New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-10-23

rS-Y sinos she ozfsson method OF ouiloins
trseEes and the shield system OF driving toHllo7
under water were discovered and the use OF OoAl
pressed air instituted the task Of the oaisSoH
worker has been very near the top OF the hsl "a
rnOat hazardous occupations Men by me So
have dropped dead few hours after leaving theiT
work with hardly a tWinge OF forewarnins pan,
and unany more have died after a lingering aIu
rsinful Illness II would be impossible 10 count
those who have suffered the toFtures OF the
hcnds"-as the caissOn disease is faniAaFly known
and escaped death by heroic treatment.
There has been unusual activity IN building nun
res ana bridges n tho vicinity Of this city in the
lasf few years Caissons have been used' TOO N
building the foundations Of new bullolh6s' 40
one knows how many worknaen' gave Up .ieI
lives IS The tunnel and bridge contractors AeeP
the deaths rs quiet as possible. and they appear
in the Health Department records as cases ~
paralysis. heart disease and hemorrhsge, II
Is difficult enough TO get men 10 UNDERTAKE me
oaisson work without advertising IT'S pseuiiai
dangers" Is the reason given for the secrecy
So heavy has been the death rate 50 great the
number q attacks IN which fatal results were
suet avoided that the attention Of medical eX-
T.erts was directed 70 the disease. Investigations
and extensive experiments We're made by DF' ) >
r Macleod. professor Of physiology at the west
ern Reserve University, Cleveland. and by Leon
ard HILL q lecturer al the London Hospital me
-ssults OF their Investigations have just been mace
public and Il appears that caisson woTk can De
made comparatively safe II the proper precautions
are followed II would follow that scores OF lives
have been ne0dlessly sacrificed and weeks OF sur
fering forced on workmen because these pTeeAu-
tions were neglected
II seems that the mysterious disease which has
90 long been neglected by PSYCHOLOGISTS s caused
By nothing but the escape OF air or gas buooleS
from the blood IN the circUlatory system When lAe
ar pressure IL reduced. The method Of prevention
Sc 90 simple that Il seems hardly possible that il
hss not been IN use for years. IL consists OF max
sng the working shift short and the process Of de-
compression passing out through the aiF !ocAS
into chambers OF normal pressure, slow ano
gradual one II the shift Is short the blood does
rot have time 10 become charged with the full
quantity Of gas which il sbsorbs under high press
ufe. II the passage from the high pressure cham
Der is slow the gas driven of By the blood Is grad
nsliy eliminated through the lungs.
Now that the cause OF the disease and the means
OF preventing II are known the responsibility
seems 10 rest on the contrac tors who employ men
for eaisson work. The Engineering News said
"a q recent editorial;
BTsysnti92 e the bends Is dgtg o %a;
si1 on az esgIg el.Esi u r,5, 'T T,,r9aT,~ Is
wei common Law. dictates that employees shall
1he use Of reasonable foresight and The adoption Of
well known methods can prevent Every air lock
through The lock at any time faster than safety
vii permit This should be adjusted from time
20 tine 20 suit the depth Of excavation and the
Sends Is detected ID Is to be taken as an indica-
uon Lhat me shiIts are too long or the TINE or
passage through the air locks too short and the
proper amendments should be immediately made.
or are crippled ~ the bends ihers is good rea
son 10 suppose that the contractor could 20
tnulcteo IN heavy damages. just II the had
suffered from some accident due 10 defective mate
nal which he had furnished. IL Is doubtful II this
responsibility could be evaded. by an employ
mem Contract absolving the employer from liability
10 damages due 70 diseases caused by the
pressed air The law does not sanction contracts
by which man forfeits mis- right to the reasonable
protection OF lie and limb. II has been held that
contracts which tended 10 make an employer care
less OF the safety Of those whom he employs
against public policy. and therefore void
Ia spite OF the dangers OF eaiEson work. not only
the danger OF sudden death but an even more fire.
quent one OF lasting disability. men have always
been found who were willing 70 take the risk The
short hours and high wages appeal 70 them The
N~-ses and hours depend the pressure at which
the men work Just as the pressure depends on the
depth Of tunnel Csisson. The normal pressure
at sea level is sixteen pounds to the square inch
On Brooklyn tunnel contract which Is now being