Evening star., 1933-05-21

ment can depend upon individual citi-
Zens and business houses to darken the
city in case of night raids. II the re-
sponse is not complete, 1t is possible
that control switches may be installed
which will permit police or the military
to extinguish every electric light in the
city on an instant's notice.
1t also Is understood that the civilian
populations will be instructed to take
shelter in places likely to afford them
the greatest measure Of protection
against bomb explosions, machine gun
fire and poison gas.
Ills Of Airmen Described.
There are few occupations which are
not accompanied by diseases or occu-
pationd ills resulting from specialized
types of work. Aviation Is no excep-
tion to this rule and for some years
medical students and practitioners
have been engrossed in the new fields
OF reaction resulting from mans con-
quest Of the air.
The so-called flying diseases or oc-
cupational ailments common to those
who fly continuously are discussed in
an article prepared for the Army Air
Corps news letter as result of pro-
longed research by flight surgeons and
others engaged in the study of aviation
medicine.
1t Is not believed that any of the all
ments found to be common to flyers are
after day under all manner of condi-
tions in open cockpit planes. The all
ments therefore, are most prevalent
among military flyers and are never
found among passengers or those who
fly in closed cabin or soundproofed
planes.
It has been found that the military
flyer, who spends his working lifetime
engaged in tactical flying, can look for
ward to the diseases or occupation all
ments common to his kind.
while there Is probably no disease
which is peculiar to the flyer" it was
explained in the discussion, there are
certain diseases which are so frequent
as to merit being considered occupa-
tional. His work is such that it re-
ouires constant attention and he Is al
ways under some nervous strain, this
strain being intensified by bad weather
conditions, extra hazardous flying. un-
usual flying, type Of flying to which the
pilot is not accustomed. and long periods
Of flying over difficult or dangerous ter
rain. The pilot, being constantly un-
velops an anxiety neurosis or more fire.
quently a neurocirculatory asthenia or
staleness"
Flying Ills" Listed.
Other diseases or conditions to which
the flyer is subject by reason Of his
work we're listed as follows:
Pterygia or growth on the eyes due
to the wind blast.
Photophthalmia and snow blindness
when flying over snow-covered terrain
or over bodies Of water.
Deafness and ringing in the ears are
common conditions among flyers, due
to the constant roar Of the engine or
blocking Of the eustachian tubes on &C
count of changes in altitude.
Rupture of the eardrums is fairly
common, due to the inequality of air
pressure in rapid dives made by pur-
suit pilots.
The development Of an hypertrcphy,
or enlargement Of the turbinate bones
of the nose, due to the change in tenn
perature of the air inhaled, is common.
Sinusitia is fairly common among
pilots, due to the sudden changes
in temperature of the air inhaled and
to the consequent interference with the
circulation of the blood in the mem
branes lining the sinuses.
Various types Of gastric neuroses are
fairly common, also probably due to
the nervous strain the pilots are con-
stantly under and to the sedentary type
of work involved.
Renal calculi, or kidney stones, are
common among flyers. The reason for
this has not been determined definitely,
but Is believed due to the position the
flyer is in for many hours, to lack of
fluid for long periods when flying and
to changes in temperature.
to be cumulative, increasing with the
period Of time spent on flying duty.