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Case 5 - Hugh Rourke. March 12, while going home in the evening. Was taken with severe pain in the right knee. Pain continued all night. On the following morning he returned to his work, when, on entering the caisson, he found that the pain cease at once. On coming up again it returned with increased severity. Controlled by morphine. Case 11 - E. Riley Taken sick Feb 16th, on hour after leaving the caisson. Pressure 26 lbs. Epigastric pain and pain in the legs. No loss of sensibility. Profuse cold perspiration. Pulse, when I saw him, tow hours after the commencement of the attack, was 96. The pain, which at first was very severe, had by this time become much less. Gave him an ounce of brandy and a teaspoonful of fluid extract of ergot. In 10 minutes the pulse had fallen to 82. Was able to resume work the next day. Case 12 - Joseph Brown foreman, American, aged about 28. Taken on the 28th of February, about an hour after coming up from a three hours. Watch. Excessive pain in left shoulder and arm, coming on suddenly, “like the thrust of a knife.” Pain continued until he went down again for the afternoon watch, when it ceased immediately… Case 13 - Henry Stroud, a diver by occupation, began work on the morning of April 2d. Half an hour after coming up from the first watch, was taken with numbness and loss of power in the right side, also dizziness and vomiting. This was followed by severe pain over the whole body. Excessive perspiration. Was treated with stimulants and ergot, and in five hours was well enough to return home. Case 14 - John Barnabo, Italy, 42 reports on the 13th of March, while in a car returning home, he was taken with severe pain in both arms. This was followed by dimness of sight and partial unconsciousness. Extremities very cold. Remained in this condition for two hours. Was obliged to keep to his bed for three days. For a week afterward was unable to work, feeling very much oppressed about the chest. Had no medical attendance. Had a similar but less severe attack about a month previously. Case 22 – Patrick Rogers, Ireland, aged 40, reported at my office at the pier that the day previous he was taken while on the ferry-boat going home, with pain in the right side, soon followed by loss of feeling and power to move or stand. This was about three-quarters of an hour after leaving the caisson, where the pressure was 26lbs to the inch. On the arrival of the boat he was placed in a hack, and taken home. According to his account, he was four hours completely paralyzed in the legs and partly so in the arms. A Physician was called, who gave a medicine which caused vomiting, after which there was profuse cold perspiration. Symptoms gradually passed off, and by 3PM of the following day he as well, with the exception of weakness and a numb feeling of the skin. A drachm of the fluid extract of ergot was ordered to be given every hour until four doses had been taken. On the 17th he reported himself much better. Soon after taking the first dose of ergot he found his strength improved. He now felt well, |
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except a “trembling” in the chest. Advised not to resume work in the caisson. Case 26 – Reardon, England, 38, corpulent. Began work on the morning of May 17, was advised to work only one watch the first day, but, nevertheless, feeling perfectly well after the first watch, went down again in the afternoon. The pressure at this time was about 35 lbs., the duration of the morning shift 2 1/2 hours, that of the afternoon shift 2 hours. Immediately after coming up from the second watch Reardon was taken with very severe pain in the stomach, followed by vomiting. In a few minutes the pain seized upon the legs, which soon lost the power of motion, though the continued to be the seat of extreme pain, and were not entirely insensible to pinching or pricking. The vomiting continued all night, and toward morning he was removed to the Center Street Hospital, where he gradually sank, and on the 18th died. Case 27 – Patrick McKay, Ireland, 50. Had been four months at work in the caisson, and had not complained of ill health. On the 30th of April h remained in the caisson half an hour beyond the usual time, at the second watch the pressure being about 34 lbs. Some other persons who were with him in the lock, when about leaving, found that he was sitting with his back against the wall of the lock, quite insensible. He was at once carried up to the surface and removed to the Park Hospital, where I saw him shortly afterwards. He was there in an unconscious condition; face pale and dusky; lips blue; pulse irregular and feeble. Under the administration of stimulants, he recovered some degree of consciousness and begged incessantly for water. The urine was drawn with a catheter, and found to be intensely aluminous. Paroxysms of convulsions soon set in, in one of which he died, nine hours after the attack. Case 28 – (Francois) Mirant. Had suffered previously from severe pains in the chest and limbs, which compelled him to give up work. Some time afterward, when the pressure was 4 atmospheres, he resumed work for a single day – the labor being excessively severe. He suffered no inconvenience apparently, however, and after leaving the caisson washed his face and hands as usual. A moment after he fell senseless, and in 15 minutes was dead. Case 30 – John Myers, aged about 40 years, a native of Germany, of a stout, heavy build, commenced work in the caisson for the first time on the 22nd of April, 1872, the pressure then being about 34lbs to the inch. He worked during the morning shift of 2.5 hours without inconvenience, and remained about the yard for nearly an hour after coming up. He then complained of not feeling well and started for his boarding-place, which was but an few rods distant. As he passed through the lower story of the house, on his way to his own room, which was on second floor, he complained of pain in the abdomen. While ascending the stairs, and when nearly at the top, he sank down insensible, and was dead before he could be laid upon his bed.
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