What the Bureau of Mines is doing for the miners and the mining industries__‒‒‒ Publications of the Bureau of Mines___. Publications of the United States Public Health Service.... ILLUSTRATIONS FIGURE 1. How typhoid fever, dysentery, and cholera spread from person to person--- 2. Sketch showing sanitary privy box with stack_-- 3. Sketch showing installation of sanitary box in existing privy 4. Sketch showing house and vault of sanitary privy. 6. End section of concrete-vault privy____ 5. Plan and elevation of concrete-vault privy-- 7. Interior of a mine rescue car. t MINERS' SAFETY AND HEALTH ALMANAC. By R. C. WILLIAMS. TO THE MINER. America must have coal and various minerals. These have been needed for carrying on the war; they will be needed in peace. We are striving to make the world a better place in which to live, and our Government needs the faithful and loyal help of every miner. Do your share! Work to your full capacity! America must have your help! Our boys in France and on the sea are giving up their lives for the cause of Liberty. Help these gallant boys by supplying them with the needed minerals. Coal is necessary for our ships, for our industries, and the use of the people at home. Copper, lead, zinc, iron, and many other metals are needed in the many industries of this country. Do not be a laggard, help in this great work. Do your duty as a miner, for in the words of President Wilson, "The work of the world waits on the miner." It is the proud privilege of every miner to do his utmost for America. Good health is essential for the miner in order that he may work to full capacity, hence it is of prime importance to safeguard the health of the miner and his family. Preventable diseases among miners must be reduced to the lowest possible number. The miner himself can help greatly to prevent disease by keeping the best possible sanitary condition among the members of his family and at his home. Accidents, which cause loss of life or serious injury, must also be prevented. Most accidents are preventable; all are costly. Each and every miner should cooperate with his fellow workers and with the operators and bring the number of mine accidents in America to the lowest number possible. Work steadily and efficiently. Increase your tonnage. MINERS' CONSUMPTION. Miners' consumption is caused by breathing in small dust particles which penetrate the lung. The dust that results from the dry drilling of hard rock, from blasting, or from shoveling, or from repairing timber, or from any other work that stirs up dust that has settled around working places, may cause miners' consumption. The dust particles that penetrate the lung are very small, averaging 1/250 to 1/1000 of an inch in diameter. Rocks containing a large amount of silica, such as quartz, flint, or granite, produce this dangerous dust. This hard rock dust irritates and injures the lungs, so that they get harder and stiffer, and can not expand properly. As a result the miner gradually gets short-winded on exertion; this short wind grows worse as long as he continues to work in hard rock dust. Finally his wind gets so bad that he can do no work at all. He may look well and feel well, but as soon as he exerts himself he can do nothing; he has the miners' consumption. It takes a long time to get this disease, depending on the steadiness with which a man works underground and on the hardness of the rock. In very hard rock a man may have an advanced case after 5 or 10 years of steady work. In medium hard rock, or where a man does not work steadily, he may be in fair condition after 10 to 20 years. All underground workers may get the disease. Men who have miners' consumption are very liable to contract pneumonia and tuberculosis (regular or "catching" consumption). When a case of miners' consumption is far advanced, tuberculosis is almost sure to follow. The only remedy for miners' consumption is to quit underground work and to work out of doors. If the disease is not too far advanced the lungs will clear up and the wind will improve. A rest of varying length may be necessary. The patient should live and sleep in the open air as much as possible. Where tuberculosis has resulted the patient should go to a sanitarium. Miners' consumption can be prevented by the use of water machines or sprays. Sprays are often "messy," but it is better to put up with that than to get the miners' consumption. Where shoveling, timber repairing, and other work tend to cause much dust to rise into the air the place should be sprinkled enough to keep the dust down. It is easier to prevent miners' consumption than to cure it. A. J. LANZA, Passed Assistant Surgeon, United States Public Health Service. Don't stop saving food. Is your working place well ventilated? 7.15 5. 08 "Public health is our greatest national resource." A miner with consumption may infect his own family. Are you one hundred per cent American? loyalty. Prove it by your |