The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-11-21
THE MINERS DISEASES.
The Hardships Of the Work Underground
Are Gone Into To-day.

The HardshIps Of the Work Underground
Are Gone Into To-day.
Scranton, Pa, Nov. 21.-The examine :
ton Of DR.. r. H. Gibbons of Scranton
was Immediately resumed when the an
thracite strike commission met to-day.
He said that the occupation of mining
subjects man to pleurisy, govt, neural
gia, asthma, bronchitis, sciatica and other
diseases He believed the day would
come when men will be subjected to med
ical examination before they undertake
mining. Children, he said, who have suf-
fered from any form of disease of the
respiratory passages, bronchitis or pneu-
monia, should never be permitted in the
mines under the age Of Is years because
they should have a chance to eliminate
the predisposing factor In the case Of So
called miners asthma.
DR.. Gibbons then described the surface
indications of miners asthma, his testi-
mony. in this respect not differing essen
TALLY from that given by other expert wit
nesses.
On further examination DR.. Gibbons
said he did not mean to be understood
as saying that miners form an unhealthy
class but that they are debilitated and
run down. He spoke Of the necessity for
improved ambulance service at the differ
ent cOllieries.
Vehicles of Disease
The witness was cross-examined by
James H. Torrey for the Delaware &.
Hudson company. In reply to a question,
DR.. Gibbons said he did not believe there
was an ambulance in the entire coal re-
gions that had a sterile blanket or that
the vehicles were sterile. - -.
| I'm fact said the doctor, "they are a
bunch of infection. Every ambulance
carries death and disease. to every UNI
fortunate miner who is placed in it, S.
7 DR.. Gibbons was followed by DR.. Eugene
J. Butler, a member Of the central poor
board Of Luzerne county, who testified
that 70 per cent Of those in one of the
poor houses Of Luzerne county were min
ers and that 40 per cent were crippled by
accidents in and about the mines. MANY
of these, he said, had become insane
through worry over their affliction. A
man who works a few years as miner,
he declared, is not fit for anything else.
A. H. McClintock, representing the Le-
high & Wilkesbarre Coal company, cross
examined the witness and asked If it was
not true that a large number Of the pro-
fessional men and merchants in Wilkes
barre were men whose fathers and grand
fathers had been employed in the mines.
Wise Forefathers
IF that is so,'' the witness replied, .::the
| fathers and grandfathers were the wise
fellows who got out in time. They were
| not men who worked for twenty or TWEEN
| ty-f1ve years in the mines.''
| DR.. Butler was excused and the Rev.
| DR.. Roberts was called to the stand his
| examination being conducted by Mr.. OAR
| row for the mine workers. He reiterated
his belief expressed in his book that all
! intelligent and persistent combination
among miners for the maintenance Of
prices and rates of wages would secure a.
| just share Of the profits for the workers.
"AnthracIte Syndicate"
In answer to Commissioner Clark, Dr.
Roberts defined the use Of the words "an-
| thracite syndicate' in his book by saying
he had reached the conclusion that there
was an understanding among the opera
tors to adjust the prices and regulate the
trade. This conclusion he had reached
from personal investigation.
In view Of the last stril1e,' Mr.. OAR
row asked, "and everything that has &C.
CURED since, have your Views as to the
desirability Of collective bargaining In the
| anthracite regions been modified or
| strengthened, or have they changed at
| an?" -.
strengthened, decidedly the witness
| replied
"A State of War.
| After reading extracts from an article
| In a magazine supposed to have been writ
! ten by DR.. Roberts, Mr.. Darrow asked
what was the temper Of both parties dur
ing the five months Of the strike. The
witness replied that it was a condition of