PARALYSED.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8293, 23 November 1906, Page 5

PARALYSED.

PENALTY OF WORKING AMID CBUTAIN FUMES.

On the arrival of the Rakaia at Wellington, Dc Pollen, Port Health Officer, discovered on board her no fewer than ten oases of what ia known as peripheral neuritis. The disease was limited to the firemen and trimmers, ten out ol fifteen being affected. The men were in varying N stagea of the disease, six of them being so bad that they had to be removed to the Hopsital, the remaining firnr being left on the ship under observation. Five out of the six were unable to walk, and are being treated in a special ward at the Hospital. The actual the complaint is somewhat obsoure. Peripheral neuritis is often the result {"of the poison of some form of disease suah as influenza or diphtheria or beiiberi. There is no reason, however, to suspect the latter. The disease is also found in chronic aloohojios. There is some evidence that makes the dootors think the present outbreak is due to poisonous gases. It is well known that people txposud to the fumes of carbon monoxide and carbon bisulphide have been affected with the disease. It is quite possible that the disease la due to a coal gas, especially as it has been limited entirely to the men working among the coal. During the voyage there was an accumulation of gas in one of the bunkers,' which gas was particularly sulphurous and pungent. Shortly afterwards, the men were taken ill, and symptoms of paralysis gradually developed. Of courae, nothing absolutely definite can ba sa d, bnt it looks very much as if the gas was tbo cause of the disease. The matter ia being further investigated.