37 



storm oi' afti.'!- having )ioeu contined to a room or hall with a dusty atmos- 

 phere, aud country people may eomplaiu of not feeliug well every time 

 they come from a trip to the dusty city or take a ride on a dusty rail- 

 way car. Although the effects of inhaling a bad atmosphere or dust differ 

 somewhat in different individuals, yet by observing certain individuals for 

 a long time, and observing a great many now and then, we may be able 

 to draw some conclusions with a reasonable degree of accuracy. 



In a general way it may be said that when the air is free from 

 sputum or expectoration, certain ailments and diseases are also absent. 

 The Japanese are remarkably free from ailments that are very common 

 among us: The Japanese do not spit and they also have clean homes. 

 North pole explorers and weather observers on high mountains are free 

 from colds, catarrh, rheumatic aches and pains, bronchitis, and a host 

 of other ailments aud diseases— simply because the air is pure and the 

 active causes are absent. 



The inhalation of a sputum contaminated air has been found to pro- 

 duce a detinite reaction in man. In some individuals a reaction occurs 

 under even a slight exposure, others may require a severe exposure, some 

 may escape entirely. We know that in some of the epidemic diseases 

 there are always some individuals wlio escape. The reaction due to in- 

 haling infected air or dust,- may be characterized about as follows: There 

 is an irritation of the mucous membranes; vague wandering pains or 

 aches throughout the body, mostly referable to the muscles and ligaments, 

 and at times more strongly localized at some point, as in the back or in 

 an arm; there is a feeling of lassitude or discomfort, rising to severe 

 headache, feverishness, loss of appetite and even vomiting. In some indi- 

 viduals there is cough on account of the unusual irritation of the respira- 

 tory mucous membranes; some complain mainly of the nervous symptoms 

 and the inability of applying themselves to any task; in some the wander- 

 ing or localized pains may predominate. 



The above symptoms have been grouped together and the name Dust 

 Disease has been applied to them. When, therefore, we say a man has 

 dust disease, we at once have some definite idea of the nature of his 

 ailment, and of its cause. 



As a general rule an attack of flust disease declines and disappears 

 of its own accord in the course of a day or a few days, but in a bad 

 atmosphere it may continue for several weeks. Other diseases, like bron- 



