantly bsng received from oth'r
regions of the Psc,fi, 90 ,st to which they
have strayed after being innoculated with
the seeds Of the ds,dy disease.
"All who develop the disease die SOON
er or later, even though they leave off
minIDg in any region and take mp their
residences in ths most iAvore sAr'ipnS II
the valleys Of California. The tell dis-
ease goes with these veteran miners 90
Mexico and Prrn. b sonth Africa, Au.fEt.
liza and China, and lays IN any Of them in
foreign graves Some manage 80 get
hack to their families alive, but il il only
TO bid them an eternal farewell, close
their eyes and die.
"Ail these men who are dead and dy
ing entered the mines yonng, strong aud
the very picture OF robust health Hal
they gone to work At farming, numbering
in the mountains stockgrowing on the
plains, instead Of going into the smoky
depth Of the mines. most ii not all of
them would now ~trll he hale and strong
IL is sal TO see fh~"' men, mere wasted
skeletons, streich"l upon their beds and
diving amid whole household. Of young
children, just ~ the ag- WHEN they should
he at the priue Of H. and strength.
Death stalks rhronsh Gnt. dark chambers
Of the mines in thous nis shapes. Gen
orally his bloss are sudden and teyrbI,..
More piiable, however, seems The living
death OF the doomed man lingering dowu
to the tomb in the never.relaxed clutches
OF miners consumption "
II the State has any duty TO perform in
the way Of doing anything for miners,
would il not he well 10 out that work into
shape, and at least give III AN investiga
ton Of this subject, together with others
relating to the great industry which il so
closely related to the health. life and ma.
terial prosperity Of each and every chi
zen? Will our legislature do anything for
miners Mining industry.
The Legfsiatare.