New-York tribune., 1910-08-21
NOW IT'S THE AUTO FACE
Motor Drivers EtCh New Lines of
Trouble by Speed Dashes.
DOCTORS ESTIMATE OF ILLS
Finds Injuries Parallel Those
Suffered by Persons Who
Braved Blizzard of 'S8,

| Inc Ills experienced by excessive bicycle
riding and racing used to result in the
| bicycle heart" according to the authori-
ties OF that long past era when bicycles
were as thick rs firefies on a summer
evening. Now, it seems. the physical
troubles of the rabid motorist are to be
! typified in the automobile face" There
| may even be some unfortunates still out
side Of hospitals who in bygone days ac-
quired bicycle heart and have now
added an automobile face 10 their per-
sonal collection.
In both bicycle riding and automobiing.
doctors agree. it is the respiratory organs
which suffer first when either sport is in
dulged in to excess. But in bicycle racing
the great exertion Of the rider while in a
cramped position finally affected his heart,
while with the motorist the lack of exer-
ton coupled with the greater air pressure
and other elements etches his troubles in
new facial lines.
In the current issue of The Medical
Record DR.. D. Bryson Delavan, of this
city. discusses the danger from the prevail
ence Of automobiles to the health both of
motorists and pedestrians and he divides
the factors that may work injury into two
groups: First. the air itself in its va
rious phases, and, second, the impurities In
the air. The first includes temperature,
air currents and air pressure; the second
dust and smoke.
Ills Due to Air Pressure.
A chill is put down as the primary re-
suit OF unwise exposure to sudden changes
Of temperature or to air currents. both of
which the motorist finds it difficult to
avoid. But chills may be picked up in other
of "a
causes. while the increased air pressure
due to speeding and its attendant Ills are
more peculiar to motoring. DR.. Delavan
says:
Increased atmospheric pressure especial
ly when combined with cold must of ne
cessity exert important influences upon the
respiratory region. from the nasal cavi
ties and their communicating passages to
the ultimate vesicles of the lungs. Exam
pies of this are common.
Thus. during the height Of the great bltz-
zard of 1885, many persons attempted to
walk from their places of business to their
homes, facing the storm. The number OF
those whose air passages suffered injury
was incredible. while the variety of affec-
tons included fair proportion of the IN
famEat tory conditions possible to the ears,
nasal region, pharynx, larynx, trachea,
bronchi ard lungs. Deaths were numerous,
while there are many patients suffering
from chronic disorders to-day who date the
origin of their troubles to that or similar
experience.
Moderate Speed Beneficial.
The physician says that a speed of thirty
miles an hour represents stiff breeze and
,ne of sixty miles a gale, and In computing
i,
necessary to add to the speed of the auto
mobile the speed also Of the wind which
t may be butting into At thirty miles an
hour, he says. the increased pressure
amounts to two and one-half pounds a
square foot but at sixty miles an hour it
caches thirteen pounds and at ninety miles
wenty-nine pounds At speeds below |
wenty miles the increased pressure Is con- |
ihered negligible in It's effects, even |
beneficial.
While there may be some conditions of |
he lungs continues DR.. Delavan in |
which exposure to a moderate increase Of |
Lir pressure for limited amount of time |
would be beneficial there must be many |
ases in which great increase of pressure, |
II pressure long continued. would result in |
injury even to a healthy lung
The pedestrian as well as the motorist |
s put down as the sufferer from the dust
nd smoke kicked up by the ever present !
automobile DR.. Delavan says he has not
et found any adequate protectors against
hese irritating impurities, although he
onsiders the injury to health from them
bvious When their presence is added to
he increased air pressure in the case of
he motorist he thinks it is not hard to
ccount for the development of the auto
aobile face" one of the principle charac
eristics of which, he points out, is the
pen mouth, suggestive of mouth breath