POISON FROM THE AIR

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 125, 12 June 1937, Page 11

POISON FROM THE AIR

4'Black Lungs" Hasten Death m

-DAY an insidious danger is under- ; mining the health of the population of the great cities, writes Pierre Devaux in Gringoire, Paris. The chemical poisoning of the atmosphere by industrial smoke and fumes, whieh threatens to assume the proportion of a national peril. Paris particularly is surrounded by 11 a "girdlo" of factories which cdntinually disgorge into the atmosphere thei«clouds of sinoko nud gas. •'When I perform an autopsy," said * colebrated Parisian specialist, "I can recognize a Parisian immediately by Ms "black lungs,". encrusted with grimo accumulated by years of breathing impure air!" Now, during times of peace, Paris is the vuctim of a "gas attack" which is so much more pernicious beeause the population is deprived of means of dcfence. In addition to this dross which injnres our lungs," let us take into consi.deration the tiny particles of tar which, it is claimed, may cause cancer; and above^that, an abundant sulphuric. poisoning: in other words, we are conlinually inhaling small quantities of vitriol! A few months ago, the sculptor Bartholome unveiled his celebrated monument "To the dead." Soon afterwards, it was notieed that the sculptare was the victim/ of a strange "sickness" — the xeclining iigures were corroded as oi by an acid! A scandal folfowed upon this discovery, It was eharged that the stone used in the aeulpture was of an inferior quality. Eragments were analysed by seientists and discovered ato contnin importr.n1 • quantities of sulphuriq acid. Bartholome claimed that ltis work had been dcstroyed by vitriol. Another startling di*overy followed; all the monuments of Paris, from tlie lacy towers of Notre Dame to tlie airy spires of the Sainte-Chapelle were dissolving liko sugar in the, Parisian rain, a Tain laden with the noxious acids and fumes of modcrn industry. Tbe guiltv party was nono other tlian Ihe coal dust, hcavily laden with sulphuric content, whieh, after dissoJving in the rain, impTcgnated tlie poroti? layer of soot which covers our monuments, was transformed by oxitlalio*' Into sulphuric acid, and corroded tH' .stone like a cankcr. The Tcmedy does not secm easy to flnd. 1?lie inrpermeable coatings llin' have been fried have only aggravatcd thft 511 hy preventing thc stone from

' ' breathing. ' ' The only remedy appears to consist dn prohibiting the use of coal in industry and substituting coke, gas or electricity. (Jalmctte, discovercr of the vacciue which bears his name, rnade a curious experiment on an unfortunate guinea pig. Having ligatnred the oesophagus in order to prevent it from coaimunicating "\vi.lh thc throut, ho nourished thc animal by introducing clirectly into the stomach food adulterated by soot or smoke. He deelared that the coally particles traversed the partition of the antestine, invaded the" bldod and fixed themselves in the lungs. Thus the coally depdsits whieh we absorb in eating food polluted bv ihe atmosphere aTe going into our lungs to join the dust deposited directly by respiration. In this lies a cause of indirect pulmonary intoxication, particularly to be drcafled for children. • Furthermore, the immense cloud formed by the union of all fumes and smoke emitted from factories acts as a shield in arresting the healthful, mi-ciobe-kill'ing ultra-violet rays of the sun, and in diminishing the natural content of ozone, a gas that is at the same time purifying and exhilarating. This insufficient venbilation, besides acting as agent in the propagation of epidemies, -has as consequence that the ■vicinity of tho soil, polluted as it is by exhaust fumes of automobilea, and by dust, os the most dangerous spot: that is why children, on account of tlieir short stature, are more liable than adults to the liarmful effects of such fumes. On tlie other hand, the hnppicst re* sulls have boen obtained by the new skyscraper hospita] ,at Clichy, wliere tubercular patients are lodged in tho exhilarating breeze pf the " west winds wliich have not yet been polluted bv the poisonous smoke of factories and cities. What are tho means at the disposal of the State in' counteracting this terrible concomitant of modern industry? Obviotfsly, of course, to encouragc th ercction of factories at healthful G* tances from large population ccntres Also, to l'i'mit the use of sulphurous and snioke-bcaririg i'uels; to supcrintcnd Ihe inslaUation of smokc-purifiors, and . tq proliibit thc issue of chcmica! fumes. Such aro the measures by which we may tiglit against this scourge which rnenaces. not only thc treasures of tho past, but also thc cx klencc of generabions to como.