New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1923-05-04
AUTO GASES CAUSE
FATIGUE IN CITIES
Yale Expert Says Exhaust Fills
Air Of Streets

New York, May A paper pre-
seRting results Of years study and
showing increasing health hazard
arising from contamination OF the air
in city streets. garages and repair
shops by exhaust gas from aulomov
hiles was read before the Academy Of
Medicine last night by ne, Nahdeli
Henderson, professor ri applied physl'
al0gy Of Yale university,
The investigator said he had found
conditions in garages AMI repair shops
very dangerous 10 the health OF the
men working in them and that con-
ditlans in private garages were even
worse,
when an engine has run idle 10
warm II on cold day with the garage
doors closed" the report said. 1.-THE
atmosphere of space large enough 10
hold car Is contaminated 20 very
dangerous extent within five minutes
The danger IL insidl0us, Aside from
possible headache the victim has no
way of knowing the danger he Is IN,
There is sufficient oxygen in the air
for the engine to run on after IL has
produced u concentration OF carbon
monoside fatal TO human beings,
IN public garages conditions are
less threatening TO life, but more con-
tlnuously inlmlcal 10 health, This IL
more distinctly true OF the newer
buildings than of the older structures,
for In the newer the walls and roofs
are practically air tight and artificial
ventilation is difficult and far from eff
footiye,
Gas Produces jag"
1T appears possible that the nervous
always associated with a
carbon monoXide headache may lead
to effects In some respects
like those OF chronic alcoholism. Par
tial asphyxia and alcoholic intoxiea-
ton have many points OF similarity
We find also that several authorities
on industrial diseases are strongly OF
the opinion that already existing tu-
berculosis would be augmented and
accelerated by such conditions.
"The inhalation of large amounts OF
carbon monoxide and the development
of such Ill effects as frequently occur
in garages are quite certainly, also,
factors to an appreciable extent In
street accidents and fatalities. 1t Is
to recall here that man
who has inhaled such amounts of car
bon monoxide as occur In garages Is
affected by the same kind and degree
of weakening of judgment and Of In
accuracies of coordination as a man
under the influence of comparable
amount of alcohol
Prof. Henderson's Investigations in
New York streets were made by equip
ping a car with sampling cans, bags
and bottles connected with pipe
leading to funnel on the windshield,
through which the air is drawn. The
gas samples taken represented the av-
erage condition to which occupants
of motor cars and pedestrians are ex-
posed.
while results are variable" the re-
port said, according to atmospheric
and the amount of traffic
the figures obtained show that one
Part of carbon monoxide gas in TO-
600 narts of air is quite a frequent
condition in certain streets. especial
iy Fifth avenue, between Fourteenth
and Fifty-ninth streets at certain
hours and two parts OF carbon mon
oxide are not unusual. Even more
than this occurs in limited areas and
tor short periods.
Air like In a Tunnel
Contamination of the air IN the
more congested streets for periods OF
hours reached the upper limit
and for shorter periods even exceeds
tho upper limit Of a we'll FOUNDED
health standard. 1t approximates the
that would be allowed
only In tunnels If the persons are to
continue to breathe the atmosphere
for many hours.
"The duration OF exposure Is of the
utmost importance. If the entire
of city were to breathe
air containing two parts of carbon
Il. e.-2-10, 000th) continu-
ously day and night, so that equili-
brium between the ABSORPTION and
was established In their
blood (28 per cent. saturation), q
large proportion of the population
would be incapacitated for any work.
Many with weak hearts would die,
Those stronger persons who maintain
ed or recovered tho capacity for physi-
cal exertion would do so by the de-
Y elopment of process of acclimation
like that occurring at great attitudes
II Ia probable that very few persons
have tho physique which would enable
them to become acoiimated to parts
of carbon monoXide.
OBVIOUSLY. therefore, the fact that
tens of thousands of people In New
Y ork city inhale appreciate amounts
of carbon monoxide Gone or two parts
or more) during hours without no
table permanent effects other than In
crease of fatigue and sometimes slight