Salt Lake Telegram | 1931-03-10 | Page 20 | Daily Health Service

i Vail Daily H- H Health S Service Pneumatic Tools and Health 0 L 0 By DR MORRIS l FISHBEIN Editor Journal of the American Medical Med led ical lea Association and of the Health lag l Magazine As the modern skyscraper goes up people In the vicinity are either annoyed an- an loyed noyed or entertained by the music of or the tile compressed air drill and the I compressed air hammer used in such construction I The popularity of these devices dc has grown rapidly and industrial physicians clans are arc beginning to pay special at attention attention attention at- at to 10 the llie hazards associated with pneumatic tools In Germany diseases diseases dis- dis eases ases of the muscles bones and joints from the use of pneumatic tools are now Included among the diseases and Injuries scheduled Under under uner un- un der er the German compensation acts Recently Dr M. M Seyring Serring has given consideration to ta some of the special forms of or diseases that may arise from this type of work The most common conditions are disturbances in the blood lood vessels commonly called dead fingers Ingers The fingers lost sensation when they become cold as occurs also alwin In ut the disease called dis- dis ease ase Dr Seyring finds that the tendency tendency ten- ten dency ency to this condition increases as the tile years of or work go on It apparently apparently has to ta do with the effects of vibration and contact of the hand with the cold metal although associated associated as as- also with exposure of or the the hands to cold colt air from the exhaust of the compressed air ah- Dr SeyrIng Is inclined to k believe that the second cause is not so Sf Im Important important im- im since the left hand which does doss not come into contact with the exhaust from the compressed a air 1 Is the one most frequently affected On I the other hand the left hand Is the theone theone one subjected to the most vicious vii vi- vi i bration during operation of the pneumatic pneumatic pneumatic matic tool Some of the workers suffered de degeneration degeneration degeneration de- de generation of the muscles of or the thumb due to the constant strain of holding the valve at the top tap of the handle of the pneumatic device Wherever there Is excessive muscular exertion with pressure on the nerve nene or muscle in any occupation such paralyses may occur The final type of Inflammation in involved involved involved in- in in these occupations is a se serIous serious se- se rious Inflammation around the elbow joint particularly the right elbow In these cases there Is pain and limitation limItation lim urn of or movement and in some cases sos detachment of pieces of bone results from the constant vibration and pressure New industries with new nevI devices constantly expose men t to hazards for which his body was never created The machine age has Introduced not only hazards to the mind o of men and andU U to his social organization but also alsoto alsoto to k the very muscles and tissues of which he Is composed