The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-07-09
MINERS CONSUMPTION.
Caused BY Prolonged Inhalation of Hard
Rock Dust

A recent investigation of the causes and |
prevalence of miners consumption among
the metal miners in southwestern Missouri |
forms the subject of public health bulletin
No. So, issued by the L. S. public health
service
Miners consumption consists essentially
OF mechanical injury to the lungs due
to the prolonged inhalation of hard rock
dust. 1t has been recognized as beeing prev
alent IN some American mining districts,
| particularly In the Joplin zinc and lead
| districts. 1t was to determine its actual
prevalence, and it's relationship to pull
monary tuberculosis that the investigation
was undertaken
| In the Joplin district certain mines are
known as 'sheet-ground' mines, in which
the ore is found imbedded in an exceeding
" hard flint. In drilling and other mining
operations this flint rock is finely pulver-
lied. The minute rock dust particles enter
the lungs, in the process of natural breath
ing, and by their irritating action cause
the formation of tibrons, or scar-like, It's
sue The effect of this is to lessen the
lungs ability to expand and contract, with
the result that the victim first notices
that he is becoming short-winded. With
Icontinued exposure to this silica contain
ing dust, the difficulty of breathing in
creases, until the miner is no longer able
to perform active physical labor 1t is
found also that men with dust injured
lungs were especially liable to develop tn
berculosis. the dust irritation lessening the
ordinary resisting powers of the lungs
While miners consumption is not in itself
: Infectious or contagious, it predisposes to
tuberculosis The greater the amount OF
rock dust injury the greater the liability
TO tuberculosis; the far advanced cases OF
) miners consumption practically all be
: come tuberculosis before their death.
: Under the entirely voluntary system ~
, miners presented themselves for physica
examination of whom 433 were found Il
: have their lungs injured by the inhalation
OF rock DUST of these 1913 We're also tuber
! culosis, the amount of tuberculosis iniec
ton being greatest among the advance,
/ cases of the rock dust disease.
S Five years steady work with exposure
$ to flint dust Is fairly certain to find tn
miner in at least the first stages OF min
!. ers' consumption. II the miner continue
[ his work after being affected. death usu
ally results within 10 years from the tim
e that exposure to flint dust commenced
/ poor housing conditions were found TO b
t prevalent and to add to the liability {
2 tuberculosis infection Apparently tube,
y culosis Is now occurring at an earlier stag
|, Of miners consumption and lays emphasi
Q on the necessity OF preventing the sprea
i OF tuberculosis through these cases, e,
d recially among miners children. The fac
II that miners consumption IS a forerunne
z Of tuberculosis necessitates that it b
: treated with the same hygienic precal
tons as is the latter disease
T The report concludes that aside from tn
! hygienic supervision of underground worl
z ing places. the education OF the mine
7 against the spread OF injection and supe
q vision Of miners children, especially tho>
II OF consumptve parents, are matters
/ vital importance.