The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-03-02
THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE SUNDAY MORNING. MARCH g. 1913.

since in fog strata there is almost no
verticle component Of air motion, these
heavier particles OF sulphuric acid
flowing leisurely along horizontally
with the fog, partially disguised usual
ly, as smoke particle with "jag"
on, arc the specks Of poison that come
most frequently in contact with our
property.
Smokes Effect on Health.
While disease and discomfort in the
human body are about as elusive as
anything imaginable that we have to
deal with, physicians as rule are
frank to admit that there is some pow
erful poison in city smokes or fogs
some stating without reserve that the
poison is the sulphuric acid, If ita
identity may be traced by it's results,
1t is said to cause an intense smart,
ing Of the eyes In some people upon
emerging suddenly into n well-laden
stratum of snlphuric acid-carrying air;
persons troubled with nasal catarrh
complain that during "clammy, fog.
gy weather, their mucous membranes
often become intensely irritatcd and
while this is often said to be the re-
suit of the sudden change in humidity,
there appears good reason to believe
that if the snlphuric acid particles
in the air will eat galvanized wire
fencing in two, the small amount OF
1T coming in contact with the nose
membranes might also make itself
known there.
But we breathe down into our
lungs and the poisNI passing the nose
must finally reach the lungs. and of
course gets in its work on every sur
face. Many folks complain Of irri-
tating coughs in foggy weather, and
usually attribute it to the "dust" in
the air, though these same persons do
not cough when carrying coal or cut
ting kindling, or autolng along dusty
roads. The real trouble would seem
to be in the irritating sulphurlc acid,
Again to quote Mr.. Il, NJ Wilson
from the Iron Age magazine, "One of
the principal ingredients of smoke is
sulphuric- acid, and every dwellcr in q
smoke laden community must each mo"
mcnt take into his lungs this powerful
poison. He quotes eminent physi-
clans of Europe and America as say,
ing, HThe death rate from all lung
diseases is largely increased and tubcr-
culosis gets in its deadly work in half
It's usual time. " Now if these terri
BILE things are true in average cities
how much more potent must be the sui
Phurlc acid in such quantities as exist
In Salt Lake City,
Must this become r city from which
fresh air excursions will be made out
into the uncontaminated mountain air
to rest, refresh and rejuvenate child
lungs and eyes, and city to be avoid
ed by every person of whatever age
who appears to be troubled by the
smoke Of other cities7
This same government official, Mr..
Wilson, also quotes the city park COM
missioner of St, Louis as saving that
his shade trees, both the evergreens
and the hardwoods, were being suffo-
Gated at the rate of 5 per cont a
year; saying that all the older trees
would be gone within twenty years
because of the dearth OF sunshine
and tho caustic action Of the sulphuric
acid
And it is well-known fact that
outdoor flowers in Salt Lake City are
not only often imperfect, but dwarfed
because of the poisonous ingredients
from the air; and the leaves of all
trees are more or less scared by the
sulphuric acid, especially in late sum-
mer, after several weeks of quiet fair
weather, when the sulpburic acid is
permitted to accumulate on the moist
leaf and plant surface; thus it is
manufactured upon tho spot where its
subsequent destruction takes place.
Costs Salt Lake 100000 a Year.
Or the many ways in which finan-