The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-07-26

most attention in yesterdays sessions
of the Rocky Mountain Medical asso-
citation was read by DR.. w. W. Belts.
1t was entitled, "Chalicosis Pulmona
of Chronic Interstitial Pneumonia, as
Induced by the Dust of the De Lamar
Mill" DR.. Belts has made a close
study of his subject and his record of
the fearful mortality caused by the De
Lamar dust caused a wave of horror
in the association, although its MEM
bers are accustomed to gruesome sights
and details.
When the reading Of the paper was
finished, a most animated discussion
began, and the doctors didn't mince
matters a little bit. One even went so
far as to advocate a hemp necktie for
the mill owners, and others were al
most as vigorous in their cOndemna-
ton DR.. Belts paper was, in part, as
follows:
DR.. Belts Paper.
From the title of this paper as an
nounced it might be inferred that the
society would get an essay on fibroid
phthisis, but I will not bore you with
anything of the kind. l assume that
all intelligent physicians are familiar
with it's causes and general pathology.
Neither is there anything new or
strange in the disease known TO the
people of Nevada and southern Utah as
the De Lamar.
What 1 desire is 10 report the eX-
perience of some of my friends and
my personal observation, and call your
attention to the terrible mortality of
the lung trouble induced by the dust
of the De Lamar mill. Whether we
call the cases fibroid phthisis, chronic
interstitial pneumonia, stone cutters
phthlSlS, miners consumption, anthra-
COSTS, siderosis or chalicosis depends
upon the character and amount of for
elSn matter, or classify them under
the generic name of pnuemonokoniosis
makes but little difference All convey
to our minds a pathological process,
the exact nature of which depends
largely upon the stage in which the
case is found by the pathologist and
its clinical history. Authors agree,
however, in the dust causation, and in
the cases under considers ton the for
eign matter is excessive.
AT the De Lamar mill the ores
which the gold-bearing quartzite are
crushed, dried and ground to q fine
powder in what is known as the Crit
I'm NIL, conveyed to bins, and thence
through chuteS to cars which are
wheeled to the tanks. In and about
the mill the air is filed with an in
palpable dust, and in portions of the
mill so dense that one cannot be recog-
nlZed few feet away, and an electric
light IS in evidence by a spark The
mil has been IN operation since 1894
employing about fifty men, the capaci-
ty being increased from time to time
until now about seventy-fiVe men are
employed. It is stated that all the
men who worked in the mill from seven
TO nine months previous to January.
1898, are dead. a careful review of
the cases TO March l gives 166 deaths.
Since then to my personal knowledge
three have died in st. George. a later
statement By gentleman who has the
disease himself, and the editor of a
Nevada paper puts it at 200.
DR.. Mayo. who was the company's
physician from January, 1895, to a few
months ago, and to whom I am in
debted for much valuable information.
states that only thirty-four have come
TO his notice. This, 1 am sure, is too
low, and while 200 may be high. 1 be-
heVe loo nearer correct, as almost
every town in Nevada and southern
Utah has its victim, for it is a fact
that neither the company nor the
men recognized their danger until the
deaths began to occur. Ny attention
was directed to these facts while at
St George, as quite number of the
younger men We're employed in the De
Lamar mill, eleven of whom have died
within the past year. a number of
others are suffering from the disease. !
After interviewing the attending phv-
sicians and the unfortunate families I
nave been able to gather much of in
terest concerning the case
Number In Hospitals.
Il find upon further interviewing my
professional friends, that a number
have been treated here and died in the
hospitals of this city. 4 great many
OF the men were from adjoining states !
ana the far east. Many would return |
to their distant homes as soon as they
We're broken in health, and il is difficult |
TO keep track Of them, though many |
have died and others must, as the dis |
ease involves LESSONS which do not adj |
init Of recovery, and sooner or later |
proves fatal. DR.. Ewing received a let |
ter from a former patient of his from /
OHIO short time ago. stating his pres |
ent unfaVorahle condition. / have ex-
amined a number of cases in various !
stages OF the disease, and some of them !
might come under the chronic form. as !
they are able to get around and occa- |
sionally do some light work, though
they were obliged TO leave the mill
months ago.
a few days ago I examined a case
in this city who was for tWenty-seVen
months foreman of carpenters, and for
weeks and months at time was inhal-
ing the dust He worked however
eighteen months before suffering any
Inconvenience, though the pathological
process had undoubtedly been estab-
lished for some time. He first noticed
shOrtness Of breath, los 500 appetite.
fatigue on slight exertion and enact
alton. The cough and expectoration
VAS slight for months. He has now
been in the city for about a year. The
pathological process continues and his
do not improve, though from I
present indications he is liable 20 live
a long time. His clinical history and
physical examination reveals a condi-
ton typical Of hbroid phthisis. and in
marked contrast to the poor fellows who
after three months exposure died
within a year. Thus we have all
grades, az will be shown later depend
ing upon the general constitution and
natural resisting power Of the men.
Also largely on the amount of foreign
matter inhaled The mucous and the
9lveolar cells are the normal respirato-
~ scayengers of the lung and are ca
oable of protecting the organ in a
measure, but when the dust is excess
i've the scavengers are over-workei
and broken down, so to speak, leaving
The lungs exposed to just what occurs
in these cases.
Begins With Bronchitis.
every man who works in The mill
from two TO three weeks is subject to
attacks of acute bronchitis, which is
Tue not only to the irritating effects
IF the dust, but to their apparent in
ability to resist slight exposure. The
mucous membranes OF the nose, throat
md conillnctiVa are all subiopt 70 ac,+a |