Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-10-31
Acid Smog Kills II,
Hospitals damned in
Pennsylvania Town
400 Believed Stricken
By Smothering Fumes:
Pittsburgh Rushes Aid
BY the Associated Press

DONORA, Pa, Oct. 30.-The
board of health reported II per-
sons died in this bustling mill
town today and that their deaths
were caused by a smothering
smog containing acid fumes.
Charles Stacey, chairman of the
board, added: We're up in arms
about it. We're going to appeal to-
State health authorities for help"
Mrs. Cora Vernon, executive di-
rector of the American Red Cross,
said an emergency hospital was set
up and several persons treated.
Hospitals in the area. including the
Charleroi-M onessen hospital at
nearby Charleroi, were jammed to-
capacity.
400 To 500 Persons I'LL.
IT would say there's at least 400
or 500 persons sick from the smog
effects" Mr.. Stacey told the AS
ISOLATED Press. However, I don't
think the situation will become
more critical believe it's all un-
der control now"
Mr.. Stacey believed the smog-
caused by a mixture of fog and in
dustrial smoke-contained fumes
coming from the plant of the
American Steel & Wire Corp, a
United States Steel subsidiary
Spokesman for the company were
not available for comment.
Describing the smog, Mr.. Stacey
continued:
I've never seen anything quite
like it. We've had smog before but
today the situation really got bad
and it was difficult to breathe"
Mr.. Stacey said IS deaths had
been reported earlier in the day but
two more persons had died tonight
Believes Smog Is Lifting.
"All of them were directly attrib-
utable to the smog as far as we
can determine" he declared "How-
ever, there's one bright spot-the
smog seems to be lifting now and
I don't believe there will be a great
number of additional fatalities"
Mr.. Stacey said all of today's
deaths were attributable to the
smoggy conditions, adding:
Ordinarily we only have about
two deaths a week here
Earlier Rudy Schwerha, a member
of the health board. said nurses
and doctors were having difficulty
keeping up with the situation"
The deaths seem to have hit
people who were suffering from
cardiac or asthmatic conditions
Mr.. Schwerha said. There's no
doubt the smog has been the cause
James Lau. superintendent of
the Charleroi- Monessen Hospital.
said extra beds have been placed in
the corridors to accommodate pa
tients. He added:
I'VE can't take another patient.
All day long I've been shutting
back and forth between the hospital
and Pittsburgh getting extra equip
ment. We've got II oxygen tents In
operation tonight, compared to our
usual g."
Victims Died in Homes.
Supt. Lau explained that all VIC
tins died at their homes early to-
day. He said most of the victims
or their families apparently didn't
realize the seriousness of the situa-
ton Immediately.
One funeral home reported 1t had
received eight bodies within as
many hours. The other bodies were
taken to funeral homes in nearby
communities.
Mrs. Vernon, who gave the death
toll as Is, praised the small-town
doctors who are doing everything
In their power to combat the emer-
gency."
DR.. A. S. Sickman, chief of staff
at the Charleroi-Monessen Hospital,
said medical authorities are inves-
ltigating to determine If fumes from
plants in the vicinity have anything
to do with the situation.
"At the moment, however, we're
concentrating on helping the sick"