The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1909-07-28
DISEASES PECULIAR TO
WORKERS UNDERGROUND.

Great advance has been made DUR
ing the last 10 years in the science
of class diseases. Almost every call
ing has some disease as a result of
careless methods, of hadnling oneself
in the vicinity of latent danger.
The miner has added to the danger
of his getting hurt or killed by ac-
cident,, a number of special diseases
caused by his peculiar environments.
First among these is miners con-
| sumption, or phthisis. 1t is con-
tracted through. breathing in an
atmosphere impregnated with dust
particles. is of slightly different
from ordinary phthisis, or consump-
ton, where the victims lungs grad
ually consolidate, break off, and the
pieces coughed up. Instead of this
! wasting away, the miners variety
consists in the different sacs being
filled with dust, and thus sealed
against their proper function. The
lungs gradually change color, and a
fber-like tissue, caused by dust in
halation, forms and spreads over the
porous material This causes diff
| icult breathing, the patient coughing
frequently and taking in breath with
a wheeling sound. f
The most common symptom of this,
! disease is known as the barrel cnest,
from the form the chest assumes.
This is no doubt caused by the air
vessels collapsing into each other.
OF course this diminishes the total
amount of air space and tissue
volume, and SO alters the normal
shape of the chest. - {
Another symptom, if noticed taking
place constantly, is the voiding of
black saliva on expectoration. 1t must
be said that a coal miner has a
great deal better chance of escaping
this disease than has the metal min
err. The latter is exposed to a far
greater danger in that metal par
ticles have a greater tearing power
to exert on the soft tissues of the
lungs, while the coal dust is Otter
dissolved or blown out again.
The technical medical name for a
disease contracted through the
breathing of coal dust Is known as
anthracosis, a subhead of phthisis.
When metal, causes the disease II
is known under the name of tilicosis.
Death is the almost immediate result
of any form of this disease. On &C
count of this every percaution should
be taken for it's prevention. A great
deal of dust is formed in both coal
and metal mines by drilling. The
only way to settle this dust is
frequent sprinkling. All the road
ways should be sprinkleu as Otter as
necessary to do this, and the fire.
uuency should be determined by ex-
pertinent as some of the mines are
damper than others.
For the man in charge of the driAi,
a form of spray should be provided
to keep down ,ne dust at the rock
face. But the safest and most Ell
icient OF all is a good respirator.
There are several good ones now on
the market and by their use work
ing underground is rendered almost
as safe and pleasant as working any
where else. A good respirator should
be large enough to allow of breath
ing without any extra effort, while
at the same time not being too large
for convenience and handling. 1t
should sift perfectly the air enter
ing from all dust and foreign ma
terials. 1t should not be too heavy
for the parts intended to support 1t.
Another miners disease is known
as anaemia, or ankylostomiasis. This
is caused through a species of PARASITE
in the form of a worm, getting into
the ~intestines. 1t is very infectious
and a few years ago hundreds OF
miners in England contracted the dis
ease. 1t can be carried by almost
anything. 1t is usually contracted
by the person coming into contact
with the eggs of the worm by eating
food with dirty hands, or drinklne
water contaminated by a perylous
hand washing of someone else else.
II may also be contracted by com
ing into contact with the excreta oil
persons suffering from the disease.
The growth OF the parasite Is greatly
favored and increased by a warm
and moist atmosphere. Therefore
for the proper care OF persons IN
this condition, and for a rapid way
to stamp out the malady, a dry and
cool atmosphere should be main
tanned. or course for the prevention
of this disease as we'll as others, eacn
miner. should be subject to periodical
medical examinations. Also proper
sanitary closets, and other AIDS 10
health and decency, should be main
tanned by the management. Also to
any worker that habitually refused