The Project Gutenberg EBook of An Investigation into the Nature of Black
Phthisis, by Archibald Makellar

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Title: An Investigation into the Nature of Black Phthisis
or Ulceration Induced by Carbonaceous Accumulation in the
Lungs of Coal Miners

Author: Archibald Makellar

Release Date: June 23, 2007 [EBook #21907]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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AN INVESTIGATION

INTO THE NATURE OF

BLACK PHTHISIS;

OR

ULCERATION INDUCED BY CARBONACEOUS ACCUMULATION

IN

THE LUNGS OF COAL MINERS,

AND OTHER OPERATIVES.

BY

ARCHIBALD MAKELLAR, M.D., F.R.S.S.A.,

FELLOW OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS OF EDINBURGH; MEMBER OF THE
MEDICO-CHIRURGICAL SOCIETY, OF THE HARVEIAN SOCIETY, OF THE OBSTETRICAL
SOCIETY, ETC. ETC., AND ONE OF THE PHYSICIANS TO THE NEW TOWN DISPENSARY
OF EDINBURGH.

REPRINTED FROM THE MONTHLY JOURNAL OF MEDICAL SCIENCE.

EDINBURGH:

SUTHERLAND & KNOX, 58 PRINCES STREET.

1846.

ANDREW JACK, PRINTER, EDINBURGH.

PREFACE.

An abstract of the investigations into the nature of carbonaceous
infiltration into the pulmonary tissues of coal miners, was read by Dr
Makellar at a meeting of the Medico-Chirurgical Society of Edinburgh,
Wednesday, 8th July, 1845, Dr Gairdner, President, in the Chair.

Reference was made, in particular, to the East Lothian coal-miners. The
carbonaceous disease described, was stated to be caused by the
inhalation of substances floating in the atmosphere of the coal-pit,
such as the products of the combustion of gunpowder, the smoke from the
miner's lamp, and the other foreign matters with which the air of the
mines is heavily charged, in consequence of their defective ventilation.
In the mines in which gunpowder is used, the disease is most severe in
its character, and most rapid in destroying the pulmonary tissue. The
carbon in some cases is expectorated in cons