The Detroit times., 1916-08-31
American Chemical So
ciety To Discuss 1t
In Boston
DUST BOOSTS
DEATH RATE
This and Other Odd
Causes of Diseases
Up For Study

At the meeting of the American
Chemical society in New York, Sept.
rs TO 80. there will be conducted a
symposium OF occupational dis.
eases, presided over by Prof.
Charles Baskerville, head OF the de-
partment OF chemistry of the Col.
lege of the City of New York.
The subject is interesting and i'm
portant as well as full OF surprises
Housemaid's knee. for instance,
which for many years has served as
a subject for humorous comment,
proves to be frequent malady OF
miners. The statisticisn is abroad
in this and other lands and he
brings the information that trades
carried on in the presence of much
dust, show high death rate from
diseases OF the lungs Then comes
the biologist who explains that dust
IL not only minute particles. but that
the particles are usually surrounded
by watery envelope, and that cling
ing TO this flament there may be
heterogeneous.
The medical authorities abroad
declare that SCOT is a serious irritant
and that chimney.sweeps are espe-
cially subject to cancer because OF
H. Saving certain kinds OF wood
has been found to produce irrita-
ton Of the mucous membrane OF
the nose, throat and eyes. The
makers OF white lead have looked
lead poisoning square in the face.
and have found means TO avoid II.
DR. Patterson, OF Philadelphia, de
vised an entirely reasonable but
somewhat unexpected treatment for
IT, He immerses the patients hands
In one tub OF salt water and his feet
in another. and then pole OF an
electric battery Is put into each OF
the tubs The current is turned
on. using Mr. Patient as conductor.
and II carries the lead that Il finds
on the way. out OF him, through the
salt solution depositing it upon one
OF the electrodes II has proved sue
cessful
Fatigue is another subject that
has been studied and reported on.
Strain Is declared to be more ex-
hausting than work and monotony
Of employment aggravates exhaus-
ton. Fatigue seems to be a con.
dition of the body in which the
waste products OF work are not car
ried of fast enough In physiologi.
cal laboratories animals have been
fatigued by over-driving and then
some OF their blood has been in.
jected into the veins OF healthy ami
mails. The healthy animals straight.
way showed the same symptoms Of
fatigue as those that had been over
worked.
In rubber factories and elsewhere,
when bi-sulphate OF carbon Is used,
great care must be taken to avoid
contamination Of the air by its OF.
fensive fumes. Otherwise nervous
troubles are likely TO follow.
There is bakers itch, grocers'-itch
and ugar.refiners'-itch all NANTES
tations OF eXema according TO the
materials handled.
The question is likely to be asked
why boards OF health do not use
chlorinated water for flushing the
streets, especially in hot. dry wealth
er. This was first proposed by DR..
Baskerville six or seven years ago,
and there is no question but that
it's effect upon disease germs in the
street dust would be beneficial TO
the public health. Since the New
York water supply has been treated
with chlorine, not single case OF
typhoid fever has been traced to II
as the cause. II is doubtful IL any
other satisfactory answer will be
forthcoming than that the boards OF
health haven't got around TO II yet.
The symposium will consider the
chemical trades. prophylaxis in
chemical industry, diseases inciden-