Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-07-23
ODD TYPES OF DISEASE
MALADIES THAT ARE INcrpFN-
TAI TO CERTAIN TRADES
Many Vacations Have Particular All
ments Affecting the Workers
An Experts View.
From the New York Tribune.


inherent disease or deformlty. which dis
tinguishes them from other vacations.
Painters collie may be well known. but tho
painters are not the only craftsmen who
have 10 suffer from their particular line Of
work in life. For instance. these Is the
'potter's lung" the copper workers gum"
the chimney sweeps cancer" the cotton
spinners rheumatism" the soldiers dvs-
EMERY the miners catarrh.g the sailors
tumor. the "glassmaker's thirst" the
brassworker's ague.' the "fremans apo
pleNy' the "woolsorter's Itch the farm
er's stoop." the "chambcrmaid's knee" tho
musicians liver" and the ''reporter's
paralysis. Each Of these various ailments
and affections Is well known by that par-
ucular class which falls a victim 10 ii. but
while the chimney sweep may be we'll
Eersed In the symptoms OF cancer. which
mas carried OF many Of his associates and
OF which he stands In particular dread him
sell, he VIII IN an likelihood be ignorant of
the fact that his neighhar, the copper work
err IL suffering from blood poisoning. and
has green gums.
Dangerous Diseases.
In his recent book "Danserous Disease
Thomas Oliver, who Is an English expert
on this subject, deals at length with craft
diseases" and throws considerable light on
certain modes of life and their attendant
evils 10 health, little known to the average
citizen. According to Mr.. Oliver. the farm
er' Tor example. although the typical
healthy man, after Of course, all due apollo
gles TO his aboriginc. The Man With The
Hoe is not exempt from his peculiar craft
disease or deformity. Because of his work
IN ploughing, hoCiug and spadiug th. farm
or Is likely ID become stoop-shouldercd and
hence has arisen the name of The farmers
StOOp."
Likewise the chambermaid. although pro
verbally living on the fat of the kitchen
through her diplomatic relations with the
cook, and although her digestive system
may fully appreciate the honors paid il
nevertheless has her own particular IN. Be
cause of being compelled at times despite
the loss in dignity. 10 get down and scrub
she contracts what is termed a CHAMBER
maid knee, which gives certain clumSi-
ness 10 her gait, and which. notwitLstaud-
ing her efforts on Sunday to outdr,sS her
mistress. is bound to undeceive the public.
Cirrhosis of the Lung.
The potter. according TO Nj. oliver and
many other authors which he quotes. is
regarded as perhaps the most unfortunate
of craftsmen. for the reason that the NOR
tally is higher than in any Other trade
Among potters the disease to which he
falls victim is commonly known a. the
potter lung The disease Is caused by
lnhallnS quantities Of dust, which sur
rounds the workman constantly. This dust
Is made up of finely pulverized particles Of
clay, which. on settling in the fine MEM
branes of the lungs. harden them and turns
them as II were into earth. What l. thus
termed ''potter'S lung among the p5ttrrs
themselves, Is designated cirrhosis OF the
lung by physicians.
The temaker is also victim to lung dis
ease, but the ''iilsmaker's lung is not the
same as the ''pottcr's lung" Instead OF
being filled with clay 1t Is inhamei By mi
mute particles Of steel and iron The effect
upon his nerves Is peculiar symptom Of
the MI makers lung" and the nlemak-
ers are said to be peculiarly given to sui
eide.
Glassmakers are sad to he given 20 alco-
holiC excuses. The explanation is that the
glassmaker is subject TO great heat and
profuae sweating. which eugenders a raging
thirst. Consumption and kindred diseases
of the respiratory system are said 10 be
especially fatal t. Workmen in this indus
try. and they suffer more severely than
other workmen from diseases Of The cir
culatory, digestive and urinary systems.
as well as from cancer.
Workers in Copper.
The worker in copper IS easily distin-
guishable from the peculiar discOloratiun
of his hair and greenish gums. Other symp-
toms of poisoning are those Of collie. voa-
iting and pureing. with extreme prostrI-
ton. Copper workers" says Mr.. Oliver.
die much more rapidly than other opera
ives from diseases OF the ClrfNiItpFN ana
digestive organs, and their mortality from
al these forms Of disease is greatly In eN-
cess of the average among workers in mot
ais generally"
The steel worker is exposed to great OK
tremes Of heat and cold. and to other dan
gers to health. but he is as a general
thing, powerful and sturdy. The eXplana-
ton of this fact is that only an especially
strong man can stand the work. and only
the more vigorous survive. Nevertheless
the rate of mortality among these work
men is 81 per cent higher than the rates #
other metal workers.
Zinc workers are addicted to a certain
form of nervous disability. caused 10y IN
haling the fumes Of sal-ammoniac. which IS
used in the process OF gaiVanizing sheet
iron. Zinc workers dis twice as fast from
consumption and respiratory diseases as
the average
Lead Poisoning.
The high mortality Of lead workers IS due
naturally to working in this poisonous met
al; the workers of many other metals also
come in contact with it. OF the total
deaths among lead workers, however, Mr..
Oliver says that one-third are from pull
monary diseases and one-eighth from lead
poisoning showing that after all the lungs
suffer more than the circulatory system.
Brass founders ague' is said To be
caused by inhaling oxide of zinc Ii IS
shown that workers who deal with the
molten metal-the founders, mixers and
casterS-are those especially liable to this
disease Brass workers" says Mr.. Oliver,
"are. like copper workers, pallid. ill-nOur-
ished and unhealthy looking. They suffer
from anaemia dyspepsia, constipation,
collie and other digestive troubles"
Gunsmiths. according to Mr.. Oliver dc
from two 10 three times faster from alco-
hOlism than other workers in metal. CHM
ney sweeps are especially Audited to cancer.
and their mortality from suicide is said 10
be nearly double the average. Cotton spin
pers. because of the operation of sizing.
to the weaving OF the fabric.
get respiratory diseases, for the dry sizing.
which is made of flour or far!na, enters the
lungs in small particles. Cotton spinners
are also subject to acute rheumatism. Wool
workers suffer less severely, except those
who handle bloodstained woods. and who
are frequently the victims of anthrax, or
wool sorters' itch"
Pen Paralysis.
The fireman. because of being subject to
great heat especially if he be employed as
a stoker in a steamship, often dies from
bursting of a blood vessel in the head, or
what is commonly termed fireman's apo
pleXy.
Writers, reporters and bookkeepcrs used
to he stricken down after years a. long