The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1922-03-26
OsED HUDSON RIVER MOTOR TUNNEL DETER HEALTHCAnd

OF the Bureau Of Mines. The work
was carried out with the colIabora-
ton of Howard w. Haggard, A. L.
Prince, NJ. C. league and r. NJ.
Wunderlich in the physiological
laboratory at Yale University.
Problem 3 was Investigated by Prof.
A.. c. Willard OF the University of
Illinois, Problem 4. was supervised
by A. c. FeldHer with the advice
and collaboration of all concerned.
Fundamental Considerations
Although carbon monoxide Is the
cause of more deaths than the total
due to all other gases, apart from
a single reaction. 1t is a physiologi-
cally inert and nonpoisonous sub
stance. This reaction is its COM
bination with hemoglobin. the red
coloring matter and oxygen-carrying
element of the blood. To whatever
extent hemoglobin is So combined. 1t
Is rendered incapable OF transport
Ing oxygen from the lungs to the
tissues and organs of the body, until
the carbon monoxide is again dis
placed. 1t is highly probable that
all Of the results OF inhalation of
carbon monoxide are due directly or
indirectly to oxygen deficiency. Even
when other toxic substances are
preSent-as In smoke, in fumes from
explosives, and in other incomplete
combustions - carbon monoxide Is
usually the chief cause of injury or,
death. 1t acts wholly through
asphyxia-
The method Of studying the effects
of various concentrations of carbon
monoxide involved a chamber ga
cubic meters (266 cubic feet) capacity,
the walls and doors Of which are
covered with galvanized sheet iron
with soldered joints. The door Is
easily made gas-tight by placing long
strips Of broad ~(2-inch) adhesive
plaster over the cracks along Intel,
lambs, and sill. The chamber holds
any concentration of gas for a day
without appreciable loss from diffu-
sion through undiscovered leaks. A
small hole in the door. covered by
piece OF adhesive plaster, allows
the hand Of the subject to be thrust
outside for the withdrawal OF blood.
Into this chamber are introduced
measured amounts of pure carbon
monoxide, made by dripping formic
acid into strong sulfuric acid and
distilling 1t by gentle heat into a
large bottle filled with water.
which the gas displaces. The con-
centration of gas desired in the
chamber is obtained by running
into the bottle $40 &C. of water per
part of carbon monoxide desired.
and thus displacing this volume of
gas from the bottle into the cham
Der. An electric fan in the cham
Der insures immediate and COM
plete mixing.
In this chamber. in turn, the
members of the staff of this inves-
tigation and a few other persons
spent periods of one hour after
amounts of carbon monoxide from
to 8 parts. and in one case, 10
parts. had been introduced. While
the subjects sat and read most of
the time, there were a sufficient
number OF acts, such as turning on
the electric fan, standing up to look
out of the window for a moment,
opening and closing TASKS to take
air samples for later analysis, etc
to correspond fairly we'll with the
activity OF the driver of a car.
The results of the experiments
show that none OF the nine men
and one woman had an app-eciable
degree of headache after a period
Of one hour in the chamber with 4
parts of carbon monoxide or less,
and that with parts the effect, IL
any. was usually very slight. With
parts there was decided discom-
fort for some hours, although mot
enough to interfere with efficient
work in the laboratory or at the
desk. After an hour In 10 parts
even an unusually resistent subject
(Y. HI was decidedly miserable and
averse to work for five o. six hours,
and could still recognize the eff
fects after twelve hours.
Experiments With Exhaust.
Exhaust gas is not pure carbon
monoXide and the number of per
sons who could be tested in the g.
chamber was quite lin
tied. 1t appeared essential, there
fore, to obtain confi-matory OBJ
servations under as nearly real con-