Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-10-10
A DANGEROUS OCCUPATION.
Men Who Work With Poison Acids
Invite an Early Death.

An unhealthful occupation. and in
many instances dangerous one. is the
chemical workers calling 1t kills men
by degrees when it does not kill them
except to those who spend years in ac-
During technical educations.
NO boy Of mine could so into chem
ical factory with my consent" said Joan
Iarge. who has spent 80 years as a work
e. and foreman in different plants. and
who. by some diSpenSation of Providence.
has survived the deadly fumes and haz-
ards of burns, poiSons. and explosions
Chemical makers subject them selves to
multitude of woes. many of which are
insidious. but none the less real.
"A few drops of strong carbolic acid
viii cause death if swallowed. and to
touch it is like putting your finger
against the stove, yet the makers of the
stuff have to handle it and live in its
midst. Fluolic acid is dangerous Ia han
die. 1t is poisonous and corrosive. 1t will
eat up glass. $" powerful it is. a drop on
the skin means an ugly wound The
trouble with most acid burns is their I'M
Willingness to heal. The acid eats the
life cut of the flesh. and many injuries
of this sort are permanent.
The makers of prussic acid arc in i'm
minent danger. for n small quantity will
kill man instantly. 1t is a singular
fact that prussic acid is found in the
leaves of the cherry tree-in minute
quantities of course-and i'll almonds
Mufid'ic aclu einltS FUMES tllat are lr-
r1tatinS to the lungs of the men who
work in the midst of it, A man not ac-
customed to the vapor will come out
coughing and with red and WateIy ewes
In addition the acid burns the flesh if
by any accident it is touched
One of the most dangerous and in iu,j-
Gus If all chemicals is phosphorus and
the worker is wise who refuses to have
ANYTHING to do with it. 1t usually hap
pens. however that the men working on
mn flstrr1 si1 ..lt,.,t
tua' effects. Phosphorous causes ,crosis
when its fumes are bicathed for a con-
siderable length of tialc.
Acctic '.tid has ii peculiar effect on
TN" skin of the workman. l lave seen
men with their hands literally covered
with listers. Ii is poisonous as well. A
chemical known as bromine leaves big
yellow stains that are removed only b,-
time. Il. too. is poison.
Ammonia factories are productive of
h"hft tr"uhlcs. for the fumes keep the
hrait pumping abnormally. Corrosive
Suhilnatc. which is manufactured il,
itrsr Quantities and employs many .ncn
IN its making. has fumes that are life
destroying. Its burning qualities are we'll
known: Chloride of lime is Il .sinil:r
product. q w. M VlHl
chemical workers are paid as pom.
as any class Of labor. They are not
Skliled ""fknen. ~. 4 least, only Il few
OF them arc. Their places can lie filed
froil the ranks of the common laborer
USUALLY. for commercial chemistry * far
above them. They come and 90. and Of
ten after they have worked in a chemical
factory Lon Years they kuoN almost no.n-
ing more about the business than when
they started. II they make s. and s. a div
they have reached the limit
Al i'aSt IL years are taken from tho
average mans life by this occupation
some. IKE myself. last long time;
others go under in Il few wears /, *
largely matter of constitution and the
particular work man is called upon
to do.'-Chicaco Tribune.