The Carbon County news. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1924-1931, 1925-12-10

All the deaths caused by automo-
biles are not due to reckless driving
or to "jay' walking. Each year q
large number of people lose their lives
by poisoning from automobile exhaust
gas. Carbon monoxide, product OF
incomplete combustion, is responsible
for the poisoning, which is the same
as that caused by the inhalation of IL
Elimination gas or coal gas.
Many people who know that illum-
mating gas and coal gas are danger
Gus, seem to be unaware Of the dan
gers of inhaling automobile exhaust
gas. And this in spite Of the number
of deaths from this cause reported in
the newspapers each year.
The story Of most Of these tragedies
is essentially the same. The victim
has gone into the garage-usually a
one or two-car private garage-and
started the motor of his car. He has
neglected to open the doors of the
garage. He has remained in the clos
ed, unventilated garage for few
minutes tinkering with the car while
the motor was running. In the mean
time the concentration of carbon mon
oxide in the air has been increasing
to dangerous proportions.
Gas Not Preceptible
Now carbon monoxide gas cannot
be seen. 1t has no odor or taste. One
does not know that he is getting
poisonous dose until symptoms OF
poisoning develop. And there symp-
toms are perhaps not long in develop
ing. They are headache, dizziness,
difficult breathing, feeling OF sick
ness at the stomach.
Yet they are all symptoms that may
be caused by other things. But when
the occur under conditions in which
poisoning is likely, no time should be
lost in getting into the open air. II
one heeds the symptoms and gets out
of doors while he is still able to, he
may soon recover. If he ignores the
warning symptoms, he may soon Der
come unconscious. 1t seems likely,
that in many instances, unconscious
ness must have occurred so rapidly
that the victim did not have time to
escape.
If one is overcome by automobile
exhaust gas while in public garage,
he may be fortunate enough to receive
help before he is too severely poisoned
to recover. But the plight Of the per-
son who is overcome in private
garage is rarely discovered until it
is too late.
First aid to victims Of gas poisoning
consists in immediate removal to the
fresh air and in giving artificial res
piration, such as is given to persons
who have drowned. The patient
should be covered with blanket in
order to avoid chilling. A physician
should be called, as additional treat
rient for the after-affecta Of the pois-
oning is often necessary.
The way to avoid poisoning from
automobile exhaust gas is to insure a
plentiful supply Of fresh air by open
ing the doors Of the garage before
starting the motor.
This is one kind Of death that can
be avoided with = little care.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Infection-and Probably Diabetes
Mont. writes: AN elderly person
had boils. II the discharge from the
boils touched healthy skin, = new boil
started. Eight years later the same
person had sores ON the legs and
hands, and also complained of sore
feeling at the angles Of the mouth.
Was troubled with bad breath and
coughed frequently. What do these
symptoms indicated"
Reply--A positive diagnosis could
NOT be made without careful exam
irAtios. Boils are due to infection OF
the skin. People who have infected
tonsils, bronchi and nasal sinuses are
sometimes very susceptible to boils.
Boils and other infections readily oc-
cur in those who have diabetes The
bad breath may have resulted from q
diseased mouth or throat, chronic
catarrh, bronchitis, or indigestion and
constipation. The cough may have
resulted from irritation Of the throat,
bronchitis or congestion due to a
weakened heart
Running Ear
Mrs. L. r. 3. writes; Last winter
my son had very bad sore throat.
When he was getting over the sore
throat he had trouble with both his
ears. One Of the ears gathered and
broke. It ran for quite while, then
got all right, and he was not troubled
with ii all summer. Lately 1t has be-
gun to run again, and he has had a