ON DYNAMITE. 261 
sending ammonia into the air? A little of the strong liquor 
ammonie might be sprinkled about the ‘close end,’ just before the 
blasting took place” ; he adds that he “does not know how to 
contend against acrolein better than by the respirators you 
suggest.” At present there is a dearth of dynamite; so we must 
postpone a trial of these methods. 
Reverting to the question of mortality, there is now—owing 
to the Registrar General’s Return, and the admirable Tables com- 
piled therefrom by Mr. Robert Blee—no doubt that the Cornish 
Miner is shorter lived than either his agricultural neighbour, or 
his fellow miner in the North of England; and this increased 
mortality, between the ages of 40 and 60 years, is due to affections 
of the respiratory organs. Much has been written on miners’ 
asthma and miners’ consumption. It is unquestionable that tuber- 
cular disease exists, in some cases; but, in by far the larger pro- 
portion, the symptoms presented are not only not those of tuber- 
cle, but are similar to those presented by flax dressers, knife 
grinders, stone polishers, paper teazers, rag pickers, and others 
who work at dusty occupations. In all, particles of solid matter 
enter the lungs, set up irritation mechanically, and excite chronic 
inflammation in the bodies of those people when, either by here- 
ditary or acquired debility, retrogressive molecular changes pre- 
ponderate over the progressive. 
An incalculable amount of good has been done to the miners 
of Camborne, Illogan, and Redruth, by the unparalleled generosity 
of Lord Robartes, in building and maintaining the Miners’ Con- 
valescent Hospital, where the acquirement of this debilitated 
stage in the life of the individual is warded off by good food, 
rest, and judicious treatment. 
Feeling deeply interested in the medical aspect of dynamite, 
and finding that imagination had assigned to it almost every case 
of disease that came before me, I resolved to go underground and 
inhale the gases resulting from the explosive decomposition. 
Captain Rich, of Wheal Uny, gave me every facility ; and here I 
may mention how agreeably surprised I was at the care taken, in 
both Wheal Uny and East Pool, for the health of the men 
employed underground ; currents of air circulate freely, save in a 
few ends where defect is unavoidable ; and timber, in huge pieces, is 
being daily applied to the roof and walls of excavations, so as to 
prevent accidents by the falling in of ground. 
