Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-06-20
DISEASES IN TRADES.
DANGERS TO WHICH MEN ARE SUE
JEcT IN THEIR LABORS.

/
inxs-Painter's Collie and Viewers Asth-
i ms-The Hazard Of Sudden Radical
Changes Of Temperature.
Every new handicraft and trade develops
brand new disease for mankind. Not
only are workmen who labor In unhealthy
surroundings for many hours daily more
liable than other people to the ordinary dis
eases, such as consumption, but they are
particularly liable to special varieties OF
disease which occur in that trade alone,
as for example painters collie" among
lead workers, "weaver's asthma" among
those who work at spinning and weaving
cotton goods, "miner's elbow" among
men who work In mines.
Nearly all metals are poisonous II taken
into the system In any amount Arsenic
Is more dangerous than the Others, be-
cause 1t Is more easily absorbed and is
very commonly met with mixed with other
metal ores also in many paints and color
ing dyes, especially In the green colors
used SO much in wall papers, children s
toys and artificial flowers. Those who alb
sorb much Of it soon become paralyzed
and die.
Mercury is very poisonous to those who
mine it or use it in refining other metals,
and it not infrcquently affects workmen
who are employed In gliding. silvering or
bronzfng, and especially those who make
thermometers and mirrors. Mercury pol
soning has occurred in Orange N. j., in
the operators in felt hat factories. from q
certain use it has In that business. II
shows its poisonous qualities fist by it's
effect on the gums and mouth, later by 0
trembling OF the hands and general weak.
ness and extreme paleness of the skin.
All men who work with lead, especially.
with white lend paints. know perfectly
we'll that II they don't avoid absorbing the
,lead. through their skins and especially
with their food, they run great danger Of
lead or painters collie and lead paralysis.
Workers in flint glass, in glazing OF all
sorts. type founders and typesetters are
also very apt to get 1t, and even people
who habitnally drink beer that has been
drawn through or has stood in lead pipes.
But those who grind or mix paints are
most frequently poisoned by lead The
artists Raphael and Correggio are said to
have suffered from it. 1t shows itself first
In "a blue line on the gums then by severe
collie, and later by drop wrist" caused
by the paralysis Of the muscles Of the back
OF the arms.
Phosphorus workers, especially those
who manufacture matches, are liable to q
very bad form Of poisoning, which causes
the bones Of the jaw and face to decay.
The second way in which trades may be
injurious IL in the fine, iinpalpable dust
that is given off in so many different oc-
equations from grinding. polishing and
rubbing hard substances In the course OF
tholr manufacture, from raw material to
finished articles. This causes different
forms Of asthma, and especially affects the
air passages from the nose down to the
lungs.
The worst OF all is the needle grinding,
which is said to eventually kill all those
vino engage in it before they reach middle
life. Al dry grinding in making such in
str,n.onts as razors knives, scissors or
forks is especially trying. All dust from.
cotton or silk works is bad, and, unless
care Is taken by the workmen to wear
masks, seriously damages the lungs. Wood
and -four dust affects the lungs. Miners
and coal beavers breathe in enough coal
dust in n few years to color their lungs as
black as coal. All these substances harden
the lungs and later cause them to break
down IN places ana generally to DO even
tuniiy injected ny consumption.
Empioyments which expose the work
men TO great extremes OF heat or coid, such
firemen or stokers in great engines or
blast furnaces or working in cold storage
plants, have very obvious dangers, but
these can generally be avoided II the men
VIII only take proper care OF themselves
and not catch cold by sudden changes
another occupation which Is safe nnoer
proper precautions, but deadly If the men
are careless, Is the working under heavy
air pressures IN caissons In digging tun
nels or building structures under water
II the men go quickly from the caissons
into the outside air after working some
hours, they run the risk OF the caisson dis
ease, which Is n painful disease In which
the legs and arms become suddenly and
often permanently paralyzed. This may
only be avoided by resting in the interme