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REPORTS 
 
 OF THE 
 
 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, 
 GENERAL SUPERINTENDENT, 
 
 AND 
 
 TREASURER 
 
 OF THE 
 
 New York Bridge Company. 
 
 BROOKLYN : 
 EAGLE PRINT. 34, 3G and 38 FULTON STREET. 
 
 1873. 
 
IS 
 
REPORT 
 
 OF THE 
 
 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 
 
 OF THE 
 
 NEW YORK BRIDGE COMPANY. 
 
 To the Board of Directors : 
 
 The Executive Committee respectfully present their 
 Report for the year ending on the 1st of May, 1S73 : 
 
 The construction of the Bridge has been successfully 
 continued for the past year with satisfactory results. 
 The foundation of the Tower on the New York side was 
 finished during the month of July, 1872, and the ma- 
 sonry above high- water mark commenced. It has 
 attained eighty-eight feet in height above that line, and 
 14,700 cubic yards of masonry have been laid for the 
 purpose. It is expected that it will be completed to the 
 roadway by the first of July next. The Tower on the 
 Brooklyn side, which had attained an elevation a year 
 ago of one hundred feet, has been carried to a height of 
 one hundred and sixty -two feet, and 6,516 cubic yards 
 of masonry have been laid since that time. Contracts 
 
have been made for the stone necessary to complete it, 
 which will be done during the present season. 
 
 In addition to this work, the land necessary for the 
 Brooklyn anchorage, extending along both sides of 
 James street, from York to Front street, having been 
 taken under the law authorizing its ex-appropriation, the 
 excavation to the depth of twenty -five feet for the foun- 
 dation has been completed and the foundation com- 
 menced. 
 
 No report of the work for the year is as yet presented 
 by the Chief Engineer, Mr. Roebling, in consequence of 
 his being away on leave of absence for four months to 
 recruit his health, somewhat shattered by exposure in 
 the caissons. The information requisite is, however, in a 
 great measure supplied by the report of the Superin- 
 tendent, herewith presented, in which details of all the 
 contracts made will be found, as well as the history of 
 the work for the year. 
 
 The financial condition of the Company will fully ap- 
 pear by the annexed statements. There had been re- 
 ceived from all sources on the first of May, 1872, 
 $2,923,624.26, including §120,000 on sale of New York 
 city bonds, and there had been expended at that time 
 $2,905,389.49, including $248,000 on purchase of New 
 York city bonds, leaving a balance of cash on hand at 
 that time of $18,234.77. There has been received 
 during the last year, from all sources, $1,096,950, in- 
 cluding $128,000 on sale of balance of New York city 
 bonds ; and there has been expended during the year 
 $918,039.62, leaving a balance on hand on the first of 
 May, 1873, of $197,149.15, including the balance on 
 hand on May 1, 1872. The details of the financial 
 operations of the Company will be seen in the accompa- 
 nying schedules, viz. : 
 
(A.) Treasurer's statement of receipts and expendi- 
 tures from the commencement of the work until May 
 1, 1873> 
 
 (B.) Genera] statement of receipts for the last year. 
 
 (C.) General statement of expenditures for the last 
 year. 
 
 (D.) Detailed statement of receipts during the last 
 year, showing from what persons and sources they have 
 been received. 
 
 (E.) Detailed statement of expenditures during the 
 Last year, showing to whom and for what purposes they 
 were made. 
 
 (F.) A general statement of the receipts and expendi- 
 tures for the month of May, 1873. 
 
 Appended to the Treasurer's statement (Schedule A | 
 is a statement of the assets and liabilities of the Com- 
 pany not contained in his general statement. These 
 assets amount to $33-4/127.4:0, of which the sum of 
 $17,227.20 is for materials sold, and the balanee, 
 §315,400, is for installments on capital stock unpaid. Of 
 this balance £202,0on is due from the city of New York 
 and §113,400 from private stockholders. On the other 
 hand, the liabilities amount to £2S1,79G.54, and are: for 
 stone and machinery, § 1 4,790.54 ; for land, £05,000; 
 and for other land taken from the city of New York, 
 £202,000 — being the precise amount due from that city 
 and left unsettled by request of its Comptroller. 
 
 The installments of the capital stock called in are, in 
 all, eighty per cent, The city of Brooklyn has paid 
 $2,4< 10,000 ; the city of New York, including the £202,000 
 
6 
 
 above mentioned, $1,200,000 ; and private stockholders 
 $280,600. There remains to be called in of the capital 
 stock, which is $5,000,000, twenty per cent., amounting 
 to one million of dollars, which will be sufficient to carry 
 on the work for another year. 
 
 Submitted June 2, 1873. 
 
 S. L. I1USTED, 
 J. S. T. ST RAN A LI AN, 
 A BE, AM S. HEWITT, 
 H. W. SLOCUM, 
 
 HENRY C. MURPHY, Pres% ex off., 
 
 Executive Committee, 
 
REPORT 
 
 OF THE 
 
 GENERAL SUPERINTENDENT. 
 
 Hon. Henry C. Murphy, President New York Bridge 
 Company : 
 
 Dear Sir : — Since my last Annual Report the work 
 upon the Bridge has been steadily pushed forward and is 
 at present progressing satisfactorily. 
 
 BROOKLYN TOWER. 
 
 During the year 6,516 cubic yards of masonry have 
 been added to the Brooklyn Tower, and it is now 164 
 feet above high water. The stone to complete this 
 Tower to the springing line of the arches, at an elevation 
 of 200 feet, was contracted for last season, and with 
 slight exceptions has been delivered as rapidly as re- 
 quired. All of the stone under that contract is shipped, 
 and will arrive in time for the work. A contract has 
 been awarded for all of the stone from the springing line 
 of the arches to the top of the Tower, a portion of which 
 will be delivered this season. No accident of any kind 
 has happened, either to men or machinery, at the Brook- 
 lyn Tower during the year, but the work has progressed 
 steadily, and, considering the character of the work, with 
 great rapidity. The setting of stone was suspended 
 November 23, 1872, and resumed March 27, 1873. 
 
 NEW YORK TOWER. 
 
 The filling of the New York caisson with concrete 
 was completed July 12, 1872, and the work upon the 
 
8 
 
 masonry was at once resumed. It was continued without 
 interruption until December 7th, when the Tower had 
 reached a height of fifty-nine feet. Work on the ma- 
 sonry was resumed on March 27th, and has continued unin- 
 terruptedly since, and the tower is now eighty- eight feet 
 above high water, and there is stone enough on hand to 
 complete the Tower to the roadway, at an elevation of 
 one hundred and twenty feet, which point it is expected 
 will be reached by August 1st. 
 
 It will be necessary to make arrangements for more 
 stone for that Tower at once, in order that the work may 
 not be interrupted. 
 
 BROOKLYN AJNCHOEAG B. 
 
 After continued and persistent efforts to purchase the 
 propert}' for the Brooklyn anchorage by agreement with 
 the owners, it became evident that no satisfactory ar- 
 rangement could be made, and application was made to 
 the court to appoint commissioners to appraise the prop- 
 erty to be taken. The commission consisted of Messrs. 
 Silas Ludlam, Wm. J. Osborne, and Isaac Badeau. 
 
 They entered at once upon their duties, and on 
 January 7, 1873, their report was confirmed, and the 
 property passed into the hands of the Bridge Company. 
 
 The buildings were advertised to be sold at public 
 auction on the 6th of February, at which time they were 
 sold, and the purchasers required to remove them in 
 twenty days. At the expiration of that time the work of 
 excavation for the anchorage was commenced. As soon 
 as the frost was sufficiently out of the ground the work- 
 ins; force was increased, and the work has been carried 
 on rapidly since. On the 27th of May the excavation 
 was completed, 17,500 cubic yards of material having 
 been removed. The excavation was made to an average 
 depth of twenty-five feet. A large proportion of the 
 material excavated was good building sand, and has been 
 
9 
 
 stored for future use by the Bridge Company. The 
 value of the sand thus preserved is about §8,000. A 
 portion of the material was a very fine sand, too fine for 
 liea vy masonry ; this was sold to Street contractors and 
 others. The yellow pine timber for the platform upon 
 which the masonry is to rest is on hand. The putting of 
 this timber in place is now in progress, and as soon as 
 completed the six boom-derricks which are ready will 
 be put in place, and the work of laying masonry be 
 commenced. 
 
 There is at the stone-yard at Red Hook sufficient stone 
 for the anchorage to lay the first six courses. It will be 
 necessary to make arrangements for stone this fall, in 
 order that the masonry may go on in the spring. Two 
 of the anchor-plates have been cast, and delivered at the 
 site of the anchorage, and the other two will be delivered 
 within two months, which will be in time. They arc 
 being cast at the South Brooklyn Steam Engine Works, 
 and, as far as delivered, are remarkably fine castings, 
 each weighing about twenty-three tons. 
 
 Two hundred and sixteen anchor-links have been re- 
 ceived from the Phoenix Iron Company. They are 
 about thirteen feet long, seven inches wide, and three 
 inches thick, and are splendid specimens of what Ameri- 
 can manufacturers can do. 
 
 LABOR. 
 
 No difficulty has been experienced during the year ; 
 all of the labor required, both common and skilled, hav- 
 ing been obtained at fair rates of compensation. 
 
 PURCHASES. 
 
 The supply department still continues under the super- 
 vision of the Treasurer, Mr. J. H. Prentice, who has 
 promptly furnished all requisite material for the prosecu- 
 tion of the work, and has been careful that the prices 
 have been the lowest in the market. 
 
10 
 
 CONTRACTS. 
 
 The principal contracts entered into during the year 
 are as follows : 
 
 Bodwell Granite Company. 
 
 July 24, 1872. — 12,000 cubic yards granite for New York Tower 
 to roadway. 
 
 Cut face stone at $20 00 per cubic yard. 
 
 Bevel " at. 27 00 
 
 Backing " at 15 00 " " 
 
 s Bodwell Granite Company. 
 
 Aug. 6, 1872. — 4,200 cubic yards granite from the roadway to the 
 springing line of the arches, for the Brooklyn 
 Tower. 
 
 Buttress face stone at $24 95 per cubic yard- 
 Pilaster «* at 26 50 
 
 Sloping offset " at 26 50 
 
 Dimension backing stone. 20 00 " " 
 Bead course at 30 00 " " 
 
 Lons Osborn. 
 
 Oct. 8, 1872.- -One double hoisting engine.' $2,575 00 
 
 William Butcher Steel Works. 
 Oct. 8, 1872. — Steel anchor-bars for New York Tower. 20 cents 
 per pound. 
 
 Conklin, Son & Beers. 
 Nov. 4, 1872.-60,000 feet B. 31. spruce timber, Brooklyn Tower, 
 
 at $23 00 per M. 
 
 Louis Osborn & Co. 
 
 Dec. 9, 1872.— Double hoisting engine $2,550 00 
 
 Quintard Iron Works. 
 
 Dec. 9,1872. — Iron rope-sockets at 30 cents per pound. 
 
 South Brooklyn Steam Engine Works. 
 Jan. 11, 1873. — Cast-iron anchor-plates at. . . .6j cents per pound. 
 T. M. Mayhew & Co. 
 
 Jan. 20, 1873.— About 220,000 feet B. M. yellow pine timber for 
 the Brooklyn anchorage, at. . . .$30 75 per M. 
 
11 
 
 Pikenix Iron Company. 
 Feb. 3, 1873. — Iron bars for Brooklyn anchorage, at 9 cts. per 11). 
 New York and Brooklyn Saw-Mill Company. 
 
 Alar. 3, 1873.— Oak for hoisting frames, at §83 00 per M. 
 
 Carnagie, Kloman & Co. 
 Mar. 22, 1873. — Iron bars for New York Tower, at 4 4-10 cents 
 per pound. 
 
 Bod well Granite Company. 
 
 April 21, 1873. — Granite for the Brooklyn Tower, from the spring- 
 ing line of the arches to the coping. 
 
 
 132 
 
 65 per 
 
 cubic 
 
 yard. 
 
 Panel " at 
 
 39 
 
 00 
 
 
 it 
 
 
 41 
 
 79 
 
 
 
 
 53 
 
 00 
 
 it 
 
 a 
 
 
 43 
 
 10 
 
 u 
 
 ti 
 
 Band course at key stone . 
 
 44 
 
 90 
 
 K 
 
 tt 
 
 Necking, and two bead 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 54 
 
 00 
 
 
 it 
 
 
 49 
 
 75 
 
 a 
 
 U 
 
 
 47 
 
 90 
 
 it 
 
 « 
 
 
 59 
 
 00 
 
 It 
 
 
 
 3G 
 
 00 
 
 a 
 
 ti 
 
 Four key stones at 
 
 83 
 
 00 
 
 
 
 Dimension backing at ... . 
 
 28 
 
 50 
 
 u 
 
 it 
 
 Common " at.... 
 
 15 
 
 00 
 
 
 
 Dimension backing for an- 
 
 
 
 
 
 chorage at 
 
 CO 
 
 25 
 
 it 
 
 
 Hubbard & Whittaker. 
 
 April 21, 1873. — Hoisting engine and fixtures for New York 
 Tower $7,590 74 
 
 W. Ames & Co. 
 
 April 2i, 1873. — Iron drift-bolts, Brooklyn anchorage, at 4g cents 
 per pound. 
 
 Herewith I present the report of Dr. A. H. Smith, em- 
 bodying his observations upon the effects of the com- 
 pressed air on the men in the caisson work. It is exceed- 
 
12 
 
 ingly interesting, both as a history of our work and as a 
 contribution to the general knowledge upon that subject. 
 
 ENGINEERING AND SUPERINTENDENCE. 
 
 During the year, as previously, the immediate super- 
 vision of the work has been in the hands of the Engineer- 
 ing Department, and the rapidity and economy with 
 which the work lias been executed reflects great credit, 
 both upon the judgment and ability of the Engineers, 
 and is the best evidence of their fidelity to the trust re- 
 posed in them. 
 
 Mr. O. P. Quintard has held the position of book- 
 keeper and paymaster during the year, and has performed 
 his duties in a manner highly creditable to himself 
 and to my entire satisfaction. 
 
 The masonry has been executed under the general 
 supervision of Mr. Thos. G. Douglas as master mason, 
 and he has been assisted by Foremen C. C. Townley. 
 Alexander McKenna, and James Bell. The fact that 
 over 21,000 cubic yards of masonry have been laid during 
 the year at heights varying from four feet to one hundred 
 and sixty-four feet above high water, without accident and 
 without interruption from preventable causes, is evidence 
 sufficient of the skill and carefulness with which Mr. 
 Douglas and his assistants have performed their work. 
 
 Air. E. F. Farrington still holds the position of master 
 carpenter, and all of the work in his department has at 
 all times received his constant, vigilant, and intelligent 
 attention. His careful forethought has enabled him to 
 be prepared beforehand with all of the complicated 
 and important work required from his department, so 
 that in no case has the work been delayed on his ac- 
 count. 
 
 Mr. A. H. Smith is still master machinist and engineer, 
 and has kept all of the machinery of the Company in 
 perfect working order, which has greatly facilitated the 
 work. 
 
Mr. C. W. Young is general foreman of labor, and 
 evinces rare ability in organizing the labor force to ac- 
 complish the varied and often difficult operations incident 
 to the work. 
 
 Mr. O. B. Poor is at present, and has been during this 
 season, in charge of the labor at the New York Tower, 
 and has performed his varied duties with skill and 
 judgment, and to entire satisfaction. 
 
 Mr. F. Mollard has had entire charge of the stone-yard 
 at Red Hook, and during the year he has received from 
 vessels and stored in the yard 25,000 cubic yards of stone, 
 and has re-loaded on scows for the Towers over 21>000 
 cubic yards of stone, all with promptness and without 
 accident. 
 
 All of the men in charge of work for the Bridge Com- 
 pany appear to take an active interest in the work, and 
 evince a willingness and determination to forward it as 
 rapidly as possible. 
 
 RESUME. 
 
 The Brooklyn Tower is now one hundred and sixty- 
 four feet above high water, and the material is on hand 
 to complete it to the springing lines of the arches, and 
 the work is progressing regularly and rapidly. The New 
 York Tower is now eighty- eight feet above high water, 
 and material sufficient is on hand to complete it to the 
 roadway, and everything is in good working order, and 
 the work proceeding rapidly and successfully. 
 
 The anchorage in Brooklyn is considerably farther ad- 
 vanced at this time than was expected, and the timber 
 will all be laid before July 1st, and the masonry will be 
 commenced soon after. 
 
 Very respectfully, 
 
 WILLIAM C. KINGS LEY, 
 
 General Superintendent. 
 
THE EFFECTS 
 
 OF 
 
 High atmospheric Pressur 
 
 INCLUDING THE 
 
 CAISSON" DISEAS 
 
 By ANDREW H. SMITH, M. D., 
 
 Surgeon to the New York Bridge Company, 
 
 Member of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia 
 Corresponding Member of the Gesellschaft fur Heilkunde, 
 Berlin; late of the Medical Staff of the Regular 
 Army ; Surgeon to the Throat Department of the 
 Manhattan Eye and Ear Hospital ; Physician 
 to St. Luke's Hospital, etc. 
 
REPORT 
 
 ON 
 
 THE EFFECTS OF HIGH ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE, 
 
 INCLUDING THE 
 
 CAISSON DISEASE. 
 
 By ANDREW IT. SMITH, M. I)., 
 Surgeon to the Company. 
 
 To the Board of Director* of the New York Bridge Company : 
 Gentlemen : — 
 
 This Report was originally intended simply to present my own ex- 
 perience as Surgeon to the New York Bridge Company during the 
 sinking of the second caisson. But in endeavoring to compare this 
 experience with that of others who had had opportunities of observ- 
 ing the effects of high atmospheric pressure, I found that the litera- 
 ture of the subject consisted only of isolated reports by different 
 individuals, in different languages, and having little or no reference 
 one to another, so that a great deal of research was required to obtain 
 a connected view of the subject. It seemed to me, therefore, de- 
 sirable not to add another to the list of disjointed fragments, but 
 rather to incorporate my own observations with the existing mate- 
 rial, and thus present in one view a resume of our actual knowledge 
 upon the subject. This I have endeavored to do briefly in the follow- 
 ing pages. For whatever is purely theoretical, however, and espe- 
 cially as regards the pathology of the Caisson Disease, I must accept 
 the entire responsibility, unless reference is made to other authority. 
 
 CHAPTER FIRST. 
 
 . HISTOKY. 
 
 The discoveries of Torricelli, in 1643, which led to his invention of 
 the barometer, and the further elucidation by Pascal of the principles 
 of atmospheric pressure, five years later, were followed by confused 
 and contradictory speculations on every hand as to what would be 
 the effect upon animal life if the barometric changes so eagerly 
 observed assumed a wider range. 
 
 Dr. Henshaw, an English physician, published an essay in 1G64, in 
 which he proposed to treat diseases by varying the pressure of the 
 atmosphere by which the patient was surrounded. His idea was to 
 have a room (domicilium) constructed of masonry, and made air- 
 
 2 
 
18 
 
 tight, in which the sick person could remain in an atmosphere "which 
 was to be either rarefied or condensed by the action of an organ 
 bellows. 
 
 He fancied that acute diseases would be benefited by an increased 
 pressure, while chronic diseases on the other hand demanded a rare- 
 fied atmosphere. His views seem, however, to have been purely theo- 
 retical, as there is no record of any serious attempt to reduce them to 
 practice. 
 
 More than a century elapsed before the subject again awakened the 
 attention of scientific men. In the year 1783 the Academy of Sci- 
 ences of Haarlem offered a prize for a description of the best appara- 
 tus for experimenting upon the effects of compressed air, with a 
 record of experiments made by means of it on animal life, the growth 
 of plants, and the inflammability of the different gases. This 
 prize, however, was not contended for until more than half a century 
 later. 
 
 Diving-bells were brought into use as early as the beginning of the 
 sixteenth century, but the condensation of the air within them does 
 not seem to have attracted attention, at least as affecting the occu- 
 pant. Indeed, whatever influence the increased pressure may have 
 exerted was masked by the impurity of the air, which, in the ma- 
 chines first employed, was not renewed. It was found that the 
 strongest man could not remain under water longer than an hour ; but 
 the ill effects experienced were attributed to the heat Avhich accumu- 
 lated in the bell, and which was supposed to affect respiration. Sub- 
 sequently, when an apparatus was added for supplying fresh air, it 
 was remarked that the workmen felt no inconvenience whatever. 
 
 The first observations of real value upon the effects of high at- 
 mospheric pressure were made at Howth, near Dublin, in the year 1820, 
 by a distinguished Russian physician named HameL In the course of 
 some engineering work in which diving-bells were employed, Dr. 
 Hamel had the opportunity of studying the effects of compressed air, 
 not only upon the workmen, but also upon himself. In describing his 
 own experience, he states that at the depth of five or six feet severe 
 pain was felt in the ears, which was relieved in a measure by swal- 
 lowing. At fifteen or sixteen feet, there was a noise in the ears like 
 an explosion, followed by entire relief from the pain. His respiration 
 was perfectly easy. 
 
 The ascent was accomplished with much less inconvenience than 
 the descent. 
 
 Hamel states that one of the workmen became so accustomed to 
 the air of the bell as to be uncomfortable under the usual atmospheric 
 pressure.* 
 
 * Bibliotheque de Geneve, 1820. 
 
19 
 
 In 1836, Dr. Collation published observations made at the same 
 time and place as the above. In winter the hours of work in the 
 bells were five daily ; in summer, five and ten alternately. Toward 
 the elose of the work, each day the men became very much exhausted, 
 and were given a little brandy and a bit of bread. Those newly em- 
 ployed suffered with pain in the head and ears, and were often 
 affected with colic and diarrhoea, which last were attributed to cold 
 and wet . Increase of appetite and augmentation of the urine were 
 observed. In some cases, deafness was relieved, and one case of 
 asthma was entirely cured. 
 
 In 1835, Junod published the results of extensive experiments upon 
 compressed air as a remedial agent.* This was the beginning of a 
 series of memoirs upon this subject appearing in rapid succession in 
 France and Germany. Institutions sprang up in various parts of the 
 Continent designed to afford the most approved facilities for this 
 mode of treatment, and the results obtained were, and continue to 
 be, highly satisfactory. The "compressed air-baths" are especially 
 useful in the treatment of pulmonary diseases and of dyspepsia. 
 
 Rut as the pressure employed in these baths is comparatively slight, 
 usually not more than eight or ten pounds to the square inch, the 
 effects observed differ widely from those produced by the high pres- 
 sure employed for engineering purposes. This difference is not only 
 in degree, but also in kind, and therefore the literature relating to 
 compressed air as a remedy. + although rich, and in itself very in- 
 teresting, throws but little light upon the subject of this discussion. 
 It is probable, however, that the investigations in this direction of 
 Junot, Tabarie, and Pravaz first suggested the employment of com- 
 pressed ail* as a substitute for pumps in mining operations. 
 
 To M. Triger, a French engineer, belongs the credit of first con- 
 ceiving and carrying out a plan by which atmospheric pressure was 
 made to keep back the water flowing into a mining shaft. It had 
 long been known that the valley of the Loire was underlaid by an ex- 
 tensive bed of coal, but, inasmuch as in order to reach the coal it 
 was necessary to pass through twenty metres of quicksand in commu- 
 nication with the water of the river, the engineering difficulties had 
 been considered, until the advent of Triger. as insurmountable. To 
 keep a shaft dry by pumping was equivalent to pumping out the 
 Loire. To meet this difficulty, Triger conceived the idea of sinking 
 an iron tube through the quicksand, the interior of the tube being 
 kept free from water during the excavation by condensing the air in 
 
 * Archives Gcnerales de Medicine. 
 
 t Those interested in this subject will find it exhaustively treated in an admira- 
 ble work by Dr. Rudolf v. Vivenot : " Zur Erkenntniss der Physiologischen Wir- 
 kung und der Therapeutischen Anwendung der Verdichteten Luft." Erlangen, 
 May, 1S72. 
 
20 
 
 the tube to the point of counterbalancing the pressure of the water. 
 After some preliminary experiments made by the aid of Tabarie's 
 remedial bath, the work was begun in 1839, near Chalonncs. A tube 
 of iron, seventy feet long by three and one-half feet in diameter, was 
 provided, with a box or chamber at the top, such as we now call an 
 air lock, having a valve above opening inward, and another below 
 opening downward into the tube. These valves were of such a size 
 as to permit the passage of the workmen, and the removal of the ex- 
 cavated material. The workmen having passed into the lock, tin 
 upper valve was closed, and a cock opened communicating with the 
 main tube, where the air was compressed sufficiently to keep back 
 the water, the compression being effected by means of condensers 
 worked by steam. The pressure in the lock having become equal to 
 that in the main tube, the lower valve was opened and the workmen 
 descended into the tube. In going out, or in sending out material, the 
 process was reversed. The tube was forced down into the earth in 
 proportion as the workmen excavated at the bottom. 
 
 It will thus be seen that the first attempt at this mode of working 
 embraced all the essential features of the method as now employed. 
 
 In his undertaking, Triger was completely successful. The quick- 
 sand was passed and the coal reached, and at the same time there was 
 given to the world a new engineering resource of exceeding value. 
 
 It is much to be regretted that these operations were not carried on 
 under the eye of a competent medical observer. The onty report we 
 have of them is by M. Triger himself,* and it is natural that the en- 
 gineering rather than the medical aspect of the question should prin- 
 cipally engage his attention. His notice of the effects of the com- 
 pressed air upon the workmen is extremely meagre, and is summed 
 up in the following points : 
 
 "1. At the pressure of three atmospheres it is impossible to whis- 
 tle, while a lower pressure does not produce this effect. 
 
 "2. In the compressed air, every one speaks through the nose, and 
 this is the more noticeable the higher the pressure. 
 
 " 3. All the laborers remarked that in ascending the ladders they 
 were much less out of breath Qmoi/is essouffles) than when mounting 
 to a similar height in the open air. 
 
 "4. A laborer who had been deaf since the seige of Antwerp, 
 (1832.) always heard more distinctly in the compressed air than any 
 of his comrades. 
 
 "No illness was occasioned among the laborers except that two of 
 them, after seven hours of labor in the tube, experienced severe pains 
 
 * Comptes Rendues. T. XIII. 1841. "Memoire sur vm appareil a air com- 
 prine pour le perceiiieut cles puits, etc. Par M. Triger. 
 
21 
 
 in the arms and knees, coming on about half an hour after ascending 
 into the open air." These are the first recorded cases of what I have 
 named the Cttixxon Disease. 
 
 About the year 1850 compressed air was first employed in the 
 sinking of piers. A railway bridge was constructed over the Medway. 
 between Rochester and Chatham, the piers of which rested on a basis 
 composed of hollow iron piles, forty-two inches in diameter, each of 
 Which was sunk in precisely the same manner as the tube of Triger. 
 1 have not been able to find any record of the effects of the com- 
 pressed air upon the men employed, though some accidents due to 
 this cause are stated to have occurred. 
 
 The results obtained by Triger led, in 1845, to the application of 
 the same principle to the working of the mine at Douchy, Depart- 
 ment du Nord. The laborers iu this case were under the supervision 
 of MM. B. Pol and T. J. J. Watelle, who published an extremely in- 
 teresting memoir upon the subject.* 
 
 The entire personnel comprised sixty-four men. who were employed 
 at two different epochs, under different pressures. They were 
 divided into gangs of six or seven each, laboring alternately four 
 hours twice a day. At first, the time allowed for locking out was 
 one-fourth of an hour, but as the pressure increased it was extended 
 to half an hour. The maximum pressure was three and one-half 
 atmospheres. 
 
 After each shift the men bathed and put on dry clothes, when a 
 cup of bouillon and a glass of Bordeaux were served to each man. 
 
 As the number of cases of illness increased, a sort of ambulance, or 
 temporary hospital, was established at the spot. 
 
 At a pressure of two and three-quarter atmospheres, Pol experi- 
 enced in his own person the pain in the ears while locking in, and the 
 ease with which a ladder is ascended in the compressed air, confirm- 
 ing in this latter particular the observation of Triger. The soot from 
 the candles with which the ah* of the shaft was loaded, produced a 
 troublesome cough, attended with black expectoration. The mucous 
 membrane of the nose and throat became stained with it, and even 
 the fa?ccs were blackened. 
 
 While locking out there was experienced by all the men a feeling 
 of suffocation. Pol was the first to perceive that the real danger was 
 in passing from the condensed into the normal atmosphere, instead of 
 in passing in the reverse direction. On emerging into the open air, 
 he found that his pulse, which had fallen while in the caisson from 
 seventy, its normal standard, to fifty-five, rose suddenly to eighty- 
 five. When the pressure had increased to three and one-half at- 
 
 * Memoire sur les Effets de la Compression tie 1'air, etc. Annales d' Hygiene 
 Publique et de Med. Legale, 1S64. 
 
22 
 
 mospheres, he again entered the caisson. The unpleasant sensations 
 already referred to were found to be intensified. In blowing his nose 
 he accidentally discovered that this operation gave much more perfect 
 relief to the ears than the act of swallowing. In speaking he found 
 that the tongue moved stiffly and with difficulty. Sounds were not 
 heard with their usual intensity. The secretion of urine was decid- 
 edly increased. After reaching home he was seized with severe pain 
 in one arm and shoulder, and in the walls of the chest. Afterward, 
 there were chills, followed by vomiting. Rest in the horizontal po- 
 sition, and the use of sudorifics, restored him to his usual health by 
 the following day. 
 
 Of the sixty-four men employed, thirty-nine continued until the 
 work was completed, and twenty-five were compelled to give up their 
 places, not being able to support the effects of the compressed air. 
 
 The most usual affection was muscular pains, occurring either alone 
 or ushering in other symptoms. Pulmonary congestion occurred in 
 several cases, but it may well be questioned whether the excessive 
 impurity of the air, as evinced by the amount of soot it contained, 
 may not have had much to do with the production of this otherwise 
 unusual result. Other symptoms which he describes, such as great 
 hebitude, incoherence of speech, tottering gait, etc., indicate the 
 effects of carbonic acid, and as no mention is made of any provision 
 for removing the products of combustion and respiration, this gas 
 must have been present in considerable quantity. 
 
 The conclusions arrived at by Pol are as follows : 
 
 1. A pressure of four and one-quarter atmospheres is not in itself 
 dangerous, but the return into the open air may cause serious acci- 
 dents, and even sudden death. The danger is in proportion to the 
 previous pressure. 
 
 2. The pathological changes consist in visceral congestions, among 
 which congestion of the lungs and brain take the foremost rank. 
 
 3. The tendency to these congestions increases with the age, at 
 least between eighteen and fifty-five. 
 
 4. Not the period of greatest strength, which is between thirty and 
 forty, but that between eighteen and twenty-six is that which is ex- 
 posed to the least danger. 
 
 5. Experience teaches that the ill effects are in proportion to the 
 rapidity with which the transition is made from the compressed air to 
 the normal atmosphere. 
 
 6. Unimportant troubles, such as cough, gastric symptoms, etc.. 
 may be due to the smoke from the lamps. 
 
 7. The treatment is not different from that which is usual when 
 like symptoms arise from other causes. The first indication is to 
 
23 
 
 bring about a reaction, which is in turn to be combatted when it ex- 
 ceeds physiologies? limits. 
 
 8. One case seems to indicate that the quickest and safest means of 
 restoration is an immediate return into the compressed air. 
 
 9. Cold to the surface is the best means for restoring the function of 
 the skin. 
 
 About the year 185G this method of excavation was employed in 
 the coal mines at Eischweiler, near Aix-le-Chapelle. No phenomena 
 were observed differing from those already described, except that 
 bleeding from the nose occurred in several cases on emerging into 
 the open air.* 
 
 About 1858-9 excavation by the aid of compressed air was exten- 
 sively employed in laying the foundations of piers for bridges. 
 Among the first of these were the Quarantine Bridge at Lyons, the 
 bridge at Macon, and the chain bridge over the Thiess. A report 
 upon the latter is contained in the " Annales des Ponts et des Chaus- 
 ses," for 1859. Kinging and pain in the ears were complained of by 
 the laborers, as also pain in the teeth, and in the muscles generally. 
 The sound of the voice was observed to be changed, and the breath- 
 ing to be quickened. The return to the open air was often followed 
 by bleeding at the nose. Men of several different nationalities were 
 employed, and it was observed that the Hungarians and the French 
 suffered least, while the Italians, Germans, and Sclavonians were 
 most affected. 
 
 In 1859, the mines at Eischweiler were re-opened, compressed air 
 being again employed. The pressure did not exceed two and one- 
 half atmospheres. The duration of the shifts was six hours. Exces- 
 sive sweating was observed, followed by thirst after leaving the mine. 
 There was generally impairment of appetite. t 
 
 At the same time work was being carried on by similar means in 
 the coal mines at Liittich. According to the statement of the super- 
 intendent, the men became so emaciated that after a few months they 
 could no longer be prevailed upon to continue the work, notwith- 
 standing large wages were offered and the most nourishing food 
 provided. 
 
 Perhaps the most extensive work undertaken in Europe by the aid 
 of compressed air was the bridge over the Rhine, at Strasburg. An 
 account of this is given by Dr. Francois, who had medical charge of 
 the workmen. X 
 
 * Vivenot. Wirkung der Verdichteten Luft. 
 t Ibid. 
 
 X " Des effets sur les ouvriers travaillant dans les caissons servants de base aux 
 piles du Pout du Grand Khin." Annales d' Hygiene Publique et de Med. Legale. 
 T. XIV. 1SC0. 
 
24 
 
 The caissons were fourteen in number, each seven metres long by 
 live and eight-tenths wide and three and five-tenths high. The 
 locks were two metres in diameter and four metres in height. 
 
 Francois refers to the progressive impairment of hearing as the 
 pressure increased in the lock ; to the increase of temperature from 
 the compression of the air ; and to the accumulation of soot in the 
 air-passages, which had been before observed by other writers. On 
 going out of the caissons, intense pain in the ears sometimes occurred, 
 together with muscular and arthritic pains. A very annoying itching 
 of the skin was sometimes felt. Cerebral congestions, hoemoptysis, 
 and bleeding at the nose, were also not uncommon. Sometimes these 
 various affections occurred immediately upon leaving the caisson, 
 while in other cases they were deferred for several hours. In two or 
 three instances the men were able to walk home, and afterward fell 
 li as if struck by lightning." The attacks usually passed off quickly. 
 Only one death occurred, and that resulted from breaking the rule as 
 to the length of time to be occupied in locking out. 
 
 The rule established was to allow from four to five minutes in 
 locking out when the pressure was one-quarter to one-half an at- 
 mosphere ; six to seven minutes for one atmosphere ; ten for one and 
 one-half atmospheres ; twelve for two atmospheres. A woolen vest 
 was provided for each man to be put on when leaving the caisson, in 
 order to guard against the effect of the sudden reduction of tempera- 
 ture which resulted from the expansion of the air in the lock. It was 
 observed that the foremen suffered much less than the laborers, since 
 their superior intelligence enabled them to realize the necessity of 
 observing the rules. 
 
 Some other points observed by this writer will be referred to here- 
 after in their proper connection. 
 
 In the year 1863, Dr. Antoine Ed. Foley published a monograph 
 comprising his observations upon the effects of condensed air as 
 demonstrated during the sinking of the piers for a bridge at Argen- 
 teuil.* The original work not being accessible, I avail myself of the 
 resume contained in the treatise of Vivenot, of which I give a some- 
 what condensed translation from the German. 
 
 Foley observes that during the time that the pressure was increas- 
 ing, the organs of hearing were always, without exception, affected. 
 Occasionally neuralgic pains were felt darting through the forehead, 
 the nasal cavities, and the jaws ; the voice acquired a metallic 
 sound ; whistling became impossible ; in a few cases stammering was 
 induced. Taste, smell, and the sense of touch lost their acuteness. 
 There was experienced a sense of warmth in the skin, as if one were 
 
 • " Du travail dans s'air coniprime, etude niedicale, hygienique et biologique, 
 faite au pout d'Argenteuil." Paris, 1S63. 
 
25 
 
 in a drying-room. The pulse became small and thready, sometime.-, 
 imperceptible to the touch. The venous blood had a bright red hue. 
 
 The lungs seemed to increase in development, while the motion of 
 the ribs was less. Shortness of breath was not often observed. In- 
 crease of appetite was soon experienced, but never thirst. 
 
 While the pressure remained stationary, all subjective phenomena 
 disappeared, to return again during the locking out. Ringing of the 
 ears and bulging of the ear drums were observed ; taste and smell re- 
 turned ; a prickling sense of warmth was felt in the nostril?, which 
 was sometimes followed by bleeding at the nose. At the same time 
 the rapid decline of the temperature from the expansion of the air 
 caused extreme chilliness. 
 
 At first the laborers remained in the compressed air four hours at a 
 time, twice a day, with an interval of rest. But as the pressure in- 
 creased it was found necessary to diminish the hours of labor. 
 
 The ill effects upon the workmen were almost entirely confined to 
 a distressing itching of the skin and painful congestive swelling of 
 the muscles. They observed that the appetite was increased while 
 thirst was diminished. The flow of urine was also greater than 
 usual. 
 
 A remarkable case is mentioned, in which a man, far advanced in 
 consumption, with an enormous cavity in one lung, and suffering 
 from nectic, persisted in working in the caisson, contrary to the 
 advice of Foley, and at the end of two months had gained very 
 much in flesh, was looking well, and feeling in the best of health. 
 
 I shall have occasion hereafter, when treating of the Caisson Dis- 
 ease, to refer more in detail to some of the experiences of this writer. 
 
 In the year 1868 there was begun at St. Louis a work which 
 involved the application of compressed ah- on a scale far exceeding 
 anything before attempted. This was the sinking of two piers and 
 two abutments for a bridge across the Mississippi. The magnitude 
 of the work consisted in the great depth to which it was necessary to 
 sink the caissons, in order to obtain a solid foundation. One of them, 
 at the moment when it touched the rock, was 110 feet below the 
 surface of the water. This implied a pressure within the caisson of 
 oO lbs. to the square inch. The dimensions of the caissons, too, far 
 exceeded those of any before constructed, the average superficial 
 area being about 3,700 square feet. . 
 
 A large number of workmen were employed, and an opportunity 
 was presented for studying the effects of compressed air upon the 
 human bod}' on a scale which dwarfed all former experiences into 
 comparative insignificance. 
 
 The physician in charge was Dr. A. Jaminet, whose report is 
 extremely interesting.* It describes a number of valuable experi- 
 
 * Physical Effects of Compressed Air. St. Louis, 1871. 
 
20 
 
 ments upon the boiling point of water at various pressures, electri- 
 cal phenomena, etc. , and proceeds to detail the physiological action 
 of high atmospheric pressure as demonstrated upon himself and 
 others. The writer then gives his own experience in an attack of 
 paralysis resulting from a prolonged sojourn in the caisson— a paraly- 
 sis from which he fortunately recovered by the following day. 
 
 He next discusses the mode in which the pressure acts to bring 
 about the morbid phenomena observed, and arrives at the conclusion, 
 which the facts do not seem to me to warrant, that the ill effects 
 are simply the result of exhaustion from too rapid tissue-change, 
 caused by the absorption of an excess of oxygen. Following out 
 this idea, he lays down a plan of treatment which consists simply of 
 rest in a recumbent position, with the feet elevated, and the adminis- 
 tration of stimulants and nourishment. 
 
 He describes, more or less in detail, seventy-seven cases, in eight of 
 which death took place. The post-mortem appearances in these are 
 described. They were all characterized by congestion of the brain 
 and cord, and of most of the abdominal viscera. 
 
 Dr. Jaminet's observations are exceedingly valuable ; but some of 
 his conclusions seem to have been arrived at without sufficient 
 thought. It is especially to be regretted that his theory of exhaus- 
 tion, framed at the outset, prevented the trial of remedial plans other 
 than the routine administration of stimulants and beef-tea. 
 
 The facts observed by Dr. Jaminet will be frequently referred to 
 in the following pages, care being taken to give him credit for all that 
 had not been anticipated by others. 
 
 CHAPTER SECOND. 
 
 THE XEW YORK CAISSON. 
 
 Before the St. Louis Bridge was projected, a much more gigantic 
 work had been inaugurated at New York, and plans and specifica- 
 tions had been adopted which anticipated the leading features of the 
 work at St. Louis. To cross a stream 1,600 feet in width with a 
 single span was an idea never before entertained. But the difficul- 
 ties were immensely increased by the fact that the towers to support 
 this immense structure had to be erected under circumstances that 
 rendered the usual methods for sinking piers impracticable. It was, 
 therefore, determined to employ the method by compressed air, and 
 caissons'* were constructed having the horizontal dimensions of the 
 proposed piers, which, on the New York side, were 102 by 172 feet. 
 Each caisson was in effect a wooden box turned bottom upward, the 
 interior space being 9 feet high. The roof of the New York caisson 
 (bottom of the box) was 22 feet thick, of solid timber bolted to- 
 
gether, and was supported by frames running from side U> side, which 
 frames, together with the edges of the box, were to sustain the vast 
 superincumbent weight, aided by the upward pressure of the con- 
 densed air within the cai.sson. The area of the structure was equal 
 to seven building lots of 25x100 feet each 
 
 The caissons having been built on ways, were launched in the same 
 manner as a ship, and were towed to the points where the piers were 
 to be located. Courses of granite blocks M ere then laid upon the top 
 of the caisson, by which it was sunk until it rested upon the bed of 
 the river. Air was then forced into the chambers beneath by means 
 of engines upon the shore, until the water was entirely displaced, 
 and the river-bed left dry. The pressure was maintained at this 
 point, the engines working day and night. The workmen obtained 
 access to the chamber by means of two shafts w T kich extended above 
 the surface of the water. At the bottom of each shaft were two air- 
 locks, which were simply ante-chambers constructed of iron, into 
 which the men entered from the shaft, and, closing an air-tight door 
 behind them, admitted the compressed air from the caisson by means 
 of a cock, until the pressure in the lock reached the same degree as 
 that in the caisson, when a communicating door was opened, and the 
 men passed into the chamber below. In going out, the process Avas re- 
 versed, the compressed air in the lock being allowed to blow off 
 through a cock into the open shaft. The control of these cocks was 
 intrusted to men detailed exclusively for that work, and upon their 
 proper management depended the comfort, if not the life, of every 
 one in the lock. 
 
 By a very ingenious arrangement, which it is not necessary to de- 
 scribe here, the earth excavated from beneath the caisson was car- 
 ried up to the surface without affording opportunity for the air to es- 
 cape. In this way the earth was being constantly removed from un- 
 derneath the caisson, and the vast mass settled day by clay down 
 through the gravel and quicksand, which formed the bed of the river, 
 until at a depth of 78 feet on the New York side, a solid foundation 
 was reached. In proportion as the caisson settled the masonry upon 
 it was built up, so that the top of the stone-work was always above 
 water. When a solid foundation had been reached, the interior of 
 the caisson was filled with concrete, and the 400,000 cubic feet of 
 timber was left buried nearly 80 feet below the surface, where, prac- 
 tically indestructible, it remains as the foundation of the tower. 
 
 Of course the pressure of air required to keep the water out of the 
 caisson increased in exact proportion to the depth. Thus, at the 
 beginning of the work, the caisson being covered by forty feet of 
 water, the pressure was about eighteen pounds to the square inch , 
 while at the close of the work it stood at thirty-six poimds. 
 
28 
 
 The air-locks were connected with the surface of the pier by means 
 of a spiral stairway within the shaft. Ascending this was found to 
 be exceedingly fatiguing as the depth increased, and the stair in one 
 of the shafts was finally replaced by a steam elevator. 
 
 Looking upon it merely from a sanitary point of view, I regard it 
 as a serious mistake to have placed the air-locks at the bottom 
 instead of at the top of the shafts, as by that arrangement the men 
 were compelled to make a fatiguing ascent at the moment when the 
 circulation was embarrassed and the system unstrung by the sudden 
 removal of the pressure. All testimony is agreed upon the ease, on 
 the one hand, with which exertion is supported while in the com- 
 pressed air, and upon the unfitness of the system, on the other hand, 
 to bear even the slightest fatigue during the period immediately fol- 
 lowing the change to the normal atmosphere. These considerations 
 should render the rule invariable that the air-lock is to be placed at 
 the top of the shaft, unless an elevator is employed. In this view I 
 am sustained by all the engineers connected with the work. 
 
 The caisson was lighted by gas supplied by means of a force-pump. 
 The combustion of the gas, together with the breathing of the work- 
 men, gave rise to the formation of a large quantity of carbonic acid. 
 It soon became evident that the amount of air which was required to 
 supply the leakage and keep up the requisite pressure was not ade- 
 quate to maintain a healthy standard of purity in the air respired. 
 This conclusion, arrived at by observation and calculation, was con- 
 firmed by trial. A rough, but satisfactory, test was supplied by tak- 
 ing a bottle of lime-water into the caisson and passing the ah" through 
 the water by means of an ordinary flexible rubber syringe. It was 
 found that a few compressions of the bulb were sufficient to give the 
 water a decidedly milky hue. This method has the advantage over 
 that employed by Dr. Jaminet, viz. , merely shaking an open bottle 
 containing lime-water — that it constantly brings new portions of air 
 into contact with the fluid. 
 
 By increasing the number of compressors by which the air was 
 supplied, (the excess of air escaping beneath the edge of the caisson,) 
 the atmosphere was brought to such a degree of purity as to contain 
 only one-third of one per cent, of carbonic acid, as I determined by 
 actual analysis. This amount of vitiation was found not to affect the 
 men unfavorably. To maintain this standard, however, nearly 
 150,000 cubic feet of air were required per hour. 
 
 The number of men employed at one time in the caisson varied 
 from fif ty to one hundred and twenty-five in the day time, and from 
 fifteen to thirty during the night. At first the time was divided into 
 two "shifts" of four horns each, separated by an interval of two 
 hours. As the depth increased the hours were reduced, until at last 
 
2<) 
 
 the two shifts comprised but four hours, divided by a four hours' 
 interval. 
 
 It was not until the pressure had reached about twenty-four pounds 
 that any serious effect upon the men was observed. At this time I 
 began my daily attendance of from one to three hours at the bridge. 
 The first step was to prepare a set of printed rules, copies of which 
 were posted conspicuously. These rules were as follows : 
 
 1st. — Never enter the caisson with an empty stomach. 
 2d. — Use as far as possible a meat diet, and take warm coffee 
 freely. 
 
 3d. — Always put on extra clothing on coming out, and avoid ex- 
 posure to cold. 
 
 4th. — Exercise as little as may be during the first hour after coming 
 out, and lie down if possible. 
 5th. — Use intoxicating liquors sparingly ; better not at all. 
 Gth. — Take at least eight horns' sleep every night. 
 7th.— See that the bowels are open every day. 
 8th. — Never enter the caisson if at all sick. 
 
 9th. — Report at once at the office all cases of illness, even if the}- 
 occur after going home. 
 
 I next subjected all the men to an examination intended to exclude 
 all who were suffering from heart or lung disease, and those en- 
 feebled by age or intemperance. All new men thereafter were re- 
 quired to present a permit signed by me before they were allowed to 
 enter the caisson. Though but few were actually rejected, the 
 knowledge that they would be examined, doubtless deterred man}- 
 who were not sound from applying for work. The 'personnel w T as 
 therefore of the best, as it then appeared. Subsequent experience 
 would, however, have modified my choice materially. 
 
 On my recommendation a cup of good coffee was served to each 
 man immediately upon leaving the caisson. It appeared to relieve, 
 in a measure, the nervous prostration which marked. the return to the 
 open air ; and possibly, by the effect which coffee is known to have, 
 it may have done something, also, to check the tendency to too rapid 
 tissue-change. 
 
 A large room in the yard was fitted up with bunks and benches, 
 which afforded the men an opportunity of resting while the changes 
 were going on in the system which were required to bring it into its 
 normal condition after coming up. Connected with this room were 
 conveniences for hot and cold bathing, and also lockers in which each 
 man kept a change of dry under-clothing, to be put on immediately 
 
30 
 
 on coming up. Each man was supplied by the company with a pair 
 of long rubber boots, which were rendered necessary by the work re- 
 quiring them to stand more or less in the water. 
 
 The physical conditions to which the men were subjected in their 
 work were very peculiar. In the first place, in passing through the 
 lock in going clown, there was a very sudden rise of temperature from 
 the condensation of the air This rise amounted to upwards of 30° 
 F. in many cases, and not infrequently, when the outside tempera- 
 ture was low, to 50° or 60°. This change in the temperature was 
 coincident with an increase of atmospheric pressure of from 18 to 
 36 lbs. to the square inch. At the same time the men passed from an 
 atmosphere of the usual dryness to one saturated or super-saturated 
 with moisture. The labor required in the caisson was not unusually 
 severe. After from two to four hours passed in the compressed air, 
 the men repaired to the locks, where in the space of from seven to 
 fifteen minutes the pressure was reduced to the normal standard. 
 As the result of the expansion of the air in the lock, the temperature 
 fell as rapidly as it rose in the former case. This, which was felt to 
 be a serious inconvenience in the Brooklyn caisson, was remedied on 
 the New York side by surrounding the interior of the lock with coils 
 of pipe heated by steam. The steam was shut off at all times except 
 while locking out. 
 
 The moisture of the atmosphere of the caisson, referred to above, 
 was caused partly by the "water-packing" used in the condensers 
 which supplied the air, and partly by the water with which the 
 soil underneath the caisson was saturated. 
 
 From the 25th of January, 1872, when I assumed medical charge 
 of the men, until the 31st of May, when I resigned the position, 110 
 cases of sickness occurred which were fairly due to the compressed 
 air, and were of sufficient severity to come under treatment. Of 
 these, three proved fatal. 
 
 The sick were treated in the first instance at the yard, where 
 a room was set apart as a temporary hospital. Cases occurring dur- 
 ing my absence were treated by the engineer on duty, according to 
 a specified plan: or, if the case was severe, I Avas summoned. 
 Serious cases were ultimately sent to the public hospitals or to their 
 homes. 
 
 The ages of the men ranged from 18 to 50. They were of almost 
 all nationalities, but I did not find that any sensible difference in 
 ability to bear the work resulted from nativity, as observed by Pol. 
 
 The habits of many of the men were doubtless not favorable to 
 health, but everything which admonition could do, was done to 
 restrain them from excesses. Many of them slept in crowded lodging- 
 houses, where the beds or bunks were arranged in tiers, one above 
 
Q1 
 
 the other ; iii rooms in which there was scarcely an attempt at venti- 
 lation. One of them fell a victim to spotted fever, contracted from 
 such surroundings, and his death was at once ascribed by his com- 
 rades to the effects of the condense^ air. 
 
 Serious inconvenience was occasioned to the men in the caisson by 
 the large amount of unconsumed carbon from the gas, which floated 
 in the air in the form of smoke. The inhalation of this produced 
 more or less irritation of the air-passages, and gave rise to a very 
 characteristic black expectoration. This continued for an astonish- 
 ingly long period after the work in the caisson was terminated. At 
 the time of my writing, nearly six months after the work was com- 
 pleted, some of the men are still coughing up sputa, streaked with 
 black. "Where this carbon could have been lodged for so long a 
 period, is a question which I am not prepared to answer. 
 
 The smoking of the gas was found by some experiments of Mr. 
 Collingwood, one of the engineers, to be due to the comparative 
 immobility of the compressed air, which prevented the formation of 
 the currents necessary to bring new supplies of oxygen to the flame. 
 By reducing the aperture of the burners, and at the same time giving 
 it such a form that the gas escaped in a thin sheet, a relatively great- 
 er surface was secured for contact with the air. This obviated almost 
 entirely the tendency to smoke, and added also to the illuminating 
 power of the gas. 
 
 The sinking of the caisson was begun on the 12th of December, 
 1871, and the filling in with concrete was completed on the 20th of 
 July. 1872 ; the duration of the submarine work being 221 days. 
 
 During this period I was in the habit of frequently entering the 
 caisson, remaining from one to two hours at a time. Yet in my case, 
 with the exception of occasional slight pain in the maxillary sinuses, 
 not the least inconvenience was experienced. 
 
 CHAPTER THIRD. 
 
 EFFECTS OF COMPRESSED AIR. 
 
 The effects of a highly condensed atmosphere upon the system 
 may be divided into those which are physiological or consistent with 
 health, and those which are pathological, and constitute or induce 
 disease 
 
 The physiological effects will be considered according to the organs 
 or functions in which they are exhibited. 
 
 Effect on the Hearing.— It is a law of acoustics that within the 
 limits of mobility the denser the medium through which the sound 
 waves are communicated, the larger the wave, and therefore the 
 
32 
 
 louder the sound. This supposes, of course, that the ear itself re- 
 mains under normal conditions. Such, however, is not the case 
 when the observer is in a highly condensed atmosphere. The un- 
 usual pressure upon all parts of the auditory apparatus opposes a 
 mechanical obstacle to the freedom of vibration, which is essential 
 to perfect hearing * Hence, although larger sound waves may strike 
 upon the ear-drum, feebler impressions are communicated to the 
 auditory nerve, and the sound appears to be fainter than in the open 
 air. Thus, by repeated experiments, I found that a watch that could 
 be heard distinctly at a distance of 18 inches in a very noisy place in 
 the open air, could not be heard at a greater distance than two inches 
 in the comparative silence of the caisson. 
 
 At the same time the velocity of the waves of sound is greater, and 
 hence the pitch is higher. A deep bass voice is changed to a shrill 
 treble, and the prolonged, heavy sound of a blast is so modified as to 
 resemble the sharp report of a pistol. 
 
 This modification of sound is very striking, and is almost the only 
 thing to remind the casual observer that he is moving about in an 
 atmosphere three or four times as dense as that to which he is accus- 
 tomed. 
 
 A curious fact, noticeable under these circumstances, and one which 
 was long ago observed in diving-bells, is that it is impossible to 
 w r histle. The utmost effort of the expiratory muscles is not suffi- 
 cient to increase materially the density of the air in the cavity of the 
 mouth, and hence on its escape there is not sufficient expansion to 
 produce a musical note. A similar difficulty, though in a less degree, 
 is experienced in speaking, and for this reason protracted conversa- 
 tion is very fatiguing. 
 
 Effect upon Respiration. — In a highly compressed air, the frequency 
 of the respiration is increased. Dr. Jaminet gives the rate as 21 per 
 minute, with a pressure of 33 lbs., which accords with my ow T n ob- 
 servations. He ascribes this increase of three or four per minute to 
 an increased absorption of oxygen. Experiments show, however, 
 that simply increasing the supply of oxygen, diminishes the frequency 
 of respiration instead of increasing it. The true explanation, I 
 think, is to be found in the fact that the quantity of carbonic acid 
 held in solution by blood, as by water, is in proportion to the pressure 
 to which the gas is subjected ; and hence with the pressure existing 
 in the caisson, the elimination of carbonic acid from the blood would 
 not be as perfect as under normal circumstances, unless the air in the 
 lungs were more frequently changed. As observed by Frangois and 
 Dr. Jaminet, the depth of the inspirations is also increased. With 
 
 * An analogous fact was observed by Foley, viz., that his watch invariably lost 
 time when taken into the caisson, thus showing that the movements of the bal- 
 ance-wheel were less free in the compressed than in the normal air. 
 
33 
 
 the view of appreciating the amount of increase of the respiratory 
 movements, as well in amplitude as in frequency, I devised the fol- 
 lowing plan : By a very simple contrivance attached to a steel band 
 placed around the chest, a measuring tape was made to traverse with 
 each inspiration a distance corresponding to the increase in the cir- 
 cumference of the chest. The aggregate distance traversed in a given 
 time was made the standard of comparison, and of course indicated 
 the combined frequency and amplitude of the respirations. 
 
 A number of trials with this instrument made upon myself in the 
 open air, gave a very uniform result of \h inches of tape unwound 
 every two minutes. On repeating the experiment in the caisson 
 under a pressure of 33 lbs., 2f inches were unwound in the same 
 time. 
 
 Effect upon the Circulation. — It has been shown by numerous ob- 
 servers that under a slightly increased pressure, such as is employed 
 in compressed air-baths, the pulse loses in frequency from the first. 
 This is doubtless due to an increased absorption of oxygen by the 
 blood, which thus affords a sufficient supply to the tissues without 
 the necessity of keeping up the usual activity of the circulation. In 
 the course of some experiments undertaken nearly four years ago, I 
 demonstrated that the same effect results under a normal pressure 
 from adding oxygen to the air inhaled. But as the pressure in- 
 creases, the question is transferred from the domain of chemistry to 
 that of mechanics. The condensation of the tissues from the pres- 
 sure to which they are subjected, and the consequent narrowing of 
 the vessels, oppose a physical obstacle to the circulation, which is felt 
 before the blood has time to become surcharged with oxygen, and 
 while there is still a necessity for an active circulation. The labor 
 of the heart is thus increased, and its action, in consequence, excited. 
 I have frequently seen the pulse rise to 120 immediately upon enter- 
 ing the caisson, where the pressure was*from 30 to 35 lbs. to the inch. 
 
 But after the lapse of a period varying in different cases from half 
 an hour to two hours, the pulse falls back to its normal standard, or 
 even, it may be, below it.* The blood has now become saturated 
 with oxygen, and consequently a less active circulation is demanded. 
 
 Doubtless, if the pressure were very gradually admitted, the pre- 
 liminary rise in the pulse would not take place, the favorable chemi- 
 cal action keeping in advance of and counteracting the unfavorable 
 mechanical conditions. 
 
 The effect of high atmospheric pressure upon the volume of the 
 pulse is always, according to my observation, to diminish it. This is 
 easily accounted for by the pressure exerted upon the artery, which 
 prevents its yielding readily to the expanding force of each successive 
 
 * My experience in this corresponds precisely with that of Dr. Jaminet. 
 
 3 
 
34 
 
 wave of blood. Hence the pulse is small, hard, and wiry. These 
 characteristics are independent in a great degree of the frequency of 
 the beat, although as the heart recovers from the irritable con- 
 dition into which it is thrown by the sudden increase of the pressure, 
 and settles down, so to speak, more calmly to its work, it contracts 
 with more force, and the pulse gains somewhat in volume. These 
 changes in both the frequency and fullness of the pulse are well shown 
 in the annexed tracings, taken in the Brooklyn caisson. The upper 
 line represents in each case the normal pulse, the lower line that in 
 the compressed air. 
 
 (L 
 
 a 
 
 The difference in the readiness with which the process of adapta- 
 tion to an increased pressure is accomplished in different persons is 
 shown by the pulse-rate of eleven men taken an hour and a half after 
 going into the caisson when the pressure was thirty-five pounds. The 
 figures are arranged in the order of frequency. 
 
 116-116—106—104—96—93—88—76—74—68—52. 
 
 These figures give an average of ninety. On another occasion, with 
 a pressure of thirty-two pounds, and a sojourn in the caisson of two 
 and a half hours, the average was eighty. Whether a longer expo- 
 sure to the same pressure would have produced a further decline in 
 the frequency of the pulse is a question which the horns for working 
 did not allow me to determine. 
 
35 
 
 It is remarkable that the wide variations in the pulse-rate above 
 mentioned were not accompanied by any symptoms appreciable to 
 the individual. A man with a pulse of fifty-two, and another with 
 one of one hundred and sixteen, felt equally well, and each was en- 
 tirely unconscious of anything unusual in the heart's action. 
 
 The effect of the pressure upon the cutaneous vessels is shown by 
 the pallor of the face, which is very marked, and continues for fif- 
 teen or twenty minutes after leaving the caisson. The hands, too, 
 feel shrunken, and the palmar surface of the fingers is often shriv- 
 elled, as if soaked in water. The pressure acting upon all sides of the 
 fingers empties them to a considerable extent of blood, rendering the 
 skin apparently too large for them. The veins, too, on the back of 
 the hand seem to be effaced. 
 
 This absence of blood from the surface implies necessarily an ex- 
 cess in the interior of the bodj r , where the effect of the pressure is not 
 as great. This point will come up again in considering the pathology 
 of the Caisson Disease. 
 
 Effect upon Temperature. — In none of the reports upon the effects 
 of high pressure as employed for engineering purposes, have I been 
 able to find any records of temperature. J. Lange,* however, found 
 that under the comparatively slight pressure which is used as a reme- 
 dy, the temperature of the body suffered a slight decrease. This is, 
 no doubt, due to an increased absorption of oxygen, which has been 
 shown by Mr. Savory and also by experiments of my own to produce 
 this effect. 
 
 During the work in the New York caisson when the pressure was 
 about 32 lbs., I took the temperature of seven of the men an hour 
 and a half after entering the caisson, and found that it averaged 
 99 6° F., exactly one degree above the normal standard. At first I ac- 
 cepted this as the result of the increased interstitial change so strong- 
 ly insisted upon by Dr. Jaminet, but subsequent observation led me 
 to interpret it differently. 
 
 The temperature of the body in health is kept at about 98.6° F., by 
 the constant evaporation from the surface. But in the caisson, as 
 already mentioned, the air was always nearly or quite saturated with 
 moisture, so that evaporation from the surface must have been prac- 
 tically suspended. With the temperature of the air at 76°, as it was 
 at the time of the observations, and the men engaged in severe labor, 
 it is easy to see how the absence of the cooling process of evapora- 
 tion from the surface would lead to a rise of one degree of the ther- 
 mometer. This view is strengthened by the result of three observa- 
 tions on a subsequent occasion, when the temperature in the caisson 
 stood at 81°, instead of 76°. The average in this instance was 101°. 
 
 * Vivenot. 
 
3G 
 
 A rise of five degrees in the temperature of the air could not sensibly 
 affect the rapidity of tissue-change, but if not counteracted by evap- 
 oration from the skin, it would soon tell upon the temperature of the 
 body. 
 
 The influence of the hygrometric condition of the atmosphere 
 upon the temperature of the body is a matter of daily observation. 
 On a clear, dry day, with a high barometer, we are surprised to find 
 the thermometer indicating a temperature much higher than our sen- 
 sations would lead us to expect, while on the contrary, on a cloudy 
 day, with a low barometer, we can scarcely persuade ourselves that 
 the temperature is not many degrees higher than the thermometer in- 
 dicates. In the dry, clear air of New Mexico I have supported a tem- 
 perature of 110°, without inconvenience, while in the humid atmos- 
 phere of the Florida Keys I have found it almost unbearable at 86°. 
 
 Effect upon the Respiratory Function. — Several writers have ob- 
 served that it is immediately remarked by every one entering a 
 caisson that the secretion from the skin is apparently immensely 
 increased. It is noticeable even when the temperature of the air is 
 moderate, but as this increases it becomes a very serious annoyance. 
 The clothing quickly becomes saturated, which, besides the discom- 
 fort it occasions, exposes to great danger of taking cold on going out 
 into the open air. 
 
 But a little examination served to show me that in the New York 
 caisson, at least, there was really no increase of the secretion from the 
 skin, but that, instead of evaporating, the moisture accumulated upon 
 the surface, and thus simulated excessive sweating. This was owing 
 to the moist condition of the atmosphere already mentioned, which 
 rendered the d^ing of the surface by evaporation impossible. The 
 atmosphere possessed to an extreme degree the quality of "muggi- 
 ness," and the apparently profuse perspiration was merely an exag- 
 geration of what we suffer from in very damp weather, even though 
 the temperature be not extreme. 
 
 So far from the perspiratory glands being stimulated by the density 
 of the atmosphere, it is probable that the ana?mia of the skin already 
 described, as resulting from the pressure upon the surface, would 
 tend to lessen the secretion by diminishing the supply of blood to the 
 glands. 
 
 That there is not an undue amount of fluid carried off through the 
 skin, is shown by the absence of thirst so generally remarked. 
 
 The foregoing explanation of the apparent increase of perspiration 
 is important, as it bears upon the theory of excessive waste of tissue, 
 in which the perspiration is supposed to aid. 
 
 Effect upon Digestion. — Nearly all authors who have written upon 
 the effects of compressed air agree in stating that for a time, at least. 
 
37 
 
 it increases the appetite to a remarkable extent. Indeed this is one 
 of the first and most favorable results observed -where compressed air 
 is applied remedially. With this experience my own observations in 
 the main agree. It was frequently remarked by the men working in 
 the New York caisson that their work made them unusually hungry, 
 that they " could not get enough to eat," etc. Of course, it w r as not 
 possible to obtain any exact data as to the relative amount of food 
 consumed, but from careful inquiries I arrived at the conclusion that 
 it was considerably in excess of what is usual in the case of men 
 engaged in similar labor in the open air. Still, there were many 
 exceptions to the general rule, especially among those who had been 
 long engaged upon the work, and whose general tone w r as beginning 
 1o deteriorate. Among these, loss of appetite was often complained of. 
 
 The fact of this generally increased appetite seems to point to an 
 increased waste of tissue, to be supplied by a greater consumption of 
 food. An increased absorption of oxygen such as w r e assume to take 
 place, seems from the observations of several authorities* to imply 
 greater activity of tissue-change as the ultimate result. But in this 
 case I think it is scarcely safe to accept this explanation at once as 
 conclusive and sufficient. It may well be questioned whether during 
 the actual sojourn in the caisson the functions of digestion, absorp- 
 tion, and assimilation proceed normally under the wide departure of 
 the system from its natural conditions. If it could be shown that a 
 considerable portion of the food taken before entering the caisson is 
 but imperfectly digested or assimilated, the subsequent hunger would 
 be readily accounted for. I am not aware that this point has ever 
 been investigated, but I can scarcely believe that such an increase of 
 appetite as is described could depend wiiolly upon increased inter- 
 stitial change without giving rise to marked elevation of temperature 
 and other symptoms denoting unusual chemical activity. On the 
 contrary, I think it highly probable that an examination of the de- 
 jecta would show them not to be entirely exhausted of nutritious 
 material. At all events, until this point is subjected to rigid tests, it 
 will be unsafe to regard the amount of food consumed as a measure 
 of the metamorphosis of tissue. 
 
 If the metamorphosis of tissue is really greatly accelerated through 
 the influence of compressed air, it should be apparent in a more 
 prompt healing of wounds. The following experiment was intended 
 to test this point : 
 
 Four pigeons were selected, as much alike as possible in size and 
 vigor. Under the wing of each a wound w r as made by removing a 
 circular piece of the integument about half an inch in diameter. 
 Two of the pigeons were then sent down into the caisson, the other 
 
 * " New York Medical Journal." April, 1870. 
 
38 
 
 two being retained in the hospital on the wharf. The conditions in 
 other respects were the same. At the end of six days the wounds in 
 the two below were perfectly healed. Of the two above, in one the 
 wound was perfectly healed, while in the other it was still covered 
 by a scab, which fell off two or three days later. 
 
 The result of this experiment would not indicate any considerable 
 difference in the activity of the vital processes. I may remark that 
 the workmen never spoke of the wounds or injuries they received as 
 healing more rapidly than when working in the external air. 
 
 Effect upon the Urinary Secretion. — Dr. Jaminet, in his observa- 
 tions at St. Louis, found that the amount of fluid secreted by the 
 kidneys was very much increased, in some instances nearly doubled, 
 while the specific gravity was but little, if at all, below the usual 
 average. This shows that the solid matter excreted was also in much 
 greater quantity than usual.* But I cannot agree with him in attrib- 
 uting this exclusively to the excessive waste of tissue from over-oxyd- 
 ation of the blood. The explanation is to be found, I think, chiefly 
 in the fact that the skin, as already stated, performs its function 
 very imperfectly, owing to the impossibility of evaporation from the 
 surface when the air is already loaded with moisture, and hence a 
 portion of its duty is forced upon the kidne}\s, organs always ready 
 to act vicariousl} T for the skin or the mucous surfaces. 
 
 Furthermore, the excretion of a large amount of urea indicates a 
 relatively deficient oxydation of tissue, and is one of the characteris- 
 tics of those diseases in which respiration is suddenly embarrassed, 
 as, for instance, pneumonia. 
 
 Another circumstance not to be lost sight of, is that the pressure 
 upon the surface acts mechanically to congest all the abdominal vis- 
 cera, and that congestion of the kidneys, within physiological limits, 
 produces increased secretion of urine. 
 
 From what precedes it will be inferred that I am not willing to ac- 
 cept the view which practically sets no limit to the amount of oxygen 
 that the system will appropriate in a sufficiently condensed atmos- 
 phere. Even if absorbed by the blood, it does not follow that the 
 excess of oxygen is received into the normal vital relations with the 
 tissues. It may be held in simple compulsory solution in the blood, 
 as in any other liquid ; it may even give rise to chemical changes in 
 the blood, and solid tissues as in dead matter, and thus act as a poison, 
 as asserted by M. Bert,t but we have no warrant for believing that it 
 so acts as to cause the removal of particles not yet effete, and which 
 but for this would have remained normal active constituents of the 
 
 * These observations accord with those of Foley, J. Lange, Pol, Pravaz, and 
 others, 
 t L'lustitut, July 3, 1ST2. 
 
39 
 
 bod}-. Behind mere chemical action lies a vital principle in accord- 
 ance with which each molecule is born, as it were, into the economy, 
 reaches maturity, performs its function, becomes effete, and is suc- 
 ceeded by a new molecule ; and to break in upon this order is to 
 strike at the very essence of life. 
 
 I do not intend by this to deny that an atmosphere highly oxygen- 
 ated, either by the addition of oxygen or by compression, is capable 
 of accelerating the vital processes within certain limits. I only 
 contend that these limits correspond with the extreme limit of 
 physiological demand — that the capacity of the system to appropriate 
 and use oxygen has a definite relation to the possible wants of the 
 system under natural conditions. For a contingency beyond these, 
 nature has made no provision. 
 
 CHAPTER FOURTH. 
 
 PATHOLOGICAL EFFECTS. 
 
 The pathological effects of high atmospheric pressure comprise 
 certain phenomena easily explained upon mechanical principles, and 
 in addition to these, a group of symptoms, having a definite relation 
 to each other, and constituting a specific affection, which, from the 
 peculiarity of its origin, I propose to call the Caisson Disease. 
 
 The affections, which are of a purely mechanical nature, relate to 
 the cavities communicating Avith the nasal passages, such as the ears 
 and the frontal and maxillary sinuses, etc. 
 
 Affections of the ears are mentioned by nearly every writer on the 
 subject of compressed air, and are extremely common. They 
 depend, for the most part, upon closure of the Eustachian tubes, b}- 
 which communication of the cavity of the middle ear with the 
 external air is cut off. The men under my charge were warned most 
 strenuously not to go into the lock unless they were able, when 
 holding the nose and blowing forcibly, to feel the air enter both 
 ears, thus insuring that the tubes were pervious. Nevertheless, cases 
 often occurred in which this precaution was neglected, and the indi- 
 vidual was, as a consequence, " caught in the lock," unable to 
 " change his ears." This inability to equalize the pressure upon the 
 two sides of the ear-drum, caused extreme pain, and sometimes 
 entailed serious results. The effect is two-fold. The pressure upon 
 the outside of the drum being greater than upon the inside, the mem- 
 brane is pressed inward with a force, which, if it does not produce a 
 rupture, at least causes a degree of tension which so delicate an 
 organ as the ear is not fitted to bear with impunity, and which may 
 be the starting point of an acute inflammation. (See Case L, p. 57.) 
 
40 
 
 Bat the pressure may be so great as to rupture the drum at once, as 
 iu Case II., p. 57. 
 
 When there is continued exposure to the effect of compressed air, 
 with closure of the Eustachian tube, the structures within the cavity 
 of the tympanum not being acted upon by the increased pressure, are 
 placed relatively in the same position as the skin under a cupping- 
 glass, and the sauie result follows, viz., intense congestion, which 
 may, in this case, lead to inflammation. Indeed, the difference 
 in pressure within and without is much greater than in the case 
 of the cupping-glass, since in the latter it cannot exceed one at- 
 mosphere, while in the former it may be two or three atmospheres. 
 
 The stoppage of the Eustachian tube may very frequently be over- 
 come by forcing in air through the nose after the method described 
 by Politzer. In this way a great many of the men under my care 
 were enabled to continue their work, who otherwise could not have 
 done so, without incurring serious risk. This simple operation was 
 constantly called into requisition, as many as four or five of the men 
 sometimes presenting themselves in the course of my visit to have 
 their " ears blown out," and it rarely happened that they experienced 
 any difficulty afterward on entering the lock.* 
 
 Three cases of extreme deafness came under my notice, two of 
 them in laborers, and one in the person of a gentleman, who was ad- 
 vised by a physician to visit the caisson with the hope that he might 
 receive benefit from the action of the compressed air. In all these 
 cases the hearing was very much improved while in the caisson, but 
 on returning to the open air the former degree of deafness immedi- 
 ately returned. 
 
 A number of cases of otities are mentioned by Frangois, as occur- 
 ring under his observation during the sinking of the caissons at Stras- 
 burg.t His favorite remecty was oil of jasmine dropped into the 
 ear. He also employed leeches and fomentations. He condemns 
 catheterism of the tubes, on theoretical grounds, while admitting 
 that he had never employed it. 
 
 Pain, more or less severe, in the frontal or maxillary sinuses was 
 sometimes experienced. This was doubtless caused by a temporary 
 closure of the passage leading to the nasal cavity. In one case, in 
 which the frontal sinus was affected, the pain, though not severe, 
 was very persistent, continuing for several days. 
 
 In one case pain in the frontal sinus was felt as the pressure was 
 increasing in the lock, and again, and more severely, as the pressure 
 was reduced in returning to the open air. This latter pain was ac- 
 companied by a discharge of bloody mucous from the nose. In this 
 case there was doubtless closure of the passage into the sinus, thus 
 
 * I am under obligations to Dr. Roosa for valuable hints in reference to the treat- 
 ment of these cases, 
 t See page 23. 
 
11 
 
 preventing the equalization of the pressure, and giving rise to the 
 pain first felt. There resulted also congestion of the lining mem- 
 brane, followed by an increased flow of mucous and extravasation of 
 blood. But in the course of the two hours passed in the caisson, the 
 air gradually filtered through the obstruction, and when the outside 
 pressure was removed, the air thus imprisoned forced a way out, car- 
 rying before it the mucous and blood that had accumulated in the 
 sinus. (See Case IV., p. 57.) 
 
 It becomes an interesting question what degree of condensation of 
 this atmosphere will prove directly fatal. Dr. Richardson, of Lon- 
 don, told me recently that he had experimented largely upon this 
 subject, and that for the small animals which he had employed, such 
 as rabbits, cats, dogs, etc., the limit of endurance seemed to be be- 
 tween six and seven atmospheres. He found, however, that the re- 
 sult varied widely, with comparatively slight variations of tempera- 
 ture, such as would have no appreciable effect upon vitality under 
 other conditions. 
 
 CHAPTER FIFTH. 
 
 THE CAISSON DISEASE. 
 
 Definition. — A disease depending upon increased atmospheric pres- 
 sure, but always developed after the pressure is removed. It is charac- 
 terized by extreme pain in one or more of the extremities, and sometimes 
 in the trunk, and which may or may not be associated with epigastric 
 pain and vomiting. In some cases the pain is accompanied by paralysis 
 more or less complete, ichich may be general or local, but is most fre- 
 quently confined to the lower half of the body. Cerebral symptoms, 
 such as headache and vertigo, are sometimes present. The above symp- 
 toms are connected, at least in the fatal cases, with congestion of the 
 brain and spinal cord, often resulting in serous or sanguineous effusion, 
 and with congestion of most of the abdominal viscera. 
 
 SYMPTOMS. 
 
 Neuralgic Pains. — These constitute in general the first and most 
 characteristic symptoms, and are very seldom absent. The accession 
 is often very abrupt, as if the patient "had been struck by a 
 bullet." At other times the pain is slight at first, but rapidly increases 
 in intensity. In well-marked cases the suffering is extreme, men of 
 the strongest nerve being completely subdued by it. It is " as if the 
 flesh were being torn from the bones." The pain is usually of a 
 remittent or paroxysmal character, the exacerbations occurring at 
 short intervals, especially if the patient attempt to move. Though 
 usually designated as " cramps," these pains are rarely accompanied 
 by muscular spasms. They generally begin in one or both of the 
 
42 
 
 nees. shifting to the legs or thighs, and then perhaps creeping up 
 along the trunk to seize upon the shoulders and arms. Not unfre- 
 quently the severest pain is felt in the spine, and especially in the 
 lumbar portion. There is usually some degree of tenderness with the 
 pain, so that the patient will complain if friction be applied too 
 vigorously. There is also a painful stiffness in the affected limbs, 
 that precludes motion in the absence of actual paralysis. 
 
 In some cases, there are swelling and heat as well as tenderness, 
 indicating engorgement of the tissues, and this may persist for seve- 
 ral days, being followed occasionally by discoloration, as if from a 
 bruise. (Case VII. , p. 58.) 
 
 Francois mentions a case in which the engorgement was followed 
 by suppuration. In two of my cases, minute spots of extravasated 
 blood in the substance of the skin at the seat of pain, gave the sur- 
 face the appearance of being spattered with red ink. (Case XL. 
 p. 59.) 
 
 A curious case of the swelling of the mammary gland recurring 
 each day is given among the Illustrative Cases. Xo. IX. Francois 
 relates a similar instance. 
 
 The Pu.Ue. — At the outset of the attack the pulse will differ 
 according to the time which has elapsed since leaving the caisson, 
 being, as a rule, quicker and more frequent in proportion as the time 
 is shorter. Dr. Jaminet observed that if the attack occurred imme- 
 diately after coming up, the pulse usually ranged from 95 to 115, 
 while, if it Mere delayed for half an hour, the pulse would be 
 slow — perhaps as low as 60. 
 
 But as these rates do not differ from those in healthy persons at 
 the same periods after leaving the caisson, they do not possess any 
 special significance in those taken sick. 
 
 The subsequent character of the pulse is simply indicative of the 
 general condition of the patient. 
 
 The Skin is usually cool at first, often of a slightly leaden hue. and 
 nearly always covered with a profuse cold perspiration, standing out 
 in beads upon the surface. This perspiration is very characteristic. 
 At first I supposed it to be owing to the excessive pain which the pa- 
 tient was suffering : but subsequently it occurred in several cases in 
 which the pain was slight or entirely absent. (See Case VI.) I was. 
 therefore, inclined to attribute it to a relaxation of the cutaneous 
 capillaries through some nervous agency analagous in its action to 
 what we see in cases of extreme terror, and having its origin in the 
 general disturbance of the nervous system which characterizes the 
 disease. 
 
 In several instances in which I ascertained the temperature in the 
 axilla, it was found to be normal. 
 
43 
 
 Epigastric Pain a?id Vomiting. — Pain at the pit of the stomach, 
 usually, but not always, attended by vomiting, is of frequent occur- 
 rence. It occurred in 24 per cent, of my cases. This is a much 
 smaller percentage than that observed by Dr. Jaminet, who found 
 the gastric symptoms to be present in 66 out of 77 cases. This may 
 be owing to the pressure being greater at St. Louis than at New York, 
 nearly all of Dr. Jaminet's cases occurring under a pressure of 40 
 lbs. and upward, while the pressure at New York did not rise above 
 36 lbs. 
 
 The pain in the epigastrium, if not relieved by treatment, is gener- 
 ally followed within a brief period by vomiting, which may continue 
 witli great persistence even after the pain has ceased. In most cases* 
 however, the vomiting is limited to the ejection of the contents of 
 the stomach. 
 
 In a few instances I observed the occurrence of vomiting without 
 the usual preceding pain. In these cases there was also dizziness, in- 
 dicating that the vomiting was of cerebral origin. 
 
 Paralysis — This occurred to a greater or less degree in 47 out of 
 77 cases observed by Dr. Jaminet. This is at the rate of 61 per cent. 
 At Xew York it occurred in only about 15 per cent, of the cases ; 
 the difference being due, no doubt, to the difference of pressure. 
 The paralysis affects most frequently the lower half of the body, 
 but it may include the trunk or one or both arms. In rare instances 
 the arms alone are affected. The paralysis usually comes on a short 
 time after the beginning of the pains, but it may occur where there 
 is very little if any pain. (Case XXY.) It affects sensation as well 
 as motion. The patient does not, however, obtain relief from his 
 suffering, since the pain in the limbs will continue after pain from 
 other sources is no longer felt. Thus a leg, for example, may be en- 
 tirely insensible to pricking or pinching, while at the same time it is 
 the seat of extreme suffering. In fact, the neuralgic pain and the 
 paralysis seem to be so far independent of each other, that either 
 may exist separately as well as both together. 
 
 The degree of paralysis may vary from mere weakness of the 
 limbs, with slightly impaired sensation, including a loss of "hold 
 upon the ground " in walking, to complete loss of motion and sensa- 
 tion in the affected part. Even the minor degrees generally involve 
 the bladder, and in two or three of my cases the paralysis, after the 
 first day or two, was confined to this organ. 
 
 Cerebral Symptoms. — Symptoms of a transient character are often 
 observed, which have their origin in the brain. They consist of 
 headache, dizziness, double vision, incoherence of speech, and some- 
 times unconsciousness, the last from syncope. They are usually of 
 very short duration, passing off in a few hours. In the fatal cases. 
 
44 
 
 however, a condition of profound coma is the usual forerunner of 
 death. The occurrence of this symptom leaves but little hope of the 
 patient's recovery. 
 
 Prognosis. — The duration of the Caisson Disease varies from three 
 or four hours to six or eight days. When paralysis takes place, this 
 may continue for weeks, or it may pass off within twelve hours. 
 The cases marked only by neuralgic pains do not generally last more 
 than twelve hours, though some continue five or six days. 
 
 Death occurs only in cases which are severe from the first, and are 
 marked by symptoms of serous or sanguineous effusion about the 
 brain or cord. 
 
 Morbid Anatomy. — The constant lesion in fatal cases of Caisson 
 Disease is congestion of the brain or spinal cord. This congestion 
 may be evenly distributed, or it may vary in intensity in different 
 localities. This is especially true as regards the cord. The conges- 
 tion affects both the meninges and the substance of the brain or 
 cord. In some instances extravasation of blood takes place, as in 
 Case XXVI., chapter 6. In most of the published cases there was 
 found also more or less serous effusion in the arachnoid. 
 
 The tissues of the scalp and those surrounding the spinal column 
 are sometimes engorged. Dr. Jaminet describes a case in which the 
 tissues over the spine were congested, the vascularity increasing 
 regularly as the dissection proceeded deeper toward the vertebral 
 column. 
 
 When sufficient time elapses before death, there may be softening 
 of the brain, occurring in spots. This is probably clue to occlusion 
 of the vessels by coagula formed during the primary congestion. 
 
 Congestions also occur in other localities, and especially in the 
 solid abdominal viscera. The liver and spleen have been found 
 engorged in nearly every case. The kidneys, too, are usually con- 
 gested, and in several cases described by Dr. Jaminet, clots of blood 
 were found extravasated in the organ. 
 
 The mucous membrane of the stomach, intestines, and bladder is 
 often found injected and marked with ecclryinotic patches. 
 
 The lungs, in cases of true Caisson Disease, seldom present any 
 other change than simple hypostatic congestion. 
 
 Pathology. — It is probable that the pathology of this disease is not 
 entirely uniform in all cases. Doubtless, the chief element in it is 
 the congestions already described, and especially of the brain and 
 spinal cord. The mechanism, therefore, of these congestions, be- 
 comes a subject of paramount importance. 
 
 It is obvious that if the blood were exposed to an equal pressure in 
 all parts of the body, there would be no change in its distribution. 
 
 * Physical Effects of Compressed Air. P. 34. 
 
It is equally clear that the blood, if free to move, will pass from a 
 place where the pressure is greater to one where it is less. The 
 body is made up of structures of different densities, and presenting a 
 varying resistance to compression. But permeating these structures 
 in every direction are vessels in perfect communication throughout 
 the entire system, and filled with a mobile fluid, which is free to 
 change its locality in obedience to any force which is brought to act 
 upon it. Now, when the surface of the body is subjected to an 
 even pressure on all sides, the tendency is to a distribution of this 
 pressure toward the centre. If the body were composed entirely of 
 solids, this could be effected only by the compression of those solids, 
 and a point would very soon be reached where the resistance would 
 balance the compressing force, and the parts lying more toward the 
 centre would remain unaffected. But the presence of a fluid in the 
 structures, with free channels in which to move, changes all this. 
 While the solid tissue resists compression, the fluid blood retreats 
 from the surface to the centre, and accumulates there imtil an equi- 
 librium of pressure is produced. 
 
 Hence Ave deduce the law, that under high atmospheric pressure 
 the centres will be congested at the expense of the periphery. 
 
 But, aside from location, vessels coursing through dense and resist- 
 ing organs, will be less exposed to external pressure than those pass- 
 ing through soft and, yielding structures. Hence a second law, that 
 firm and compact structures will be congested at the expense of those 
 more compressible. 
 
 But there are structures very soft and j-'elding in themselves, yet 
 enveloped in a rigid casing of bone which entirely shuts off the influ- 
 ence of external pressure Hence the establishment of the equilib- 
 rium in them is wholly dependent upon an afliux of blood. This 
 gives us the third law% that structures within closed bony cavitu ?s 
 are congested at the expense of all others. 
 
 In accordance with these laws, we shall find that while in the cais- 
 son, the condition of the different parts in regard to the supply of 
 blood will be as follows : 
 
 The skin and the superficial structures will be anaemic* The cen- 
 tral portion of the limbs and the interior organs of the body will be 
 congested. The solid viscera of the abdomen will be especially en- 
 gorged on account of both situation and structure. The brain and 
 spinal cord, and the interior of the shaft of the long bones, will be 
 congested to a high degree from the operation of the third law. 
 
 These changes are not perfected until a considerable time has been 
 passed in the compressed air. The circulation up to this point goes 
 on everywhere with vigor, the change being in the relative calibre of 
 
 * This is shown by the pallor which is very characteristic. See p. 35. 
 
46 
 
 the vessels, not in their tension. The counter-pressure becomes uni- 
 form throughout the whole vascular system, but this counter-pres- 
 sure supersedes the natural muscular resistance or tone of the vessels, 
 which have become passive tubes. The blood is distributed not in 
 accordance with the physiological demands of the different parts, but 
 in obedience to overpowering physical force. 
 
 This is the condition of the circulation at the moment that the pro- 
 cess of locking out begins. Yet the changes which have taken place 
 up to this point are not the cause of the morbid phenomena which 
 constitute the Caisson Disease, else the attack would take place while 
 in the compressed air, instead of after leaving it. It is evident that 
 the removal of the pressure, and not the pressure itself, is the immedi- 
 ate cause of the seizure. 
 
 This removal is effected in the few minutes which are occupied in 
 locking out. But it is not to be supposed that the vessels will in- 
 stantly assume their normal condition. They are in a state of relax- 
 ation, not only in the congested, but also in the anaemic parts ; in the 
 former, because of over-distension — in the latter, because the museu- 
 lar coat cannot at once recover from its inaction. The aggregate 
 capacity of the vascular system will, therefore, be in excess, com- 
 pared to the volume of blood to be conveyed ; or, in other words, there 
 will be a lowering of vascular tension. 
 
 Hence, the circulation will be languid, and the congested parts will 
 not readily empty themselves of the excess of blood which they con- 
 tain. Especially will this be the case in the brain and spinal cord, 
 where the conditions are most favorable for the production of con- 
 gestion. The capillaries being clogged with effete blood, the nutri- 
 tion of the part must suffer, and disturbance of function will result. 
 
 It is to this, I think, that the delirium, and the transient loss of 
 consciousness, which occasionally occur, are to be attributed. When 
 the spinal cord is the seat of this condition, pain in the parts deriving 
 their nerves from that section of the cord may result, or paralysis 
 more or less complete may follow. 
 
 This appears to me to account for the phenomena in those cases in 
 which the local symptom is paralysis or pain of a transient or shifting 
 character. These cases may, I think, be considered as entirely spinal 
 in their origin. But in many cases there are evident local changes 
 such as tumefaction, rise of temperature, etc., which indicate local 
 irritation, and which are probably due to obstruction of the vessels 
 of the part as a sequel to the local congestion. This explanation is 
 applicable also to those cases in which the pain is fixed in one locality, 
 which may be very much circumscribed, and where it persists for 
 days without intermission, feeling, as the patient expresses it, " as if 
 it were in the bone," where it very likely is Such a pain presents a 
 
47 
 
 marked contrast to those shifting pains which have been described, 
 and if considered of spinal origin, would indicate a si rioUS 1( sion con- 
 fined to a minute portion of the cord. That such a circumscribed 
 lesion might occur as a very rare exception, must be admitted ; but 
 that it should be present in a considerable proportion of cases is in 
 the last degree improbable. 
 
 The testimony of all observers is, that the liability to attack is di- 
 rectly as the duration of the stay in the caisson. This admits of an 
 easy explanation on the theory which I have advanced. The more 
 thoroughly the system has become adapted to the change in the 
 circulation, the less readily it will resume its normal condition when 
 the pressure is removed. The congested vessels, especially, will lose 
 their contractility in proportion to the time their muscular fibres have 
 been upon the stretch. 
 
 It was suggested by Francois, that the morbid phenomena result- 
 ing from high pressures might be due to the liberation of air which 
 had been absorbed by the blood while under pressure, but which was 
 set free again when the pressure was removed. 
 
 The same idea has since been advanced by Prof. Rameaux, of 
 Strasburg. 
 
 Within the past year M. Paul Bert has communicated to the 
 French Academy* the results of a series of experiments made upon 
 animals with very high pressures, reaching sometimes to 19 at- 
 mospheres. He shows that when death is the direct result of the pres- 
 sure it is induced by an excessive absorption of oxygen, which then 
 enters into chemical union with the blood, and acts as a poison. He 
 found that the gas which escapes from the biood after the pressure is 
 removed, is composed of a mixture of nitrogen and carbonic acid, 
 with scarcely a trace of oxygen, the oxygen being retained by the 
 blood. This poisoning by oxygen, however, produces its effect while 
 in the compressed air, and therefore cannot be a factor in the pro- 
 duction of the Caisson Disease. 
 
 But M. Bert re-asserts the theory of Franc-ois and Prof. Rameaux, 
 with this difference : that he claims that bubbles of nitrogen instead of 
 air are the cause of the interruption of the circulation. These bub- 
 bles he has discovered after death in the vessels of the brain and 
 cord. But he states that when the pressure does not exceed five 
 atmospheres, three minutes allowed for the restoration of the nor- 
 mal pressure will be found to prevent the formation of these 
 globules of nitrogen. Xow, we find the Caisson Disease occurring 
 when the pressure does not exceed two atmospheres, and when six 
 to eight minutes are allowed for locking out. It would seem that 
 under these conditions, the gas should escape through the lungs as 
 
 * Comptes Rendus, August, 1S72, and February and March, 18T3. 
 
48 
 
 rapidly as it is disengaged from the blood. Moreover, we find that 
 in the Caisson Disease the attack often comes on several minutes or 
 even hours after leaving the compressed air. During this interval, if 
 any free nitrogen were circulating with the blood, it should constant- 
 ly become less by diffusion through the pulmonary membrane, and it 
 is scarcely conceivable that if the quantity at the moment of emerg- 
 ing into the open ah' were not enough to produce obstruction of the 
 circulation, such an effect could take place at a later period. 
 
 It is also very difficult to reconcile with M. Bert's theory the fact 
 of the comparative immunity from danger which results from re- 
 peated exposures to the effects of compressed air. If the action be 
 that of purely physical causes, habit could make no difference. The 
 obstruction of the vessels described by Bert is a condition of which 
 the system could never become tolerant by frequency of repetition. 
 On the other hand, it is perfectly conceivable that vessels which are 
 required to receive a varying quantity of blood at different times 
 may acquire the power of more ready adaptation to these changes of 
 quantity, since this is only an extension of the ph}*siological prin- 
 ciple which we see exemplified in all organs which have an intermit- 
 tent function. Hence this objection, which lies against the explana- 
 tion of M. Bert, does not apply to the views as to the pathology of 
 the disease which I have advanced. 
 
 Thus, while recognizing the value of M. Bert's observations, I am 
 still of the opinion that he is in error in applying them to the com- 
 paratively low pressures and gradual decompression which are con- 
 sistent with the production of the Caisson Disease. 
 
 In order further to test this question, I performed the following- 
 experiment : The pressure in the caisson being about 35 lbs. to the 
 square inch, a dog was sent down, and allowed to remain seven hours 
 in the compressed air. At the end of that time I went down, and 
 after killing the animal with prussic acid, I opened the vessels of the 
 neck, and allowed four ounces of blood to flow into a six ounce vial. 
 The space above the blood was then completely filled with olive oil, 
 and a cork, pierced by one leg of a small U-shaped tube, was forced 
 tightly into the bottle, displacing a portion of oil, which escaped 
 through the tube. By this arrangement every particle of air was 
 excluded from the apparatus, even the tube, which extended a little 
 below the cork, being entirely filled with oil. The object of the oil 
 was to avoid the difficulty which would arise from coagulation of the 
 blood in the tube if blood only were emplo3 r ed. 
 
 The apparatus thus arranged was then taken into the open air. 
 While passing through the lock five minims of oil escaped from the 
 tube, which amount was increased during the next half hour to eight 
 minims. The temperature of the caisson and that of the external 
 
49 
 
 air were almost exactly alike, so that the result obtained could not be 
 influenced by contraction or expansion due to temperature. The 
 eight minims, therefore, represented the bulk of air which was disen- 
 gaged from the blood in consequence of the removal of the excess of 
 pressure. This is only t | fl of the bulk of the blood experimented 
 upon. Now the experiments of Demarquay* show that from 80 to 
 150 c. centimetres of oxygen can be thrown into the veins of a me- 
 dium-sized dog in the space of four or five minutes, without pro- 
 ducing serious consequences ; and other observers have demonstrated 
 that air slowly introduced into the veins escapes through the lungs, 
 and that a large quantity can be injected in this way without danger. 
 
 Hence with the small amount of air which my experiment shows 
 to be disengaged from the blood, and with the process extended over 
 eight or ten minutes at least, it seems clear that we cannot explain in 
 this way the phenomena observed in the Caisson Disease. 
 
 Cames. — The one essential cause, without which the disease can 
 never be developed, is the transition to the normal atmospheric pres- 
 sure, after a prolonged sojourn in a highly condensed atmosphere. Hence 
 we have to consider two elements, pressure and time. As the mo- 
 mentum of a moving body is found by multiplying the weight by the 
 velocity, so the danger in these cases is as the degree of pressure to 
 which the person has been exposed, multiplied by the duration of the 
 exposure. 
 
 But inasmuch as a prolonged sojourn in the caisson does not in 
 every case produce the disease (many of the men employed escaping 
 it entirely), it follows that there must be concurrent causes which de- 
 termine its development. This is what we observe in many other 
 diseases of a specific origin. Thus the essential cause of intermit- 
 tent fever is exposure to a peculiar malaria, yet only a portion of 
 those so exposed are affected by the disease. 
 
 The first of the concurrent causes of the Caisson Disease is a 
 special predisposition. This is occasionally strongly marked, some 
 persons being affected by a short exposure to a low pressure from 
 which there would generally be experienced no inconvenience what- 
 ever. 
 
 The study of these cases has led me to the suspicion that they 
 afford a key to the singular, though veiy common, predisposition to 
 pains in the limbs on the approach of a storm. These pains are gen- 
 erally considered to be of a rheumatic character, and to depend upon 
 the dampness of the atmosphere. But inasmuch as the disease we 
 are considering affords examples of pains precisely the same in char- 
 acter, but immensely intensified in degree, resulting from the diminu- 
 tion of an atmospheric pressure to which the system had adapted it- 
 
 * Pneuniatologie Medicale. P. 664. 
 4 
 
50 
 
 self, and irrespective of any question of humidity, analog}' suggests 
 that the so-called rheumatic cases are simply exaggerations of a pre- 
 disposition, identical in kind with the one under discussion, and are 
 produced by the low barometric condition of the atmosphere which 
 precedes a storm, and not by the influence of moisture. It is true 
 that the change in the pressure is insignificant when compared with 
 that which produces the Caisson Disease, but it is supplemented by the 
 immensely greater duration of the higher pressure to which the sub- 
 ject has been previously exposed. Persons suffering in the manner 
 referred to, regard themselves as walking hygrometers, and are ac- 
 customed to say, " I feel the dampness in my bones." I would sug- 
 gest that they are rather barometers, perhaps quite as sensitive as 
 the instrument of Torricelli. 
 
 Perhaps the most frequent exciting cause of the Caisson Disease is 
 too rapid locking out. Indeed, it is altogether probable that if suffi- 
 cient time were allowed for passing through the lock, the disease 
 would never occur. But what is sufficient time for one is too short a 
 time for another, and as no work could be accomplished if the time 
 in the lock M r ere indefinitely prolonged, all that can be done is to fix 
 upon a duration for the process of locking out which shall be propor- 
 tioned to the pressure, and as great as is consistent with the circum- 
 stances, and then to see that the rule is rigidly observed. The natu- 
 ral impatience of the men to reach their homes, makes the delay in 
 the lock irksome, and great firmness is required on the part of the 
 lock-tender to prevent the escape-cocks being opened more widely 
 than is consistent with safety. In locking out, at least five minutes 
 should always be allowed for each additional atmosphere of pressure. 
 
 Newness to the Work. — Unquestionably the liability to the Caisson 
 Disease is greatest in those exposed for the first time to the influence 
 of the compressed air. New hands are very apt indeed to suffer more 
 or less during the first week, and a number of the severest cases that 
 came to my notice, occurred in men who had worked but a single 
 watch, though first attacks were much more likely to occur after the 
 second watch of the first day. Those least affected were such as 
 began work when the pressure was comparatively slight, and contin- 
 ued without intermission as the pressure increased. It seemed that 
 the system after a time became adapted to the changed conditions, 
 and was protected, in a measure, from their effects. Nevertheless, 
 some serious cases occurred among the old hands, especially when for 
 an}* reason their stay in the caisson was prolonged beyond the usual 
 time, thus showing that their immunity was merely relative. A 
 sudden increase of pressure, also, even though very slight, was cer- 
 tain to develop new cases — men thoroughly inured to the work 
 often being affected under such circumstances. 
 
51 
 
 F/iUnes* of Habit. — After the work in the New York caisson had 
 been some months in progress it was observed that there was a pre- 
 ponderance of stout, heavily-built men among those taken sick. 
 This led me to examine my records carefully in reference to this 
 point. I found that up to May 22, they embraced 8G cases of well- 
 marked Caisson Disease. These I divided into three classes, accord- 
 ing to the build of the individual. Those who were tall in propor- 
 tion to their weight, and rather lean in flesh, were classed as spa/re ; 
 those who were thick-set and muscular, without being fat, were set 
 down as medium ; and those with prominent abdomen, full cheeks, 
 and general tendency to obesity, were styled Jieavy. The 86 cases of 
 Illness were found to be distributed among these three classes as fol- 
 lows : Spare, 28 ; medium, 22 ; heavy, 30. 
 
 Considering that among laborers below the age of 45 (and none of 
 the cases were above that age), the class described as heavy are very 
 much in the minority, these figures were sufficiently striking. 
 
 In order to arrive at the converse of this I desired the time-clerk 
 to prepare a list of those who had lost least time from illness, i.e., 
 those least affected by the work. The figures in this case were even 
 more striking. The list comprised the names of 42 men, who were 
 classified as follows : Spare, 25 ; medium, 14 ; heavy, 3. 
 
 I next separated the severer cases of illness, which were marked 
 by paralysis 5 of these there were 13: Spare, 2; medium, 3; heavy, 
 8. Those who had died up that time, three in number, were all heavy 
 men. 
 
 These results may be tabulated as follows : 
 
 
 Spake. 
 
 Medium. 
 
 Heavy. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Lost little or no time from sickness. . . 
 
 25 
 
 14 
 
 3 
 
 42 
 
 
 
 22 
 
 36 
 
 86 
 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 8 
 
 13 
 
 Died 
 
 
 " 
 
 3 
 
 3 
 
 These figures show unmistakably that a tendency to fullness of 
 habit renders work in a compressed atmosphere much more hazard- 
 ous. Persons of this build have more fluids in the body, the distribu- 
 tion of which is changed by the pressure, in the manner before 
 stated, and it is therefore not surprising that the effect upon them 
 should be greater than upon lean and sinewy persons, whose bodies 
 contain a minimum of fluid. ■ 
 
 Severe Exertion Immediately after Leaving the Caisson. — As at the 
 moment of going out of the compressed air the system undergoes a 
 
52 
 
 violent reaction, it is manifestly unfitted to bear in addition a severe 
 tax upon the muscular strength. Hence, the ascent of a long flight 
 of stairs, immediately after leaving the air-lock, is as wrong in theor}' 
 as it has proved bad in practice Dr. Jaminet has described most 
 graphically the ill effects arising from this cause at St. Louis, and 
 the relief experienced when the men were saved the necessity of 
 climbing the steps by the substitution of a steam elevator.* Con- 
 trast this with the experience of M. Triger, whose apparatus at Cha- 
 lonnes was so arranged that the ascent of the ladder took place m 
 the compressed air, the lock being placed at the top instead of the 
 bottom of the shaft. He found that the men ascended a distance of 
 70 feet without becoming in the least out of breath ; making the 
 ascent, in fact, much more easily than if it had been in the open air. 
 
 I hoped at one time that an opportunity would be afforded at the 
 New York caisson for obtaining some data bearing upon this point. 
 During the earl}' part of May an elevator was arranged, but unfortu- 
 nately just at that period great changes took place in the force, and 
 at the same time various interruptions in the work occurred, so that 
 the matter was hopelessly complicated, and no data for comparison 
 could be obtained. 
 
 The Abuse of Alcohol. — Several writers have remarked that habit- 
 ual drinkers are more likely to be affected by compressed air than 
 those who used spirits moderately or not at all. It is stated by the 
 director of the work at Douchy* that the attacks from which the 
 men suffered were ' ' almost always coincident with some excess com- 
 mitted in the interval of the shifts." It is easy to perceive that as 
 the disease is characterized by cerebral congestion, the abuse of alco- 
 hol, which has a tendency to produce the same result, would act as a 
 predisposing cause. Although no cases directly attributable to this 
 cause came under my observation, I have no doubt that there is 
 danger from it; and I therefore rejected several men who applied for 
 work in the caisson, for no other reason than that their appearance 
 indicated an habitual excessive use of alcohol. 
 
 Entering the Caisson Fasting. — Dr. Jaminet insists very strongly 
 upon the influence of this cause, and cites instances to prove his 
 position. Several cases corroborative of his views occurred under 
 my observation. One of the rules for the men working in the New 
 York caisson, prohibited entering the compressed air without having 
 taken food, and in addition to this each new hand was especially 
 cautioned as to the danger of disregarding this precaution, and the 
 foremen were directed to use every effort to secure its observance. 
 Yet notwithstanding all this a number of very severe attacks were 
 
 *See Dr. J.'s Report, p. 120. 
 
 t Annates d'Hyg. Pub. et de Med. Legale, 1S54. 
 
53 
 
 found to be coincident with, if not dependent upon, violations of this 
 rule. In these cases epigastric pain and retching were prominent 
 symptoms. (See Case XXI., p. 01.) 
 
 Treatment. — The treatment of this disease will depend upon the 
 severity of the case, and the presence or absence of gastric symp- 
 toms or of paralysis If we have to deal with the neuralgic pains 
 only, the chief reliance must be upon anodynes, administered with a 
 liberal hand. Fortunately the pain, though very severe while it 
 lasts, is in most cases of short duration, the attack passing off 
 usually in a few hours. 
 
 It is, therefore, quite practicable to keep the patient under the 
 influence of morphine during the whole time, and thus enable him to 
 escape entirely all extreme suffering. But large doses will be 
 required, the intense pain inducing a remarkable tolerance of the 
 drug. It was my habit to give half a grain of morphine at the 
 outset, and a quarter of a grain every half hour afterward until 
 relief was obtained. When employed hypodermically, which is the 
 method affording most prompt relief, somewhat smaller doses may 
 be used. 
 
 In some instances I have obtained the very best results from hypo- 
 dermic injections of atropine at the seat of pain; but m other cases 
 it failed to procure relief, and, upon the whole, I consider it inferior 
 to morphine. 
 
 Dr. Jaminet, regarding the affection as wholly the i*esult of 
 exhaustion, relies entirely upon stimulants and concentrated nourish- 
 ment, ignoring the aid of anodynes altogether. I can see no reason 
 for this, even admitting to the fullest extent his theory of the dis- 
 ease, for nothing can be more exhausting than the intolerable pain 
 which characterizes this affection, and nothing could act more 
 promptly as a restorative than an efficient anod} r ne. 
 
 Starting from the theory already given as to the mode in which 
 the disease is produced (a theory which was constructed wholly upon 
 the observations of others), I was led to the idea that benefit would 
 be derived from the use of an agent that would induce contraction of 
 the capillaries, and thus correct the w T ant of tone which I considered 
 to lie at the foundation of the difficulty. For this purpose I pro- 
 posed the use of ergot before I had ever seen a case of the dis- 
 ease I reasoned that it would be useful, first, by contracting the ves- 
 sels of the brain and spinal cord, and relieving their congested state ; 
 and secondly, by restoring tone to the superficial vessels, and thus 
 imparting vigor to the circulation. 
 
 An extended trial warrants me in saying that the results have jus- 
 tified the theory. In my hands, though not always successful, ergot 
 has certainly been very useful in a considerable number of cases. 
 
54 
 
 I have seen very severe pain completely relieved within half an hour 
 after the administration of a drachm of the fluid extract. In other 
 instances, unsteadiness of the limbs, which seemed about to usher in 
 paralysis, has yielded promptly to one or two doses. 
 
 But perhaps the best evidence of its usefulness is to be found in 
 the preference for it of the night-porter, who had charge of the hos- 
 pital at night, tand who was instructed in the use of the few medi- 
 cines emplo3 r ed, and treated such cases as occurred among the men 
 composing the night gangs. Having both morphine and ergot at 
 hand, he gradually, and of his own accord, almost abandoned the 
 former, declaring that the ergot was more prompt and certain in 
 relieving the pains. This from an intelligent, unprejudiced, non- 
 professional source, is strong testimony in favor of the efficiency of 
 the drug. 
 
 I was in the habit of giving a teaspoonful of Squibbs' fluid extract, 
 and repeating the dose in half or three-quarters of an hour, unless 
 the pain was relieved. In one case ergotine was injected hypoder- 
 mically ; but so much irritation was caused at the point of insertion 
 that the experiment was not repeated. 
 
 Frictions, with or without stimulating liniments, are very generally 
 resorted to, and seem sometimes to give momentary relief, but it ap- 
 pears to me to be rather by occupying the attention of the patient 
 than by any action occasioned in the part. 
 
 In one of my cases of pain in the knee, compression of the femo- 
 ral artery with the fingers was tried. The pain was considerably re- 
 lieved for a few minutes, but soon acquired its former severity. In 
 another case a tourniquet was applied so as to interrupt the venous 
 as well as the arterial circulation, but with no better result. 
 
 In some instances where the pain was confined to a particular lo- 
 cality, I had the part immersed in hot water, with the effect of caus- 
 ing temporary relief. But the use of the general hot bath was not 
 advised, as I considered it unsafe to increase the already existing re- 
 laxation of the vessels. In several of Dr. Jaminet's cases paralysis 
 came on while in the hot bath, and he therefore interdicted its use. 
 
 Toward the last of my experience I applied cold to the spine in 
 two cases, with apparent benefit in each. In one of these cases, in 
 which there was paralysis of the bladder, the improvement after a 
 cold douche to the spine was marked. 
 
 In one case of paraplegia, dry cups applied to the spine in the lum- 
 bar region were unmistakably beneficial. 
 
 Electricity was tried by Dr. Jaminet at St. Louis, but was found 
 to be useless. 
 
 Epigastric pain is almost always relieved at once by the use of an 
 alcoholic stimulant with ginger, as employed by Dr. Jaminet. 
 
55 
 
 Vomiting is best treated with sinapisms to the epigastrium, and 
 swallowing small bits of ice. A full dose of calomel was effectual 
 in one of my cases which resisted all other treatment. 
 
 When paralysis occurs, it is to be treated on general principles. 
 Cups or leeches, with douches and frictions to the spine, may be use- 
 ful ; and if the case be protracted, the use of strychnine may be called 
 for. The bladder will almost certainly be involved, requiring the 
 constant employment of the catheter. 
 
 The cerebral symptoms which occasionally occur, arc, with the ex- 
 ception of coma, so transient in their nature as to call for no special 
 treatment. Coma, when it takes place, is to be managed according to 
 the circumstances of the case, as when proceeding from other causes. 
 If accompanied by a full, strong pulse, venesection may be expe- 
 dient. 
 
 There remains to be considered a plan of treatment originally sug- 
 gested by Pol, and carried out to some extent by Foley, viz., return- 
 ing the patient at once into the compressed air. 
 
 It frequently happened under my observation, that pains not suffi- 
 ciently severe to deter the men from returning to work, were promptly 
 dissipated on entering the caisson, to return again on coming into the 
 open air. Indeed, I do not remember a single exception to the rule, 
 that any pain which may have been felt before, disappeared almost 
 immediately on going below. 
 
 Foley says, as the result of his experience : "A true specific is re- 
 turning to the caisson, through which means all such accidents (pains, 
 vertigo, etc.,) speedily disappear. It is to be resorted to unhesitat- 
 ingly in all threatening cases, and the pressure should be admitted 
 rapidly. " 
 
 But the means of access to the caisson are usually such that it 
 would be difficult to remove a patient into it, even if he could be 
 comfortably cared for while there, or if his presence would not in- 
 terfere with the work. It would, therefore, be desirable to have 
 facilities for employing compressed air at some point above ground 
 which would be easily accessible. 
 
 My plan would be as follows : Let them be constructed of iron of 
 sufficient thickness, a tube 9 feet long and 3£ feet in diameter, having 
 one end permanently closed, and the other provided with a door open- 
 ing inward, and closing air-tight. This tube to be placed horizon- 
 tally, and provided with ways upon which a bed could be slid into it. 
 Very strong plates of glass set in the door and in the opposite end 
 would admit the light of candles or gas jets placed immediately out- 
 side. This apparatus should be connected by means of a suitable tube 
 with the pipe which conveys the air from the condensers to the 
 caisson. An escape-cock properly regulated w r ould allow the constant 
 
56 
 
 escape of sufficient air to preserve the necessary purity of the at- 
 mosphere within. 
 
 The bed containing the patient having been slid into the chamber, 
 the door is to be closed, and the pressure admitted gradually until it 
 nearly or quite equals that in the caisson. This should be continued 
 until the patient indicates by a signal previously concerted, that the 
 pain is relieved. The pressure should then be reduced by degrees, 
 carefully adjusted to the effect produced, until at last the normal 
 standard is reached. By occupying several hours, if necessaiy, in the 
 reduction of the pressure, it is probable that a return of the pain 
 could be avoided. 
 
 The apparatus once provided, there would be no difficult)' in car- 
 rying out the plan in any case of such severity as to resist other 
 treatment. I should expect the very best results from it in cases of 
 extreme pain, or in the very outset of paralysis not dependent upon 
 extravasation of blood. 
 
 Of course the secondary conditions which arise in protracted cases 
 w ould not be capable of direct relief by simply reproducing the phys- 
 ical conditions existing in the caisson. The most that might be 
 hoped for in such cases would be that the pressure might result in 
 giving a new impulse to the circulation in the congested part, and 
 thus favor resolution. 
 
 Reasoning from his view of the pathology of the disease, M. Bert 
 lias proposed the inhalation of oxygen, in order to displace the free 
 nitrogen from the blood by diffusion. Experiments upon animals 
 demonstrated that the sounds produced in the heart by the presence 
 of free nitrogen, speedily disappeared when the animal was made to 
 inhale oxygen, the nitrogen diffusing into this gas much more readily 
 than into common air. But though immediate death was averted by 
 this expedient, paralysis nevertheless occurred, and post mortem 
 examination showed the presence of bubbles of nitrogen in the 
 vessels of the cord. 
 
 A tendency to pulmonary congestion seems to be induced by high 
 atmospheric pressure in certain rare instances. Such cases are men- 
 tioned by Francois and Jaminet, and two instances came under my own 
 observation, one of which was almost instantly fatal. (Case XXX.) 
 
 The mechanism by which these congestions are produced is not 
 apparent. If in every instance they occurred immediately upon 
 passing from the caisson into the open air, it might be inferred that 
 the expansion of the air contained within the lung produced, in some 
 way, an interference with the pulmonary circulation. But inas- 
 much as a rapidly fatal congestion may come on an hour or more 
 after leaving the caisson, this explanation is not sufficient. The 
 
57 
 
 subject is involved in obscurity, which can be removed only by the 
 study of a larger number of cases than have occurred as yet. 
 
 CHAPTER SIXTH. 
 
 ILLUSTRATIVE CASES. 
 
 The following cases have been selected from my notes as illustrat- 
 ing the various affections resulting from compressed air which have 
 been described in the foregoing text. Also, a few cases, as will be 
 seen, have been borrowed from other sources. 
 
 Case I.— John Campbell, lock-tender, on the 11th of February, was 
 ••caught in the lock, " i. e., found himself unable to equalize the 
 pressure in the left ear. The pain, however, not being severe, he 
 completed his day's work. The following night was taken with 
 very severe pain in the ear, which continued without intermission 
 until the 20th, when a profuse discharge of pus from the external 
 ear set in, affording relief from the pain. Under the use of carbolic 
 acid injections the discharge soon ceased, leaving the hearing unim- 
 paired. 
 
 Case II.— John Hicks. Taken on the 17th of May, while in the 
 lock goiug down, with severe pain in the right ear, followed by a 
 slight discharge from the external meatus. No sensation as of an}'- 
 thing giving way in the ear. He completed his watch and then 
 reported to me. On examination, the drum of the ear was found to 
 be ruptured at its upper edge. The opening was nearly circular, and 
 rather less than a line in diameter. The patient preferred to give up 
 his place at once, and did not report again. Though he stated that 
 he had had no previous trouble with the ear, the fact of the discharge 
 when the membrane was ruptured, leads to the suspicion that there 
 was catarrh of the middle ear, which probably accounted also for the 
 stoppage of the Eustachian tube. 
 
 Case III. — (Frangois).* Patient at Argenteuil seized with otalgia 
 on coming out of the caisson, where the pressure was 13 lbs. to the 
 inch. Pain persisted for 15 days without intermission, notwithstand- 
 ing the most active treatment, including purgatives and the applica- 
 tion of leeches and antimony behind the ear. Condition of the 
 tube or of the drum not stated. 
 
 Case IV.— Patrick O'Farrell. Reports March 11th, that he was 
 taken four days ago, on going down into the caisson, with pain in 
 the region of the frontal sinus. On coming up, the pain was in- 
 creased, and there w r as bleeding from the nose. The pain has con- 
 tinued ever since. Ordered anodynes and hot fomentations. 
 
 * Annates d'Hygiene Publique, et de Med. Leg. T. XIV. I860. 
 
58 
 
 14th. Reports for duty. 
 
 Case V.— Hugh Rourke. March 12th, 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 ceased at once. On 
 coming up again it returned with increased severity. Controlled by 
 morphine. 
 
 Case VI. — John Roland. Taken on March 8th, while in a car 
 going iiome. Dizziness and loss of strength ; feet cold, head hot ; 
 unable to stand, but still not paralyzed — simply weak. No pain. 
 Profuse cold perspiration. Recovered perfectly in a few hours with- 
 out treatment. 
 
 Case YII. — Alfred Symes. Suffered somewhat with pain in the 
 right knee, on coming up from the caisson on the 10th of May. On 
 the 11th he worked as usual, experiencing no pain. On the 12th 
 (Sunday), not having been in the caisson since the day previous, he 
 Avas taken with severe pain in the same knee. When he reported to 
 me, on the 14th, he was suffering with a swelling of the knee, ac- 
 companied by heat and extreme tenderness, especially just above the 
 patella. He was ordered to apply fomentations, with a hot solution 
 of bicarbonate of potash. Under this treatment the pain and swell- 
 ing soon subsided. On the 15th, there was a greenish yellosv tinge 
 of ecclryniosis over the front of the knee, for a space as large as the 
 palm of the hand. 
 
 Case VIII. — Samuel Mitchell. Worked for one watch only on the 
 14th of May, being his first experience in compressed air. After the 
 first watch,. on the 15th, he was taken with pain in both the upper 
 and lower extremities, and also in the chest and bowels. This was 
 followed by giddiness and vomiting. There was paralysis of the left 
 leg and -weakness of the right arm. Profuse sweating. Pulse 80. 
 Ergot and chloral given. Paralysis passed off in two hours, leaving 
 slight pain in the arms and wrists. The bowels had not been opened 
 for several days. 
 
 Case IX. — John Kennedy. This patient had engorgement of the 
 left mammary gland, recurring each day after coming out of the 
 caisson, and especially after the second watch. There was marked 
 swelling and tenderness, which disappeared during the afternoon and 
 evening, to recur again on the following day. This continued for 
 more than a week. 
 
 Case X. — Joseph Hatch. Taken sick on the 17th of Ma}^, after 
 his first watch. Epigastric pain and pain in the legs and arms, fol- 
 lowed by paraplegia. Treated with ergot only. At the end of four 
 hours he had recovered the use of his limbs, and the pain had ceased, 
 but there remained a giddiness which prevented his standing. By 
 
59 
 
 the following day ho was able to walk about, but the giddiness had 
 not entirely disappeared when I last saw him. -May 21st. 
 
 Case XL — E. Riley. Taken siek Feb. 16th, one hour after leaving 
 the caisson. Pressure 20 lbs Epigastric pain and pain in the legs. 
 No loss of sensibility. Profuse cold perspiration. Pulse, when I saw 
 him, two hours after the commencement of the attack, was 9G. 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 next day. 
 
 Case XII. — 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, com- 
 ing on suddenly, "like the thrust of a knife." Pain continued until 
 he went down again for the afternoon watch, when it ceased imme- 
 diately. On the following morning there was a spot on the shoulder 
 and one on the arm, at the points where the pain had been most 
 severe, where the skin was speckled with minute bright red points of 
 extravasated blood. Had had no pain since the day before, but the 
 parts were tender to the touch, with at the same time a feeling of 
 numbness. 
 
 Casf XIII. — 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 re- 
 turn home. 
 
 Case XIV. — John Barnabo, Italy, 42, reports that 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 condi- 
 tion for two hours. Was obliged to keep his bed for three days. 
 For a week afterward was unable to work, feeling very much op- 
 pressed about the chest. Had no medical attendance. Had a simi- 
 lar but less severe attack about a month previously. 
 
 Case XV. — J. Avers. Taken on the 7th of April with very severe 
 pain in both knees, coming on within a few minutes after leaving the 
 caisson. A drachm of the extract of ergot Avas given every hour for 
 three hours, then two more doses at intervals of two hours, after 
 which he was completely relieved. 
 
 Case XVI. — Frank Murphy. Taken siek April 8th, after the sec- 
 ond watch of his first day in the caisson. Extremely severe pains in 
 both knees and in the right shoulder; of a grain of atropine wa< 
 
60 
 
 injected beneath the skin of the shoulder, but afforded no relief. 
 Half a grain of morphia by the mouth did not check the pain. Legs 
 placed in hot water, which gave immediate relief. Ergot was also 
 given in drachm doses hourly. Returned home much better, but the 
 pain subsequently returned, and was very severe at times for several 
 days. 
 
 Case XVII. — Charles Peterson. Taken on the 11th of April with 
 severe pain in both legs and in the right arm. Was relieved by ergot, 
 but had severe pain each day afterward on coming up. On the loth 
 he was ordered a teaspoonf ill of the fluid extract of ergot, four times 
 a day, after which there was no further complaint. 
 
 Case XVIII. — Card, foreman. Taken on the 17th of April, after 
 the first watch, with quivering in the thighs, followed by loss of 
 power in the lower extremities, and anasthesia. There was 
 also partial paralysis of the bladder. These symptoms con- 
 tinued until the 19th, when they disappeared, leaving great sore- 
 ness of the muscles of the calves. After the paralysis had passed off 
 in a measure, he went down again into the caisson and remained for 
 a short time with decided benefit. The improvement continued after 
 returning to the open air. He had no other medication than two 
 doses of ergot. 
 
 Case XIX. — James Heffener. Attacked May 2d, soon after leav- 
 ing the caisson, with pain in the limbs and in the epigastrium, fol- 
 lowed by vomiting of large pieces of undigested meat. Eyes swollen 
 and very much injected ; extreme giddiness ; pulse 80, and small. 
 Vomiting continued at intervals for 24 hours. Bowels had not been 
 moved for 48 hours. 
 
 Was treated with morphia and ergot, but the vomiting continuing, 
 a scruple of calomel was given on the 3d, which had the effect of 
 quieting the stomach, and at the same time of relieving the bowels, 
 after which the patient quickly recovered. 
 
 Case XX. — Thos. Kirby. Taken April 30, with severe pain in 
 the right forearm. The patient was seen by Dr. G_ M. Beard, at 
 whose suggestion I injected into the middle of the palmar aspect of 
 the forearm two minims of a solution of ergotine, each minim con- 
 taining a grain of the drug. The following day, considerable swell- 
 ing had taken place at the point of puncture. The original pain still 
 continued, though less severe. On the 4th clay of May, the patient 
 presented himself with a similar, though more exhaustive, swelling on 
 the other side of the arm, the previous swelling having disappeared. 
 This secondary swelling followed very closely upon the first. It sub- 
 sided promptly under the use of cold applications ; but on the 10th, 
 another similar swelling appeared on the part of the arm above the 
 elbow. It was excessively hot and painful. By the continuous use 
 
of ice, it was soon dissipated without suppuration. The patient did 
 not enter the caisson from the time of the first attack until his final 
 recovery. 
 
 Case XXL— Brune Wieland, Germany, aged 23. Attacked on the 
 8th of May, after working two hours in the caisson, which he entered 
 for the first time, and without having taken food. The attack began 
 with pain in the epigastrium, and vomiting soon followed by para- 
 plegia, and great depression. Respiration 40, pulse 100, and very 
 feeble. Stimulants brought about a prompt reaction. The power of 
 motion was soon regained, but there was not sufficient strength in tin- 
 legs to stand. Paralysis of the bladder. On the following day he w a> 
 perfeetly comfortable, though still too weak to stand. Bladder still 
 paralyzed. Sent to the hospital, after which there is no record of his 
 case. 
 
 Case XXII. — 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 tkrec- 
 quartevs of an hour after leaving the caisson, where the pressure was 
 26 lbs. to the inch. On the arrival of the boat he was placed in a 
 hack, and taken home. According to his account, he was for 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 grad - 
 ually passed off, and by 3 P. M. of the following day he was 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 him- 
 self as much better. Soon after taking the first dose of ergot, he 
 found his strength improved. He now felt well, except a ' ; trembling ? 
 in the chest. Advised not to resume work in the caisson. 
 
 Case XXIII. — Charles Ward. Began work May 17th, and con- 
 tinued through both watches, though advised to omit the afternoon 
 watch for the first day or two. , After coming up the second time, he 
 felt some pain in the legs. Did not work again until the 20th, when, 
 after the first watch, he was taken with numbness in the left leg, 
 and partial loss of motion. When I saw him on the 21st, the sensi- 
 bility in the affected part was very much blunted, but the power of 
 motion was fully restored. Temperature to the hand sensibly lower 
 than in the other leg. No pain. Complaint of a ''want of hold 
 upon the ground " in attempting to walk. 
 
 Cold water was poured upon the lower part of the spine for several 
 minutes, after which there was a decided improvement in the leg. 
 He was able to walk home ; but did not report again, and I lost sight 
 of the case. 
 
G2 
 
 Case XXIV.— Fred. Wilkinson. Taken May 21st, after the second 
 watch, with pain in the right knee. Considerable swelling above 
 an 1 internal to ths patella. Slight elevation of temperature. Re- 
 lieved by the cold douche. 
 
 The minutes of the following case were kindly furnished me by 
 Dr. Walter Reed, of the Brooklyn City Hospital, and are so interest- 
 ing that I transcribe them in full : 
 
 Case XXV. — "Michael Madigan, age 36, Ireland, laborer, admitted 
 March 26th, 1872. A large, robust man ; states that he has been 
 working on the East River Bridge for three months past, and that 
 for several weeks past has been under a heavy atmospheric pressure 
 (about 30 lbs.) 
 
 "March 25th, about noon, after coming up from the caisson, was 
 taken with cramps in his stomach, which required a dose of medi- 
 cine for their relief. He then went to his dinner, after which he re- 
 turned to work, but felt so weak in the legs and in the small of the 
 back that he was compelled to leave off. Was carried home and put 
 to bejel. Did not have m-ich pain in the legs or back, but a feeling of 
 extreme weakness. Slept but little during the night, and in the 
 morning found that his legs were powerless, nor could he pass his 
 water, which had to be drawn with a catheter. On admission there 
 was found to be paralysis of the legs, with slight diminution of 
 sensibility. No pain in limbs. Slight tenderness on pressure over 
 the lumbar vertebra?. Paralysis of bladder. Urine drawn off ; 
 quantity, 8 oz. Acid reaction : no albumen. Dry cups applied to the 
 lower part of the spine. Ordered liq. amnion., acetatis, to be re- 
 peated in an hour. At bed time potas. bromid. grs. 40. 
 
 "March 27th. Find patient improved. Slept well during the night. 
 Took some breakfast. Can move his right leg to a considerable ex- 
 tent ; left leg powerless. Has slight pain in the back. Urine drawn 
 off, 8 ozs.; acid. P. M., to re-apply dry cups to spine. 
 
 " March 28th. Can move both legs very well. Is able to stand, but 
 his knees soon bend under him. Urine drawn off. Cups re-applied. 
 
 "March 29th. Can stand up and walk a few steps, though this re- 
 quires some exertion. Cups again to the spine. Urine drawn off. 
 
 " March 31st. Still improves ; walked to the water-closet and had a 
 movement of the bowels. This is the second movement since admis- 
 sion. The first was an involuntary evacuation in the bed. 
 
 " April 2d. The patient has regained the power over his bladder, 
 and passes his urine twice a day. Feels much stronger. 
 
 "April 5th. Patient has been walking about the yard. Says he 
 feels well, except a slight weakness in his back. Discharged cured.' 
 
 For some time after his discharge from the hospital, this patient re- 
 mained very feeble, and the catheter was occasionally required to re- 
 
63 
 
 lieve the bladder. He was confident that he received great benefit 
 from the dry cups while in the hospital. Feeling better each time as 
 soon as the}' were applied. In this statement Dr. Reed concurred. 
 
 Case XXVI. — Reardon, England, 38, corpulent, began work on 
 the morning of May 17th ; was a dvised 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 2i hours, that 
 of the afternoon shift 2 hours. Immediately after coming up from 
 the second watch Reardon Avas 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 they con- 
 tinued to be the seat of extrems pain, and were not entirely insensi- 
 ble to pinching or pricking. The vomiting continued all night, and 
 toward morning he was removed to the Centre street Hospital, where 
 he gradually sank, and on the 18th died. 
 
 The autopsy showed a slight engorgement of the lungs. All the 
 other thoracic and abdominal viscera, as well as the brain, M ere 
 healthy. The spinal cord was found to be intensely congested, and 
 opposite the two lower dorsal vertebra?, there was an extensive effu- 
 sion of blood pressing upon the cord. 
 
 Case XXVII. — 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 he 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 leav- 
 ing, 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 shortl}' afterwards. 
 He was there in an unconscious condition ; face pale and dusky ; lips 
 blue ; pulse irregular and feeble. Under the administration of stimu- 
 lants, he recovered some degree of consciousness, and begged inces- 
 santly for water. The urine was drawn with a catheter, and found 
 to be intensely albuminous. Paroxysms of convulsions soon set in, 
 in one of which he died, nine hours after the attack. 
 
 The autopsy, at which I Avas not present, showed that all the 
 organs were healthy, except the kidneA's. which were the seat of 
 Bright s disease, and were very much altered in structure. 
 
 In this case the effect of the compressed air was merely to hasten 
 an event which, at best, could not have been very long delayed. 
 
 Case XXVIII. — (Francois). Mirant. Had suffered previously 
 from severe pains in the chest and limbs, which compelled him to 
 give up work. Sometime afterward, when the pressure was 4 at- 
 mospheres, he resumed work for a single day — the labor being exces- 
 
G4 
 
 sively 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. 
 
 The autopsy was made by a medical commission appointed by the 
 authorities of Valenciennes. The menniges were found to be inject- 
 ed, and the sinuses distended with dark blood. The brain itself was 
 also congested. The spinal canal was not opened. The lungs were 
 somewhat congested, especially at the base, where they were less 
 crepitant than natural, though still floating in water even when cut 
 into small pieces. There was general congestion of the abdominal 
 viscera. (Annales d'Hyg. de Pub. et Med. Legale, 1860.) 
 
 Case XXIX. — The following description of the post-mortem ap- 
 pearances in a case occurring at St. Louis, is from Dr. Jaminet's re- 
 port, and may be taken as a type of the morbid anatomy of the Cais- 
 son Disease. 
 
 " Henry Krausman, 27 years ; nativity, Germany ; admitted into 
 the hospital March 22cl ; died the 23d. The whole contents of the 
 cranium were found highly congested, with effusion beneath the 
 arachnoid, the vessels of the latter membrane being highly injected. 
 Blood oozed freely from the substance of the brain on section. The 
 spinal cords presented pathological conditions precisely like those of 
 the brain, with the addition of the existence of clots of extravasated 
 blood at different points inside the dura mater. There was also a 
 congested condition of the thoracic contents, less marked probably in 
 the lungs than in the other organs. The abdominal viscera were 
 very highly congested, with extravasation of blood in the kidneys. 
 The mucous membrane of the bladder was healthy, and a small 
 quantity of bloody urine was in the bladder." 
 
 Case XXX. — John Myers, aged about 40 years, a native of Ger- 
 many, of a stout, heavy build, commenced work in the caisson for 
 the first time on the 22d of April, 1872, the pressure then being 
 about 34 lbs. to the inch. 
 
 He worked during the morning shift of 2$ hours without in- 
 convenience, 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 a few rods distant. As he passed 
 through the lower stoiy of the house, on his way to his own room, 
 which was on the second floor, he complained of pain in the abdo- 
 men. 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. 
 
 The autopsy, which took place at the morgue, was made by Dr. 
 Janeway. It showed that the brain, heart, kidneys, and larynx were 
 perfectly normal. The only lesion discovered was in the lungs, which 
 
65 
 
 were congested to a very remarkable degree. The entire extent of 
 both lungs presented an appearance closely resembling that of a 
 highly congested spleen. The spinal eanal was not Opened ; but 
 nothing was found elsewhere to account for the sudden engorgement 
 of the lungs. 
 
 CHAPTER SEVENTH. 
 
 SUGGESTIONS. 
 
 As it is now demonstrated that the method by compressed air is ap- 
 plicable to a great range of engineering operations, and offers many 
 peculiar advantages, it is extremely desirable that the principal ob- 
 jection to its employment, viz., the discomfort and danger to the 
 workmen, should be reduced to a minimum. To this end I would of- 
 fer the following suggestions, drawn from my own experience and 
 that of European and American observers, to whose writings I have 
 had access. 
 
 It is exceedingly desirable that the men should be under control to 
 a certain extent during the intervals of work. Excessive use of in- 
 toxicating liquors should be prevented ; regular hours for sleep and 
 for meals insisted upon, and sufficient nutritious, digestible, and 
 properly cooked food should be provided. The men should sleep in 
 comfortable beds and in properly ventilated apartments. 
 
 All this is manifestly unattainable if the men live in homes of their 
 own choosing. If, therefore, any great work by the aid of com- 
 pressed air is to be undertaken, the preparations for it should include 
 whatever is necessary for housing and feeding the men at a conven- 
 ient place near to the work. For this purpose temporary barracks 
 may be erected in an enclosure, which the men should not be permit- 
 ted to leave except under proper restrictions. 
 
 The food should be furnished by the employers, be of good quality, 
 embrace a sufficient variety, and be prepared by competent cooks. 
 Sleeping apartments should be provided, allowing at least 800 cubic 
 feet of air-space to each man, and with facilities for efficient ventila- 
 tion. 
 
 A hospital should be arranged with a sufficient number of beds, 
 and fitted with every appliance necessary for treating patients during 
 tlieir entire illness. The hospital to be in charge of a competent 
 steward, under the supervision of a physician, who should attend a 
 portion of each day. 
 
 Of course this implies that only single men shall be employed; and 
 that they shall agree at the outset to submit to a quasi military 
 rule. 
 
 5 
 
GG 
 
 Where the number of men is considerable, as would be the case in 
 any large work, the company could carry out the above suggestions 
 economically to themselves, and after deducting the cost from the 
 pay of the workmen, there would remain to the latter more than 
 they would have left after paying their board in the usual May. At 
 the same time the men would be so much more comfortable than if 
 left to provide for themselves, that they would value the position, 
 and the fear of being discharged would be a sufficient restraint upon 
 them. The tendency, too, would be toward securing at the begin- 
 ning of the work a set of men who would continue to the end. These 
 men commencing when the pressure was slight, would not be affected 
 by its gradual increase, thus avoiding the great danger which attends 
 those who begin work for the first time after the pressure has at- 
 tained a high figure . I am satisfied that it is by attention to this 
 point more than by anything else, that the suffering and danger re- 
 sulting from the use of compressed air may be diminished. (See 
 page 50.) 
 
 New hands should not be allowed to work in the caisson more 
 than one watch in each clay for the first Aveek, after which half the 
 usual second watch might be added for another week, at the close of 
 which the full time could be entered upon. 
 
 Since much of the work on the pier above, as well as in the caisson 
 below, is unskilled labor, it could readily be so arranged that the 
 gangs could w r ork on alternate days in the compressed and in the 
 external air. The advantage of an interval in the caisson work is 
 immediately apparent, the cases of sickness being notably diminished 
 by even a single day's intermission. 
 
 The rules given at p. 29 are important, and their observance 
 should be strenuously insisted upon. 
 
 The men should be selected as far as possible from those who are 
 of a spare and wiry build, and no one should be accepted who has a 
 tendency to corpulency. 
 
 The lock-tenders should be selected with special reference to their 
 trustworthiness, and, if it is found that they cannot be depended 
 upon, the air-cocks should be so arranged that the aperture can be 
 graduated from time by the engineer in charge, so as to prevent the 
 possibility of a too rapid change of pressure. 
 
 In entering the caisson, at least three minutes should be allowed in 
 the lock for each additional atmosphere of pressure, and at least five 
 minutes in coming out. 
 
 As for the number of hours of work daily, the rule given by Mr. 
 Collingwood will serve as a general guide. " Taking it for granted 
 that 12 hours is the extreme time that a man can labor without detri- 
 ment to health, in an ordinary atmosphere, then with a pressure of 
 
67 
 
 two atmospheres, or 15 lbs. additional pressure, he can labor about 
 one-half that time ; with three atmospheres, about one-third of that 
 time; and with four atmospheres about one-fourth of that time. In 
 other words, the time is inversely as the pressure."* 
 
 Whenever, for any cause, a sudden increase of pressure is demand- 
 ed, the watch should be shortened to a corresponding extent. 
 
 The air-locks should be placed at the top rather than at the bottom 
 of the shaft, in order that the stair may be climbed in the comprenxed 
 air, instead of immediately after leaving the lock, when the system 
 is more or less prostrated by the change taking place in the circula- 
 tion. If, for any reason, it is impracticable to have the air-lock at 
 the top of the shaft, an elevator should be employed to lift the men 
 to the surface. ' 
 
 Care should be taken to maintain the air in the caisson at a suffi- 
 cient degree of purity, as there may be a wide difference between 
 the amount of air required to supply the necessary mechanical condi- 
 tions for carrying on the work, and the quantity demanded for the 
 health of the workmen. A rough but useful test for the presence of 
 carbonic acid in the air has already been described at p. 28. This is 
 very easily applied, and should be frequently resorted to when there 
 is the least doubt as to the sufficiency of the air supply. A compari- 
 son of the results with those obtained in some fairly ventilated 
 apartment, will give an idea of the amount of impurity in the air of 
 the caisson. The comparison will be aided b}^ allowing the carbonate 
 of lime formed to settle to the bottom of the test tube, where the 
 quantity can be more readily appreciated. 
 
 ANDREW EL SMITH. 
 
 * Trans. Am. Society of Civil Engineers, p. 133. 
 
69 
 
 A. 
 
 Statement of the Cash Receipts and Expenditures of the New 
 York Bridge Company to and inciadino April 3", 1873. 
 
 RECEIPTS. 
 
 Capital stock (paid in) $3,684,600 00 
 
 Rent 14,599 00 
 
 Material sold 33,318 72 
 
 Interest 34,240 12 
 
 Wharfage 3,587 71 
 
 Total $3,770,345 55 
 
 EXPENDITURES. 
 
 Engineering, (salaries, etc.) $157,980 93 
 
 Rent 32,166 66 
 
 Office expenses, (salaries, etc.) 33,230 01 
 
 Timber and lumber 351,023 19 
 
 Construction 834,988 68 
 
 Contingent expenses 13,254 89 
 
 Tools 15,463 96 
 
 Labor 526,953 63 
 
 Machinery 116,512 00 
 
 Freight, cartage, and towage 12,713 09 
 
 Printing and advertising 2.101 37 
 
 Land, land damages, and buildings 456.259 83 
 
 Limestone 241,166 5s 
 
 Granite 703,125 67 
 
 Insurance 2,526 37 
 
 Scows 28,660 57 
 
 Interest 5,498 89 
 
 Ho:ses, wagons, and harness 3,955 34 
 
 Taxes 7,138 42 
 
 Office furniture 5,404 23 
 
 Bonds of the city of New York, (loss) 9,296 02 
 
 Bodwell Granite Company, freight 10,776 07 
 
 South Brooklyn Steam Engine Works, on account. . 3.000 00 
 
 Total $3,573,196 40 
 
 Total cash receipts , $3,770,345 55 
 
 Total cash expenditures 3.573.196 40 
 
 Balance of cash account $197,149 15 
 
70 
 
 Cash in Brooklyn Tmst Company $166,383 71 
 
 " in Atlantic State Bank 24,652 48 
 
 ** in Long Island Bank 4,359 88 
 
 " on hand in petty cash 753 08 
 
 Check on hand 1,000 00 
 
 Total $197,149 15 
 
 JOHN H. PRENTICE, 
 
 Treasurer. 
 
 Brooklyn, May 1, 1873. 
 
 Statement of Assets and Liabilities of the New York 
 Bridge Company, other than those contained in the State- 
 mknt of the cash receipts and expenditures, may 1, 1873. 
 
 ASSETS. 
 
 Due for installments on capital stock $315,400 00 
 
 " for material sold 17,227 20 
 
 Total $332,627 20 
 
 LIABILITIES. 
 
 Due on granite $10,757 75 
 
 " for land damages 15,000 00 
 
 " for land and buildings 50,000 00 
 
 " for land 202,000 00 
 
 " for limestone 4,027 59 
 
 " for machinery 11 20 
 
 Total $281,796 54 
 
 B. 
 
 Receipts from May 1, 1872, to May 1, 1873. 
 
 For installments on capital stock $922,200 00 
 
 For rent 10,039 00 
 
 For material sold 30,563' 87 
 
 For interest 3,918 42 
 
 New York city bonds, par value 12-8,000 00 
 
 From Bodwell, "Webster & Co., for freight charged 
 
 in April, 1872, transferred to granite account. 2,232 71 
 
 $1,096,954 00 
 
71 
 
 Receipts over expenditures from May 1, 1N72, to 
 
 May 1, 1873 $178,914 38 
 
 Cash on hand, May 1, 1872 18,234 77 
 
 Cash on hand. May 1, 1873 $197,149 15 
 
 c. 
 
 Expenditures from May 1, 1872, to May 1, 1873. 
 
 Engineering $31,971 07 
 
 Rent 11,358 33 
 
 Office expenses 10,228 79 
 
 Timber and lumber 18,459 09 
 
 Construction 112,096 98 
 
 Contingent expenses 3,095 10 
 
 Tools 1,829 78 
 
 Labor 157,890 87 
 
 Machinery 8,357 81 
 
 Freight, cartage, and towage 3,096 03 
 
 Printing and advertising 1,008 86 
 
 Land, land damages, and buildings 123,586 18 
 
 Limestone 69,889 49 
 
 Granite 331,168 23 
 
 Insurance 1,084 50 
 
 Scows 720 00 
 
 Interest 3,500 00 
 
 Hordes, wagons, and harness 2,193 16 
 
 Taxes 3,365 66 
 
 Office furniture 67 00 
 
 Loss on bonds of the city of New York 9,296 02 
 
 South Brooklyn Steam Engine Works, on account. 3,000 00 
 
 Bodwell Granite Co., freights paid on account 10,776 07 
 
 $918,039 62 
 
DETAILED STATEMENT 
 
 OF THE 
 
 RECEIPTS 
 
 OF THE 
 
 NEW YORK BRIDGE COMPANY, 
 
 FROM MAY 1st. 1872. TO MAY 1st, 1873, 
 
 TOGETHER WITH A STATEMENT OF THE AMOUNT BEOEIVED PREVIOUS 
 
 TO MAY 1st. 1872. 
 
i o 
 D. 
 
 Capital Stock. 
 
 Capital stock paid in as per statement of May 1, 
 
 1872 $2,762,400 00 
 
 Henry C. Murphy $4,800 00 
 
 Isaac Van Anden 2,500 00 
 
 William Marshall 500 00 
 
 Seymour L. Hosted 5.000 00 
 
 Arthur W. Benson 200 00 
 
 Alexander McCue 2,500 00 
 
 J as. S. T. Stranahan 4,700 00 
 
 John H. Prentice 500 00 
 
 The city of New York 300,000 00 
 
 The city of Brooklyn 000.000 00 
 
 Demas Barnes. 1,000 00 
 
 W. H. Vanderbilt 200 00 
 
 Abram S. Hewitt 100 00 
 
 W. H. Appleton 100 00 
 
 Lloyd Aspinwall,... 100 00 
 
 8922,200 00 
 
 §3, 084, GOO 00 
 
 Kent. 
 
 1872. 
 
 Amount as per statement of May 1, 1872, $4,560 00 
 
 May 6.— W. H. Marston 82,275 00 
 
 Aug. 5.— " " 2,500 00 
 
 Nov. 7.— " " 2,500 00 
 
 Rent of 2 and 4 Market st 118 00 
 
 Dec. 0.— " " " 116 00 
 
 1873. 
 
 Jan. 9.— Kent No. 2 Market st 30 00 
 
 Feb. 12.— W. H. Marston 2,500 00 10,039 00 
 
 814,599 00 
 
 Material Sold. 
 
 1872. 
 
 Amount as per statement o r May 1, 1872, 82,754 So 
 May 1.— T. C. Murray, for gas cylin- 
 ders * 8100 00 
 
 " 3. — T. C. Murray, for gas cylin- 
 ders 100 00 
 
 " 20. — T. C. Murray, for gas cylin- 
 ders 100 00 
 
 June 29. — McCaffrey & AVilson, for 
 
 gas cylinders 140 00 
 
 Carried forward 
 
 8440 00 
 
 82,754 85 
 
7G 
 
 Brought forward $440 00 $2,754 85 
 
 T. C. Murray, for gas cylin- 
 
 deiM 200 00 
 
 July 13. — Levi Hayden, for dredge 
 
 buckets 800 00 
 
 " 15. — Schooner A. M. Bird, for 
 
 rope 3 00 
 
 ' : 30. — One stove, tin pails and dip- 
 pers, old boots 26 50 
 
 Jas. Williamson & Co., pig- 
 iron 1,624 20 
 
 Aug. 1.— N. Kane, old iron 302 18 
 
 " 5. — Lucius Hart & Co., pig lead. 7,116 54 
 " 6. — Premium on gold check 
 
 from L. Hart & Co 1,080 00 
 
 " 15. — A. T, Briggs, cement barrels. 487 83 
 
 " 16. — A. S. Cameron & Co., one 
 
 steam pump 1,000 00 
 
 " 31. — T. C. Murray, for gas cylin- 
 ders 20O 00 
 
 Sept. 11.- A. Inslee, old iron 15 68 
 
 Phelps S: Kimpland, oak- 
 pile 6 00 
 
 " 16. — E. Sweet & Co., on account 
 
 of air compressor 2,500 00 
 
 « 20. — T. & A. Walsh, coal tar. ... 3 50 
 
 " 23. — Eclipse Lubricating Oil Co., 
 on account of water and 
 
 supply shafts 100 00 
 
 " 24.-^Bigelow Blue Stone Co.. 
 
 hose 53 20 
 
 " 30. — Three barrels of cement. ... 5 25 
 
 < )ct. 2. — Fisher & Xorris, on account 
 
 of boiler and fixtures. ... 50 00 
 
 " 16. — Francis Hibbard, one air 
 
 compressor 1,821 00 
 
 " 17. — N. Kane, old rope - 72 36 
 
 " 21. — New York Iron Mine, one 
 
 boiler ; 500 00 
 
 " 31.— T. & A. Walsh, coal tar 3 50 
 
 C. Leverich, oil barrels 3 00 
 
 James Downey, oil barrels. . 14 00 
 
 M. Walsh, " "... 4 00 
 
 J. T. Tracy, old pillows 5 62 
 
 Nov. 7. — Hussey & Howe Mining Co.. 
 
 on account of compressor 
 
 and fixtures 500 00 
 
 " 12.— Eclipse Lubricating Oil Co., 
 on account of water and 
 
 supply shafts 1,500 00 
 
 « 30.— Oil barrels 3 50 
 
 Cairied forward 
 
77 
 
 Brought forward £20,440 05 
 
 Kindling wood 14 00 
 
 Dec. 4. — Fisher & Norris, balance on 
 
 boiler and fixtures 467 62 
 
 5.— -Burleigh Rock Drill Co., two 
 
 compressors 3,400 00 
 
 «« 6. — New Jersey State Lunatic 
 
 Asylum, two boilers 1,000 00 
 
 New Jersey State Lunatic 
 Asylum, old pipe and fix- 
 tures 227 18 
 
 Hussey & Howe Mining Co., 
 balance on compressors 
 
 and fixtures 2,602 66 
 
 « 12 — Department of Docks, New 
 
 York, granite 89 33 
 
 " 13. — Eclipse Lubricating Oil Co., 
 balance on water and sup- 
 ply shafts 535 24 
 
 « 31.— Old pipe 22 25 
 
 1873. 
 
 Jan. 7. — J. A. Roebling's Sons, old 
 
 iron 324 68 
 
 " 15. — A. T. Briggs, cement barrels. 296 24 
 
 " 30.— Rope 1 50 
 
 Feb. 8.— Old buildings on James st.. . 978 30 
 
 " 17. — T. F. Rowland, iron pipe. . . 155 31 
 
 Mar. 31.— J. D. Martin, old pipe 63 44 
 
 Kindling wood 9 00 
 
 Sand 10 00 
 
 April 30.— " 147 75 
 
 $30,875 45 
 
 Less for lightering pig-iron.. . $25 50 
 
 Less for weighing lead 50 00 
 
 Less for handling pig-iron.... 8 88 
 
 84 38 
 
 s2,7.-) l 85 
 
 Less amount added to interest account 
 
 Interest. 
 
 1872. 
 
 Amount as per statement of May 1, 1872. 
 July 30. — On deposits in Atlantic 
 
 Bank $618 77 
 
 Oct. 16. — On deposits in Brooklyn 
 
 Trust Co 828 30 
 
 Carried forward $1,447 07 
 
 30,791 
 
 07 
 
 $33,545 
 
 92 
 
 227 
 
 20 
 
 $33,318 
 
 72 
 
 $30,321 70 
 
 $30,321 70 
 
78 
 
 Brought forward $1,447 07 $30,321 70 
 
 Dec. 3.— -On deposits in Brooklyn 
 
 Trust Co 1,870 89 
 
 1873. 
 
 Feb. 8. — On deposits in Atlantic 
 
 Bank 373 26 
 
 3,691 22 
 
 $34,012 92 
 
 Add amount transferred from material sold 227 20 
 
 $34,240 12 
 
 Wharfage as per statement May 1, 1872 $3,587 71 
 
 Total receipts to May 1, 1873 $3,770,345 55 
 
I) ET AIL E I) STATE M E \ ' 
 
 OF THE 
 
 EXPENDITURES 
 
 OF THE 
 
 NEW YORK BRIDGE COMPANY, 
 
 FROM MAY 1st, 1872, TO MAY 1st. 1873, 
 
 TOGETHER WITH A STATEMENT <>F THE AMOUNT EXPENDED PREVIOUS 
 
 TO MAY 1st, 1872. 
 
SI 
 
 E. 
 
 Engineering. 
 
 1872. 
 
 Payments as per statement of May 1, 1872... . $12G,009 2(5 
 
 May 0.— Salaries for April 2,709 32 
 
 June 10. " " May 2,7(50 32 
 
 July 2. " " June 2,770 82 
 
 Aug. 7. " " July 2,800 32 
 
 Sept. 3. " " August 2,814 32 
 
 Oct. 8. " " September 2,805 32 
 
 Nov. 4. " " October 2,811 32 
 
 Dec. 9. " " November 2,334 82 
 
 1873. 
 
 Jan. 0. " " December 2,325 82 
 
 Jan. 31. " to Horatio Allen, in full G83 33 
 
 Feb. 3. " for January 2,348 32 
 
 March 4 " " February 2,338 32 
 
 April 7. " " March : 2,343 32 
 
 Total $157,980 93 
 
 Rents. 
 
 1872. 
 
 Payments as per statement of May 1, 1872... . $20,808 33 
 
 Mav 0. — Atlantic Dock Co., rent of stone yard 1,250 00 
 
 S. S. & B A Haff, " " 750 00 
 
 Brooklyn Union, " offices 825 00 
 
 Aug. 1.— " " " 825 00 
 
 " 3. — S. S. & B. A. Haff, " stone yard 750 00 
 
 7.— Atlantic Dock Co., " " 1,250 00 
 
 Nov. 0.— " " " 1,250 00 
 
 S. S. & B. A. Haff, " " 750 00 
 
 Brooklyn Union, " offices 825 00 
 
 1873. 
 
 Feb. 1.— " " " 825 00 
 
 Atlantic Dock Co. , " stone yard 1,250 00 
 
 S. S. & B. A. Haff, " " 750 00 
 
 " 5. — A. Inslee. use of sidewalk and part of shop, 
 
 corner of Water and Dock streets 58 33 
 
 Total $32,100 06 
 
 Office Expenses. 
 
 1872. 
 
 Payments as per statement of May 1, 1872. . . $23,001 22 
 
 May 6 —Salaries for April 791 60 
 
 " 31. — Miscellaneous items 89 19 
 
 June 10.— Salaries for May 791 00 
 
 Hosford & Sons, stationery 29 80 
 
 " 11. — Brooklyn Eagle, books and stationery 49 50 
 
 " 12.— Benoit & Wood, drawing materials 20 00 
 
 Carried forward $24,779 03 
 
 
 
82 
 
 Brought forward 824.779 03 
 
 June 19. — K. M. Whiting, Jr.. stationery 21 45 
 
 " 29. — Miscellaneous items 112 37 
 
 Juh' 2. — Salaries for June 791 G6 
 
 ' : 31. — Miscellaneous items 95 G8 
 
 Aug. 7. — Salaries for July 791 66 
 
 " 12.— Hosford & Sons, stationery 39 60 
 
 " 31. — Miscellaneous items 116 88 
 
 Sept. 3.— Salaries for August 791 66 
 
 " 10. — Benoit & Wood, drawing materials 45 70 
 
 " 30. — Miscellaneous items 81 03 
 
 Oct. 8.— Salaries for September 79166 
 
 Hosford & Sons, stationery 34 15 
 
 " 10. — Brooklyn Eagle, time books 45 00 
 
 " 31. — Miscellaneous items 144 08 
 
 Nov. 4.— Salaries for October 666 66 
 
 " 7. — Hosford & Sons, stationery 16 70 
 
 Benoit & Wood, drawing materials 25 30 
 
 30. — Miscellaneous items 67 06 
 
 Dec. 9.— Salaries for November 666 66 
 
 31. — Miscellaneous items 80 67 
 
 1873. 
 
 Jan. 6.— Salaries for December 666 66 
 
 " 15. — Hosford & Sons, stationery 25 45 
 
 " 31. — Miscellaneous items 75 16 
 
 Feb. 3.— Salaries for January 666 66 
 
 " 27.— Keuffel & Esser, stationery 13 58 
 
 Expenses by Paine <fc Collingwood to Phila- 
 delphia 31 57 
 
 Miscellaneous items 33 39 
 
 " 28.— " " 18 85 
 
 Mar. 4.— Salaries for February 666 66 
 
 M 31.— Miscellaneous items 66 69 
 
 April 7.— Salaries for March 666 66 
 
 u 30.— Miscellaneous items 94 02 
 
 Total 833.230 01 
 
 Timber and Lumber. 
 
 1872. 
 
 Payments as per statement of May 1. 1872.... 8332.564 10 
 
 May 7.— W. H. Dunn 1,410 06 
 
 " 7. — H. N, Conklin, Son «fc Beers 8227 95 
 
 June 12. " " 366 76 
 
 July 5. " " 259 75 
 
 Aug. 7. il - " 189 93 
 
 Sept. 10. " " 574 14 
 
 Oct. 9. " " 348 21 
 
 Nov. 7. " " 677 43 
 
 Dec. 11. " " 1,709 59 
 
 1873. 
 
 Jan. 10. " " 120 05 
 
 Feb. 5. " " 252 19 
 
 Carried forward 84,725 99 8333,974 16 
 
83 
 
 Brought forward $4,726 00 $383,974 1(1 
 
 Mar. 5. — ii. X. Conklin. Son & Boers 407 85 
 
 April 8. 44 44 349 75 
 
 — 5,483 59 
 
 1872. 
 
 May 7.— Smith A Hall 28 50 
 
 M 17.— New York and Brooklyn Saw-Mill 
 
 and Lumber Company $875 84 
 
 June 12. 44 " M « 198 83 
 
 July 10. " 41 " 44 53 17 
 
 Sept. ft. " «« " 44 57 15 
 
 Oct. 10. " " 44 44 92 01 
 
 Nov. G. " " 44 " 101 69 
 
 Dec. 9. 44 44 " " 1.002 95 
 
 1873. 
 
 Jan. 14. 44 M " 44 276 77 
 
 Mar. 18. " " " " 322 33 
 
 April 16. " " " 415 39 
 
 2.897 03 
 
 1872. 
 
 Jnly 0.— Phelps & Kimpland $1,002 00 
 
 Aug. 30. 44 " 294 00 
 
 Sept. 11. " " 252 00 
 
 Oct. 8. 44 " 60 00 
 
 ■ 1.608 00 
 
 Aug. 7.— W. H. Decker 1,521 50 
 
 Sept. 30.— George K. Alexander #15 49 
 
 1873. 
 
 April 11. " 44 46 24 
 
 61 73 
 
 Jan. 16.— P M. McGovern. storage 349 40 
 
 Feb. 12— South Brooklyn Saw-Mill Co 156 67 
 
 April 11.— Watson Pittinger & Go 364 57 
 
 " — T. M. Mayhew & Co 4.578 04 
 
 Total 8351.023 10 
 
 Construction. 
 
 1872. 
 
 Payments as per statement of May 1, 1872. ... $722,891 70 
 
 May 8. — R. S. Place & Co.. iron work £123 62 
 
 June 12. " " " 82 12 
 
 Aug. 7. " " 44 347 01 
 
 Sept. 11. 44 44 " 298 95 
 
 Oct. 9. 44 44 44 231 39 
 
 Nov. 14. 44 44 44 11 97 
 
 Dec. 11. 44 44 44 59 74 
 
 1873. 
 
 Jan. 8. 44 " 4 - 63 49 
 
 Carried forward $1,218 29 $728,891 70 
 
84 
 
 Brought forward $1,218 29 $722,891 70 
 
 Feb. 11.— R. S. Place & Co., iron work (57 95 
 
 Mar. 7. " " " 57 35 
 
 April 9. " " " 65 73 
 
 1,409 32 
 
 1872. 
 
 May 8.— Phelps, Dodge & Co. , pig lead 3,872 30 
 
 *¥ 6.— Marston & Power, coal $2.040 20 
 
 June 10. " " " 2,304 40 
 
 July 3. " " " 1,063 53 
 
 Aug 31. " " il 9 00 
 
 5,417 13 
 
 Aug. 7.— Marston & Son. coal $1,449 27 
 
 Sept. 11. " " " 743 75 
 
 Oct. 11. " " " 56 25 
 
 Nov. 7. " " " 1,305 45 
 
 Dec. 16. " " " 37 50 
 
 1873. 
 
 Jan. 10. " " " 32 00 
 
 Feb. 10. " " " 51 00 
 
 Mar. 10. " " " 125 00 
 
 April 22. " " " 706 50 
 
 4,506 72 
 
 1872. 
 
 May 6.— John Morton & Son. cement $1,743 62 
 
 June 11. " " 1,578 98 
 
 July 8. " " 4.383 49 
 
 Aug. 7. " " 1,522 86 
 
 Sept, 11. " " 2,737 24 
 
 Oct. 8. " " 3,706 32 
 
 Nov. 6. " " 1.294 13 
 
 Dec. 10. " " 3,023 15 
 
 1873. 
 
 Jan. 10. " " 686 25 
 
 Mar. 12. " " 21 00 
 
 20.697 04 
 
 1872. 
 
 May 6. — Bowns Brothers, coal 1,001 66 
 
 May 6— Cory & Co., oil $174 60 
 
 June 10. " " 176 40 
 
 July 3. " " 89 55 
 
 Aug. 12. " " 81 61 
 
 Oct. 8. " " 43 78 
 
 Nov. 6. " " 112 78 
 
 1873. 
 
 Feb. 18. " " 61 63 
 
 April 9 " " 102 01 
 
 842 36 
 
 1872, 
 
 May 7.— Mason & Watts, gravel $623 90 
 
 June 11. " " 2.031 93 
 
 July 6. " " 2,454 16 
 
 Carried forward 
 
85 
 
 Brought forward $5,109 00 $760,688 28 
 
 Auir. 7.— Mason & Watts, gravel 1,66188 
 
 Sept. 11. " " 1,(502 00 
 
 Oct. 4 4 44 1,347 25 
 
 Nov. 8. 44 44 2G2 65 
 
 Dec. 11. 44 44 104 05 
 
 1873. 
 
 Jan. 14. 44 44 48 4 21 
 
 10.6G2 38 
 
 1872. 
 
 May 7 — James Williamson & Co., pig iron 000 03 
 
 • 4 6.— Hubbard & Whittaker, iron work. . $568 52 
 
 June 10. 44 44 44 ... 200 50 
 
 July 3. 44 44 44 ... 156 63 
 
 Aug. 7. 44 44 44 ... 74 16 
 
 Sept. 11. 44 44 44 ... 237 71 
 
 Oct. 10. 44 44 44 ... 15 
 
 Nov. 13. 44 44 44 ... 120 27 
 
 Dec. 10. 44 44 44 ... 211 62 
 
 1873. 
 
 Jan. 13. 44 44 44 ... 220 68 
 
 Mar. 13. 44 44 44 ... 52 58 
 
 April 8. 44 44 44 ... 73 06 
 
 1,051 07 
 
 1872. 
 
 Mav 6. — Abraham Inslee, iron work $14 70 
 
 June 11. 44 44 12 33 
 
 July 2. 44 44 32 55 
 
 Aug. 7. 44 44 21 4 25 
 
 Sept 11. 44 44 73 73 
 
 Oct. 0. 44 44 23 45 
 
 Dec. 31. 44 44 7 46 
 
 1873. 
 
 Jan. 11. 44 44 14 00 
 
 Mar. 31. 44 44 6 40 
 
 300 77 
 
 1872. 
 
 May 7.— B. J. Drew, tin-ware, etc $30 00 
 
 June 10. 44 12 75 
 
 July 3. 44 44 12 12 
 
 Aug. 31. 44 " 4 13 
 
 Oct. 31. 44 44 8 28 
 
 Nov. 0. 44 44 26 05 
 
 Dec. 31. 44 " 22 
 
 1873. 
 
 Jan. 31. 44 44 6 25 
 
 Mar. 8. 44 44 15 75 
 
 Apr. 30. 44 44 6 00 
 
 130 55 
 
 1872. 
 
 May 7.— Divine Burtis, Jr., coffer-dams.... 84,357 31 
 
 Carried forward 84,357 31 8774.773 83 
 
86 
 
 Brought forward 
 
 Aug:. 20. — Divine Burtis, Jr., coffer-dams, 
 
 7.— Caffrey & Wilson, gas 
 
 John A. Roebling's Sons, wire rope 
 
 freight 
 wire rope 
 
 -W. S. Tisdale & Co. , nails & spikes 
 
 May 
 May 7. 
 June 13. 
 Oct. 12. 
 Nov. -7. 
 
 1873. 
 Feb. 27. 
 Mar. 10. 
 
 1872. 
 May 7. 
 June 13. 
 July 17. 
 Sept. 11. 
 Oct. 12. 
 Nov. 7. 
 Dec. 30. 
 
 1873. 
 Mar. 26. 
 Apr. 9. 
 
 1872. 
 
 May 7. — John Gray & Co., wooden-ware... . 
 June 13. 
 Aug. 12, 
 Sept. 11. 
 Nov. 7. 
 
 May 7 — Sanderson Bros. & Co., steel. 
 June 13. 
 July 17. 
 Aug. 12. 
 
 Sept. 11. " " . 
 
 Oct. 12. " " . 
 
 Nov. 7. " " . 
 
 1873. 
 Jan. 17. 
 Apr. 8. 
 
 4.357 31 $774,773 83 
 2,000 00 
 
 6,357 31 
 
 28 SO 
 
 1872. 
 May 7. 
 Dec. 30. 
 
 -N. Y. Lighterage Co., lightering... 
 
 May 9. — Boyd & Thompson, oil. 
 June 19. 
 July 17. 
 Aug. 12. 
 Nov. 7. 
 Dec. 30. 
 
 $75 17 
 54 22 
 83 31 
 
 119 36 
 
 9 85 
 1.180 46 
 
 $70 00 
 59 00 
 23 00 
 58 50 
 48 10 
 25 00 
 80 00 
 
 26 00 
 32 00 
 
 $38 00 
 24 38 
 59 00 
 16 50 
 26 00 
 
 $25 46 
 37 20 
 76 15 
 76 62 
 76 49 
 
 130 03 
 35 47 
 
 31 25 
 16 43 
 
 $15 00 
 15 00 
 
 $87 60 
 64 08 
 42 72 
 42 48 
 
 21 60 
 
 22 08 
 
 1,522 31 
 
 421 60 
 
 163 88 
 
 505 10 
 
 30 00 
 
 Carried forward 
 
 $280 56 $783,802 89 
 
87 
 
 Brought forward #280 56 $783,802 80 
 
 1873. 
 
 Mar. 26.— Boyd & Thompson, oil 22 08 
 
 302 64 
 
 1872. 
 
 May 0.— Joseph H. Mumby, horse feed $48 23 
 
 July 13. " M " 24 31 
 
 " 30. " " " 2 05 
 
 Aug. 31. " " " 7 80 
 
 Sept. 30. " " " 8 66 
 
 Oct. 16. " M " 10 26 
 
 Nov. 13. " " " 25 33 
 
 Dec. 11. " " " 19 69 
 
 1873. 
 
 Mar. 31. " " " 4 56 
 
 April 7. " " " 135 77 
 
 293 26 
 
 1872. 
 
 May 10.— George Pool & Sons, oil, lamps, 
 
 paints, etc $42 03 
 
 June 15. " " " 58 01 
 
 Aug. 10. " " " 63 34 
 
 Nov. 11. " " " 48 95 
 
 Dec. 20. " " " 35 63 
 
 1873. 
 
 Jan. 10. " " " 62 16 
 
 Feb. 13. " " " 28 65 
 
 Mar. 15. " " " 13 01 
 
 April 8. " " " 26 64 
 
 378 42 
 
 1872. 
 
 May 9.— De Grauw, Aymar & Co., rope, etc. $620 93 
 
 June 11. " " " 397 88 
 
 July 11. ; ' " " 374 60 
 
 Aug. 7. " " " 691 62 
 
 Sept. 12. " " " 955 42 
 
 Oct. 9. " " " 1,275 43 
 
 Nov. 6. " " " 398 53 
 
 Dec. 11. " " " 714 35 
 
 1873. 
 
 Feb. 11. " «« " 158 31 
 
 Mar. 13. " " " 52 52 
 
 April 10. " " 4i 559 31 
 
 • 6,198 90 
 
 1872. 
 
 May 11. — Jas. O. Morse, iron pipe and fittings $464 55 
 
 June 19. M » " 167 61 
 
 July 17. " " " 30 90 
 
 Sept. 11. " " " 54 19 
 
 Nov. 30. " " " 7 47 
 
 Carried forward $724 72 $790,976 11 
 
88 
 
 Brought forward $724 72 $790,976 11 
 
 1873. 
 
 April 8.— Jas. O. Morse, iron pipe and fittings 22 50 
 
 747 22 
 
 1872. 
 
 May 24. — Eggleston Brothers & Co., iron 
 
 and steel $424 75 
 
 June 20. " •< " 120 85 
 
 July 15. " " " 255 68 
 
 Aug. 15. " " " 273 12 
 
 Sept. 12. " " " 338 56 
 
 Oct. 10. " " " 636 81 
 
 Nov. 12. " " " 148 69 
 
 Dec. 18. " " « 208 12 
 
 1873. 
 
 Jan. 14. " " " 500 33 
 
 Feb. 12. " " " 246 22 
 
 Mar. 8. " " " 325 21 
 
 April 11. " " " 667 98 
 
 4,146 32 
 
 1872. 
 
 May 15.— Pearce & Mitchell, castings, etc... $172 98 
 
 Sept. 30. " " " ... 4 07 
 
 Nov. 30. " " " ... 13 07 
 
 1873. 
 
 Feb. 27. " " " ... 7 92 
 
 198 04 
 
 1872. 
 
 Mav 11.— Burr & Co., blocks, etc $129 94 
 
 June 26. " " 39 92 
 
 Aug. 14. " " 26 22 
 
 Sept. 16. " " 245 44 
 
 Oct. 22. " " 62 13 
 
 Nov. 23. " " 27 82 
 
 Dec. 23. " " 79 15 
 
 1873. 
 
 Jan. 17. " " 112 86 
 
 April 29. " " 29 37 
 
 752 85 
 
 1872. 
 
 May 15.— Combination Rubber Co., hose, etc. $132 41 
 
 June 19. " " " 41 52 
 
 173 93 
 
 May 15.— A. Gross & Co., candles $166 32 
 
 July 17. " " " 83 16 
 
 Aug. 14. " " " 63 21 
 
 312 69 
 
 May 15.— G. A. Merwin & Co., coffee $60 75 
 
 June 19. " " » 52 65 
 
 July 17. " " " 57 12 
 
 Carried forward $170 52 $797,307 16 
 
80 
 
 Brought forward $170 52 $797,307 L6 
 
 Dec. 30.— G. A. Merwin & Co., coffee 25 39 
 
 195 91 
 
 May 15.— West Va. Oil and Oil Land Co. , oil 45 75 
 
 44 15. — G. Tagliabue, instruments $23 05 
 
 June 18. " ' " 12 70 
 
 July 17. " 44 14 20 
 
 Sept. 30. " 44 75 
 
 Nov. 30. " 44 1 75 
 
 53 05 
 
 May 31.— J. A. Tucker, Jr., copper 3 71 
 
 44 31. — J. L. Mott Iron Works, stove 
 
 fixtures $1 50 
 
 1873. 
 
 Feb. 27. 44 44 44 72 
 
 2 22 
 
 1872. 
 
 June 20.— John Roach & Son, iron work.... $335 00 
 July 30. 44 44 44 .... 31 72 
 
 Sept. 26. " " 44 .... 244 90 
 
 Oct. 29. 44 44 44 .... 20 00 
 
 1873. 
 
 Feb. 20. 44 44 44 .... 397 90 
 
 1,030 12 
 
 1872. 
 
 June 20. — C. H. Delamater, iron work 154 54 
 
 June 14. — John Bunce, hardware $17 28 
 
 Aug. 17. 44 44 20 38 
 
 Nov. 0. 44 44 35 09 
 
 Dec. 23. 44 44 10 21 
 
 1873. 
 
 Feb. 27. 44 44 7 37 
 
 Mar. 18. 44 44 32 05 
 
 April 8. 44 44 23 01 
 
 157 99 
 
 1872. 
 
 June 13.— Georgj T. Sutton & Co., sugar $81 02 
 
 July 17. 44 44 44 124 47 
 
 Oct. 8. 44 44 44 43 01 
 
 249 10 
 
 June 13. — N. Y. Belting and Packing Co., 
 
 hose and belting $302 04 
 
 Aug. 9. 44 44 44 170 40 
 
 Sept. 1 1 4 4 4 4 44 18 80 
 
 Oct. 1 1. 4 4 4 4 " 25 88 
 
 1873. 
 
 Jan. 17. 44 44 44 12 20 
 
 535 98 
 
 1872. 
 
 June 13. — Wm. Porter's Sons, lanterns $19 75 
 
 Carried forward 
 
 $19 75 $799,735 53 
 
90 
 
 Brought forward $19 to •709,736 53 
 
 Sept. 30. — Win. Porter's Sous, lanterns 6 00 
 
 ) to 
 
 Jane 11.— John Marx, galvanizing $182 19 
 
 July 11. " ft ?5 2o 
 
 Sept. 12. » " 532 25 
 
 1873. 
 
 . " " Jl£ 1,630 27 
 
 1872. 
 
 June 11.— F. O. Norton, cement 1>568 01 
 
 " 11.— Phoenix Iron Company, iron bars.. $1,749 7G 
 
 56 92 
 
 Nov. 0. 
 
 1873. 
 
 Feb. 8. " H " — 19 15 
 
 1872. 
 
 j u ) v io.— Neafie&Leavy, labor on steel bars. $1,111 37 
 1873. 
 
 Feb. 3. 
 
 461 00 
 
 1,806 68 
 
 Jane 10.— Pugsl w & Chapman, wheel-barrows 13 50 
 
 i9. —Clark, Wilson & Co., hardware w 1U 
 
 n 29.— Goodyear India-rubber Glove Manufacturing 
 
 Co., rubber coat J uu 
 
 u 29 — Wm. Taylor & Sons, iron work.... $5 49 
 July 2'. " " w 227 14 
 
 An£ 7 " " 4i •••• 16057 
 
 Oct 8 " " 4i .... 41 29 
 
 Dee 11 » " " - 22 90 
 
 476 54 
 
 1.572 3" 
 
 1872. 
 
 j u i v 6.— P. M. McGovern, storage of timber 30 00 
 
 » 5.— J. H. Telfair & Co., oil $28 20 
 
 1873. 
 
 April 9- " 1 " ^ 69 50 
 
 1872. 
 
 July 30.— Jas. McFarlan, Jr. , repairs to boiler $5 00 
 1873. 
 
 Jan. 31. " • " 2 40 ? 40 
 
 1872 ' 
 
 July 30. — A. M. Ingersoll, oars, etc 5 34 
 
 Aug. 9.— C. B. Hardick & Co., rep'ng pumps $78 77 
 
 Carried forward $836,959 99 
 
91 
 
 Brought forward $78 77 $806,959 99 
 
 Nov. 30.— C. B. Hardick & Co., rep'ng pumps 10 45 
 
 89 22 
 
 Aug. 8.— T. & A. Walsh, stone $614 90 
 
 Bept. 20. " " 929 00 
 
 1,648 90 
 
 Aug. 8.— J. Cochrane, Ag't, lewises and bolts $498 20 
 Oct. 9. " 38 40 
 
 53G 60 
 
 Aug. 7.— New York and Brooklyn Saw-Mill and Lum- 
 ber Co.. sawing timber 270 08 
 
 Aug. 31. — Jas. L. Moore, repairing harness. . $1108 
 1873. 
 
 Jan. 1G. " 44 ... 11 70 
 
 22 78 
 
 1872. 
 
 Aug. 31. — E. Lyon, packing $4 50 
 
 Sept. 30. " " 3 00 
 
 1873. 
 
 Feb. 27. " 44 6 00 
 
 13 50 
 
 1872. 
 
 Aug. 31.— Van Pelt & Moore, oiled clothing 90 
 
 " 31. — Salamander Grate-Bar Co., grate 
 
 bars $13 8G 
 
 Oct. 2G. " " " 19 34 
 
 33 20 
 
 Sept. 10.— Thos. Leslie, speaking-tubes, etc 68 00 
 
 44 18.— Fowler. Crampton & Co., oil $39 90 
 
 1873. 
 
 April 9. 44 " 44 41 75 
 
 81 65 
 
 1872. 
 
 Sept. 23. — Nicholas Kane, rope, canvas, etc 44 95 
 
 44 12.— D. W. Richards & Co., iron rails 141 05 
 
 " 30.— R. I. Powell, tin-ware 2 00 
 
 44 30. — Richardson, Boynton ct Co., repairing 
 
 stove 1 50 
 
 Oct. 2G.— Isaac G. Johnson & Co., iron sockets $43 23 
 Dec. 19. " 44 " 36 92 
 
 80 15 
 
 Oct. 8.— John Merry & Co.. galvanizing... . $33 23 
 Nov. 11. " 44 " .... 33 85 
 
 67 08 
 
 Oct. 10 — Eckford Iron Works, iron cleats 18 90 
 
 44 10.— Thos. Weddle & Co., paint 68 58 
 
 " 11.— J. B. Carr & Co., chain 33 88 
 
 44 8. — Phelps &Kimpland, rafting timber 10 93 
 
 Nov. 9. — Ebenezer Smith, hard-wood rollers 15 00 
 
 Carried forward $810,115 90 
 
<)2 
 
 Brought forward $810,115 90 
 
 Nov. 9.— Hoffman & Co., cement 15 00 
 
 " 6.— C. W. Comins, roofing 165 CO 
 
 " 30.— C. Donohue, horse-shoeing $11 99 
 
 1873. 
 
 April 30. " " 7 48 
 
 19 47 
 
 1872. 
 
 Nov. 30.— Mica Roofing Co.. felting $4 00 
 
 Dec. 31. " " 2 00 
 
 C 00 
 
 Nov. 30. — C. F. Ketcham, parchment 4 40 
 
 Dec. 24. — W. K. Hinman & Co., ship-chand- 
 ler's supplies $40 27 
 
 1873. 
 
 April 7. " " 15 88 
 
 50 15 
 
 1872. 
 
 Dec. 9.— Cooper, Hewitt & Co., railroad iron 75G 99 
 
 " 9.— Wm. Wharton, Jr., steel rails, etc. $2,026 22 
 
 1873. 
 
 April 8. " " " 300 00 
 
 2,326 22 
 
 1872. 
 
 Dec. 10. — John Moss, patterns 18 50 
 
 12.— Nugent & Fanning, dies 39 00 
 
 " 17. — Benjamin nay wood, railroad iron 36197 
 
 " 20.— W. Ames & Co., spikes 118 50 
 
 " 11.— Midvale Steel Works, steel bars, plates, etc. 8,867 40 
 
 " 31. — John Bowie, brass castings 3 38 
 
 " 31.— Tuck, French & Goddard, drill 
 
 socket $6 66 
 
 April 30. " " " 10 58 
 
 17 24 
 
 Dec. 31.— E. W. Barnes, plank 4 50 
 
 1873. 
 
 Jan. 17. — M. J. Brien, plumbing work 24 10 
 
 Jan. 13.— G. C. Ehrsam, iron work $58 62 
 
 April 8. " " 14 40 
 
 73 02 
 
 Jan. 10.— Murphy & Co., iron swivels 378 00 
 
 " 10.— James Binns, car wheels $753 30 
 
 Mar. 6. — " " axles, rails, etc Ill 40 
 
 864 70 
 
 Jan. 31. — Christian & Hughes, cement 18 00 
 
 Feb. 27.— F. Hoffmann, belting $1 97 
 
 April 7. " " 21 96 
 
 23 93 
 
 Feb. 27.— R. H. Allen & Co., wheel and hook 2 20 
 
 Carried forward $824,280 23 
 
93 
 
 Brought forward $824,280 28 
 
 Feb. 27.— C. & R. Foil Ion, spruce poles 4 00 
 
 Mar. 4. — Francis Pidgeon, removing sand $55 00 
 April 11. " " " " 346 00 
 
 401 00 
 
 Mar. 10.— W. M. Tebo, dredging 250 00 
 
 Mar. 11. — David Fithian, sashes and doors... $28 00 
 April 9. " " " 74 05 
 
 102 95 
 
 Mar. 14.— Chronic Steel Company, steel $177 90 
 
 Apl. 29.— " " " " " 35 00 
 
 212 96 
 
 .Mar. 31.— Union Chemical Works, felting 9 88 
 
 April 30. — W. C. Kingsley, keeping 1 horse 19 months... 475 00 
 
 " 7. — George Hudson & Sons, plumbing 171 03 
 
 " 8. — Marshal LeffertS, Jr., galvanizing 17 29 
 
 " 9.— J. A. Boukcr & Co., use of scows 217 00 
 
 " 9. — Union White Lead Manufacturing Co., white 
 
 and red lead 37 90 
 
 " 30. — Jacob Out water, iron doors, etc 315 00 
 
 " 30.— W. C. Kingsley, salary from July 12, 1872, to 
 
 April 1. 1873 7,166 66 
 
 1872. 
 
 May 28.— N. Y. Gas-Light Co. , gas $375 00 
 
 June 19. " " " 267 60 
 
 Aug. 14. " " " 186 60 
 
 Sept. 23. " " " 35 10 
 
 864 30 
 
 June 11. — Nassau Water Department, water 80 47 
 
 April 30.— J. W. Kissam, one mouth-piece 1 50 
 
 Miscellaneous Items. 
 
 1872. 
 
 May 28. — From pettv cash account $3 50 
 
 June 29. " " " 31 73 
 
 July 31. " " 13 45 
 
 Aug. 31. " " 30 
 
 Sept. 30. " " 54 75 
 
 Oct. 31. " " 78 50 
 
 Nov. 30. " " 2 90 
 
 Dec. 31. " " 58 52 
 
 1873. 
 
 Jan. 10. " " 7 50 
 
 " 31. " " 2 50 
 
 Feb. 4. " " 27 00 
 
 " 27. " " 42 44 
 
 Mar. 31. " " 162 58 
 
 485 67 
 
 835,092 84 
 
 Less discount from Eggleston Bros. & Co $103 66 
 
 " J. H. Mumby 50 
 
 104 16 
 
 Total $834,988 68 
 
1)4 
 
 Contingent Expense-. 
 
 1872. 
 
 Payments as per statement of May 1, 1872... 810.159 79 
 
 May 7.— Dr. A. H. Smith, for sernc «, Mar. and April 320 00 
 
 44 H. — Funeral expenses of John Meyer 43 so 
 
 31.— Dr. A. H. Smith, for services in May 167 00 
 
 Donation to widow of Patrick McKay 100 00 
 
 Funeral expenses of " " " 60 00 
 
 Medical services of " " 5 00 
 
 " C. H. Palmer 25 00 
 
 Thos. Derby 2 00 
 
 Medicines and food for sick men 24 20 
 
 June 10. — Funeral expenses of D. Riordan 60 00 
 
 -12.— - " of L. Walsh 50 00 
 
 29.— Donation to Mrs. Pat Hesler 20 00 
 
 44 Mrs. Griffith 40 00 
 
 Medicines and carriage hire 18 10 
 
 July 2. — Dr. A. L. Vandewater. for services in June... 160 00 
 
 " 5. — Funeral expenses of Chas. Brown 61 50 
 
 •• 31.— Donation to John Kelly 50 00 
 
 Medicines and carriage hire 15 45 
 
 Aug. 8. — Dr. A. L. Vandewater. for services in July... 150 00 
 
 44 31. — Medicines and doctor's bill 31 75 
 
 Sept. 30.— Donation to Pat Hesler 20 00 
 
 Oct. 12. — E. L. Alexander. expenses in reference to 
 
 • -Waterman's patent " 323 40 
 
 " 31. — Dr. A. L. Vandewater. for services 10 00 
 
 C. C. Martin, expenses to Boston 22 50 
 
 Nov. 6. — S. A. Holmes, photographs of works 169 00 
 
 44 7. — E. B. Valentine, framimr pictures of Bridge. 19 50 
 
 " 33.— Donation to Pat Hesltrr. 5 00 
 
 4 B. Higgins 25 00 
 
 Medical services and medicines 11 00 
 
 C. C. Martin, expenses to Philadelphia 13 Sp 
 
 1873. 
 
 Jan. 9. — Keller ifc Blake, retainer fee " in suit of J. 
 
 B. Eads"... 500 00 
 
 . 44 20.— Dr. J. T. Conklin, for services 133 00 
 
 Feb. 3. — Estate of Dr. Georg? Cochran, for services. . 32 00 
 44 13— T. W. Shearman, f or privilege of erecting guy 
 
 post..: 50 00 
 
 August Otto, forprivilege of erecting guy post 75 00 
 i% 25. — Andrew Burke, fixtures, and possession of 
 
 shop in James street Market 100 00 
 
 44 23. — G. W. Mumby. for fixtures, and possession of 
 
 stable in James street Market 125 00 
 
 " 27.— Donations to poor families for removing from 
 
 James street 27 50 
 
 April 8. — E. B. Valentine, framing three large drawings 26 00 
 
 •• 30. — Carriage hire to hospital for medicine 7.. 4 00 
 
 Total £13,254 89 
 
Tools. 
 
 1872. 
 
 Payments as p r statement of May 1, 1872. ... $18,684 18 
 
 May 28. — E. Lvon 280 00 
 
 '« 15.— Old Colon v Iron Go 7(5 00 
 
 • 15.— Wm. A. Dodire A: Co 40 50 
 
 " 15.— H. Boker & Co *17 08 
 
 June 13. " 11 59 
 
 Sept. 23. " 13 86 
 
 1873. 
 
 April 23. " 36 00 
 
 78 53 
 
 1872. 
 
 May 15.— Hyatt & Spencer 22 80 
 
 M 15.— Clark. Wilson &Co $232 70 
 
 June 10. " " 92 07 
 
 Aug. 14. " " 58 23 
 
 Sept. U. " " 40 17 
 
 Nov. 7. " " 20 22 
 
 1873. 
 
 Jan. 17. " " 64 20 
 
 April 9. " " 116 45 
 
 644 04 
 
 1873. 
 
 May 31.— J. W. Kissam 6 25 
 
 '* 31.— Davis & Hiker 3 00 
 
 '? 81.— Pugsley & Chapman $9 00 
 
 July 30. " 9 00 
 
 18 00 
 
 Mav 31.— Wm. Porter's Sons 5 30 
 
 Aug. 12. — R. H. Allen & Co 22 40 
 
 Sept. 30.— Swan & Brombacher 4 00 
 
 V 30.— Fitter & Lins 82 60 
 
 1873. 
 
 April 30. " " 4 13 
 
 6 73 
 
 1872. 
 
 Nov. 7.— H. G. Healy 129 20 
 
 Dee. 30.— James O. Morse 17 25 
 
 i; 30.— W. H. Paine 12 50 
 
 1873. 
 
 Jan. 11.— W. L. Chase & Co 365 75 
 
 " 17. — W. K. Wood & Co 29 23 
 
 " 31.— P. A. Frasse & Co 8 50 
 
 P. C. Coffin & Co 10 so 
 
 1872. 
 
 Oct. 31.— R. L Powell 2 o 
 
 31.— J. A. Tucker 2 30 
 
 1873. 
 
 Mar. 4. — Ebcnezer Smith 15 30 
 
 Carried forward 
 
Brought forward $15,434 56 
 
 April 14.— Ebenezer Smith 20 40 
 
 " 30.— Swett & Co 9 00 
 
 Total $15,403 90 
 
 Laboe. 
 
 1872. 
 
 Payments as per statement of May 1, 1872.. . $369,002 70 
 
 May 6.— Pay roll to May 2 9,664 54 
 
 il 18. " " 16 9,400 38 
 
 June 1. " " 30 11,584 26 
 
 " 15. " June 13 12,496 88 
 
 " 29. " " 27 12,342 34 
 
 July 13. " July 11 9.230 85 
 
 " 27. " 4i 25 7,695 63 
 
 Aug. 10. " August 8 6.614 51 
 
 " 24. " " 22 6,353 67 
 
 Sept. 7. " September 5 6.869 07 
 
 " 21. " " 19 6,393 68 
 
 Oct. 5. " October 3 5.667 02 
 
 " 19. " " 17 5,685 16 
 
 Nov. 2. " " 31 4,377 98 
 
 "16. " November 14 4,156 45 
 
 " 30. " " 28 4,020 62 
 
 Paid B. Sigismund 5 00 
 
 Dec. 14.— Pay roll to December 12 3,875 11 
 
 " 28. " " 20 2,339 69 
 
 1873. 
 
 Jan. 11. " January 9 1,876 03 
 
 " 25. " " 23 1,865 74 
 
 Feb. 8. " February 6 1,778 54 
 
 " 21. " " 20 2,340 71 
 
 Mar. 8. " March 6 2,896 72 
 
 " 22. " " 20 4,596 87 
 
 " 24. — John Stevenson, on account of mason work... 150 00 
 
 " 29.— W. T. J. Sankey, " " ... 100 00 
 
 April 5.— Pay roll to April 3 5,776 43 
 
 " 12. — John Stevenson, on account of mason work... 200 00 
 
 " 19.— Pay roll to April 17 7,090 71 
 
 John Stevenson, on account of mason work... 100 00 
 
 " 22.— W. T. J. Sankey, balance of mason work 273 00 
 
 $528,098 35 
 
 Less received for labor 1,144 72 
 
 Total $526,953 03 
 
 Machinery. 
 
 1872. 
 
 Payments as per statement of May 1, 1872.... $108,154 19 
 
 June 10. — Pioneer Iron Works, one concrete mixer 330 00 
 
 " 11. — Burleigh Rock-Drill Co., two compressor 
 
 valves 16 50 
 
 Carried forward $108,500 69 
 
97 
 
 Brought forward #108,500 69 
 
 July 8. — Feteler Portable Railroad Co., two 
 
 rail cars * 1 1 5 00 
 
 Peteler Portable Railroad Co., one 
 turn-table 02 65 
 
 177 65 
 
 6, — Divine Burtis, Jr., repairs to pile-driver 145 80 
 
 Nov. 11. — Louis Osborn & Co., one double hoisting 
 
 engine 2,575 00 
 
 44 30. — C. II. Delamater, two 48-inch shieves and 
 
 fixtures 270 13 
 
 1873. 
 
 Feb. 3. — Louis Osborn «fc Co., one double hoisting 
 
 engine 2,550 00 
 
 Jan. 10. — James Binns, car v\ heels, axles, etc 6G1 72 
 
 Mar. 6. — James Binns, truck wheels, axles, etc 1.003 77 
 
 April 14. — W. L. Chase & Co., lathe, chuck, and dogs... 021 74 
 
 Total $116,512 00 
 
 Freight, Cartage, and Towage. 
 
 Payments as per statement of May 1, 1872 $9,617 06 
 
 1872. A. C Nicker son. 
 
 May 24.— Towing scows in April $194 00 
 
 Jane 11. " " 41 May 175 00 
 
 July 9. " " " June 132 00 
 
 Aug. 30. " > ; " Julv 314 00 
 
 Sept. 12. " " " August 379 00 
 
 Oct. 9. " " 44 September 427 00 
 
 Nov. 5. 44 44 44 October ." 350 00 
 
 Dec. 1 1. 44 44 44 November 259 00 
 
 1873. 
 
 Jan. 13. 44 44 ' 44 December, 1872. 87 00 
 
 Mar. 12. 44 " 44 February 8 00 
 
 April 16. " 44 44 March G9 00 
 
 12.011 06 
 
 1872. 
 
 May 31. — Sundry items from petty cash 21 87 
 
 June 22.— Freight on steel bars from Philadelphia 90 05 
 
 Aug. 31.— Sundry items from petty cash 4 50 
 
 Sept. 30. 44 44 44 44 44 9 60 
 
 Oct. 31. 44 ' 4 4 4 44 2 60 
 
 Nov. 8.— Hauling timber at Brooklyn tower 15 00 
 
 " 30. — Sundry items from petty cash 2163 
 
 Dee. 10.— J. D. Martin, bill of cartage 66 75 
 
 Marston & Son, use of horse and cart 8 25 
 
 ;i 31. — Sundry items from petty cash 118 58 
 
 1873. 
 
 Jan. 10. — Marston & Son. carting material 51 90 
 
 11.— J. D. Martin, bill of cartage 55 00 
 
 Carried forward $12,476 79 
 
 7 
 
98 
 
 Brought forward $1 2,47(5 79 
 
 Jan. 31. — Freight on steel plates from Philadelphia 40 32 
 
 Feb. 4. — J. D. Martin, bill of cartage 56 50 
 
 4i 27. — Freight on sundries ('» 65 
 
 |[a£ 21.— J. D. Martin, bill of cartage 60 00 
 
 " 31. — Freight on sundries 20 20 
 
 •• 31.— J. D. Martin, bill of cartage 33 00 
 
 April 22.— Marston & Son, 24 00 
 
 " 12.— J. D. Martin, " in March 45 50 
 
 " 30. — Freight on iron bars 16 33 
 
 Towing timber from basin 11 00 
 
 $12,790 20 
 
 Less received for freight 77 20 
 
 Total #12,713 09 
 
 Printing and Advertising. 
 
 1872. 
 
 Payments as per statement of May 1, 1872. ... $1,092 51 
 
 June 11.— Advertising notice of election 322 18 
 
 Julv 31.— ' ; " 12 50 
 
 Aug. 8.— Printing reports 300 00 
 
 specifications for stone 13 50 
 
 Advertising for proposals for stone 9 00 
 
 Aug. 14. — " old material for sale 44 00 
 
 ** 31. — " for proposals for stone 10 00 
 
 Sept. 11.— " " " 94 50 
 
 " 30.— " old material for sale 18 30 
 
 Nov. 30.— " " 8 50 
 
 Dec. 20. — Printing specifications for iron work 19 75 
 
 1873. 
 
 Apr. 7.— Brooklyn Eagle, specifications, etc 46 50 
 
 8. — J. N. Hudson, advertising for proposals 102 13 
 
 " 30.— Brooklyn Union. " " 8 00 
 
 $2,101 37 
 
 Land. Land Damages, and Buildings 
 
 1872. 
 
 Payments as per statement of May 1, 1872... $ 332, 673 65 
 
 Oct. 30. — M. G. O'Brien, on account of property in 
 
 James and Market sts 9,268 17 
 
 • • 3i. — Aj rs . Bella Palmer, on account of property in 
 
 James st 50 00 
 
 M. G. O'Brien, on account of property in 
 
 James and Market sts 108 78 
 
 ]S[ OY> 4. — jj. G. O'Brien, on account of property in 
 
 James and Market sts 4,116 65 
 
 7. — A. G. Wust. on account of land corner Front 
 
 and James sts 7,018 14 
 
 A. G. Wust, on account of land corner Front 
 
 and James sts '.. 481 86 
 
 Carried forward 
 
 $353,717 25 
 
99 
 
 Brought forward IW9»717 35 
 
 Nov. 30. — M. G. O'Brien, on account of land in Janu s 
 
 and Market sts 6 40 
 
 Dec. 81. — Mrs. Bella Palmer, on account of property in 
 
 James st 25 00 
 
 1873. 
 
 Jan. 28. — Silas Ludlam, appraiser of land at Fulton 
 
 Ferry, Brooklyn WO 00 
 
 John Studwell, appraiser of land at Fulton 
 
 Ferry, Brooklyn 250 00 
 
 R. Sands Tucker, forpropert y in James St.... 1,250 00 
 
 MaryMcGrath, i; .... 2,750 00 
 
 John McKague, " .... 340 00 
 
 George G. Sickles. " .... 12.090 00 
 
 James Campbell, " .... 8,810 00 
 
 James Larkins, " .... 90 00 
 
 Ray, Forder&Co., " .... 10,850 00 
 
 Wm. C. Barrett. " .... 7.504 17 
 
 Henry Lewis, tl .... 1,245 83 
 
 Mason & Yon An. " .... 11. GOO 00 
 
 John W. Dawson, " .... 50 00 
 
 Oscar Freigang, " .... 06 
 
 Geo. F. Bonn," " .... 00 
 
 Thos. McGrath, " .... 06 
 The city of Brooklyn, for James st. Market 
 
 property 25,000 00 
 
 Mrs. Bella Palmer, balance for property in 
 
 James st 3,425 00 
 
 Silas Ludlam, fee as appraiser 500 00 
 
 Isaac Badeau, " 500 00 
 
 Wm. J. Osborne, " 500 00 
 
 Jan. 31. — John T. Martin, appraiser of property at Pier 
 
 29, N. Y 250 00 
 
 John Prentice, appraiser of property at Pier 
 
 29, N. Y.. 250 00 
 
 Feb. 15. — John L. Brown, on account of property 
 
 bought of the city of New York at Pier 29 15,000 0( I 
 
 Total .$450,259 83 
 
 1873. 
 
 May 1. — Amount due on property bought 
 of W. H. Marston (bond and 
 mortgage) 850.000 00 
 
 Amount due John L. Brown, Feb. 
 13. 1874. on property bought of 
 city of New York./. 815.000 00 
 
 Amount due city of New York on 
 property located m Brooklyn... 8160,000 00 
 
 Amount due city of New York on 
 property located at Pier 29, 
 New York 842.000 00 
 
KM) 
 
 Amount due the Bridge Co. from 
 the city of New York, for in- 
 stallments on capital stock $202,000 00 
 
 Lime Stone. 
 
 1872. 
 
 Payments as per statement of May 1, 1872... . $171,277 09 
 
 May 9.— Noone & Co $20,162 13 
 
 June 12. 44 8.272 70 
 
 July 16. " 12.077 53 
 
 40,512 36 
 
 June 20.— Lake Champlain Blue Stone Co $3,050 GO 
 
 July 10. " " 12,401 19 
 
 Aug. 1G. " " 2.921 34 
 
 Sept. 30. • " 3,349 96 
 
 Oct. 31. " " 535 35 
 
 Nov. 30. " " 558 62 
 
 22.823 00 
 
 June 13.— Read Morrell G. 554 07 
 
 Total $241,166 58 
 
 GliAXlTE. 
 
 1872. 
 
 Payments as per statement of May 1. 1872... . $871,957 44 
 .May 1.— Freight charged Bod well, Webster 
 & Co. . as per statement of May 
 
 1, 1872 $2,232 71 
 
 " 1.— Bodwell, Webster & Co., freight... 209 89 
 
 " 6. 44 " " ... 4.205 66 
 
 " 7. 44 " " ... 471 69 
 
 44 8. " " " ... 437 14 
 
 " ... 447 68 
 
 44 9. 44 " " ... 486 00 
 
 " 10. " " cashonacc't 10.416 01 
 
 44 14. " 44 freight... 425 89 
 
 " 15. 44 " " ... 1.184 62 
 
 " 18. u 44 " ... 445 50 
 
 " 20. " " " ... 377 35 
 
 " 22. " 44 44 ... 154 82 
 
 44 24. 44 44 44 ... 535 98 
 
 44 31. " " " ... 464 42 
 
 June 1. 44 " 44 ... 345 86 
 
 44 5. 44 44 44 ... 804 05 
 
 44 7. " 44 44 ... 744 28 
 
 44 8. 44 44 44 ... 860 00 
 
 44 10. 44 " 44 ... 419 00 
 
 cash onacc't 22.224 73 
 
 • 4 15. 44 44 freight... 1.796 99 
 
 44 17. 44 44 44 ... 298 57 
 
 44 20. " 44 44 ... 145 00 
 
 44 22. 44 44 44 ... 780 42 
 
 44 25. " 44 44 ... 806 28 
 
 44 26. 44 44 44 ... 470 57 
 
 Carried forward $52,191 11 $371,957 44 
 
101 
 
 Brought forward $52,191 11 $371,957 44 
 
 June 87.— Bodwell, Webster A: Co., freight.*. 2(>4 28 
 
 " 28. " 44 44 ... 961 29 
 
 " 29. " " " ... 218 85 
 
 July 2. " ' " " ... 90G 57 
 
 "8 " " 44 133 75 
 
 " " cash on acc't 21.919 39 
 
 "9. " 44 freight... 800 00 
 
 " 10. " " " ... 1,582 52 
 
 " 11. " " " ... 200 00 
 
 " 13. " 44 " ... 1,430 89 
 
 " 17. " " 44 ... 350 25 
 
 44 18. 44 " 44 ... 346 00 
 
 44 19. 44 44 44 ... 341 15 
 
 44 22. 44 44 44 ... 885 87 
 
 44 24. 44 44 44 ... 670 62 
 
 44 ... 908 04 
 
 " 30. 44 ' 4 labor 77 02 
 
 44 31 . 44 - 4 freight... 195 18 
 
 Aug. 3. 44 44 44 ... 363 12 
 
 " 7. 44 44 44 ... 296 50 
 
 44 9. 4 4 44 cash on acc't 31,203 40 
 
 k - 10. " 44 freight... 675 75 
 
 " 12. 44 44 44 ... 1,032 19 
 
 44 14. " 44 44 ... 348 13 
 
 44 15. " 44 " ... 422 00 
 
 44 19. 44 44 44 ... 339 25 
 
 44 24. 44 44 44 ... 380 38 
 
 " 29. 44 44 labor 37 20 
 
 44 31 . 44 44 freight... 1.004 38 
 
 Sept. 2. 44 ... 176 68 
 
 44 3. 44 44 44 ... 695 75 
 
 44 4. 44 44 44 ... 723 38 
 
 44 7. 44 44 44 ... 506 37 
 
 44 10. 44 44 44 ... 450 37 
 
 44 11. 44 44 44 ... 295 00 
 
 4 4 4 4 cash on acc't 21,661 75 
 
 44 12. 44 44 freight... 194 37 
 
 44 13. 44 44 44 ... 541 25 
 
 44 14. 44 44 44 ... 363 88 
 
 44 16. 44 44 44 ... 375 00 
 
 44 25. 44 44 44 ... 630 50 
 
 44 28. 44 44 44 ... 500 00 
 
 Oct. 2. 4k 44 44 ... 275 00 
 
 44 3.— Bodwell Granite Co., 44 ... 491 50 
 
 44 8. 4 4 44 cash on acc't 18,932 16 
 
 44 10. 44 44 freight... 1.100 00 
 
 44 11. 44 44 " ... 432 28 
 
 44 16. 44 44 44 ... 1.000 85 
 
 44 22. 44 44 44 .. 1,005 35 
 
 44 24. 44 4 4 44 ... 44 8 57 
 
 • 4 25. 44 44 44 ... 380 85 
 
 44 26. 44 44 44 ... 404 28 
 
 Nov. 1. 44 44 44 ... 834 75 
 
 44 4. 44 " cash on acc't 34,114 17 
 
 44 6. 4 4 44 freight... 450 00 
 
 Carried forward 6207,469 14 $371,957 44 
 
102 
 
 Brought forward $207,469 14 $371,957 44 
 
 Nov. 8.— Bod well Granite Co.. freight... 926 73 
 
 " 9. " " " ... 437 46 
 
 " 16. " " " ... 514 00 
 
 " 25. " " "... 300 00 
 
 " 30. " " " ... 1.772 58 
 
 Dec. 2. " " " ... 1.527 09 
 
 " 4. " ... 400 00 
 
 " 5. " " " ... 475 07 
 
 " ... 274 50 
 
 " 9. " " cash on acc't 17.548 69 
 
 "13. •• " freight... 993 53 
 
 " 16. " " " ... 562 17 
 
 " 18. " " " ... 537 10 
 
 " 23. " " " ... 719 84 
 
 " 24. " " " ... 1.476 10 
 
 " 26. " " " ... 363 85 
 
 " 27. " " " ... 1.355 55 
 
 " 28. " " " ... 473 48 
 
 " 31. " " labor 639 90 
 
 1873. 
 
 Jan. 8. • " cash on acc't 18.814 25 
 
 " 9. " " freight... 430 28 
 
 " 10. " " " ... 549 80 
 
 " 14. " " " ... 922 50 
 
 " 25. " " " ... 323 84 
 
 " 28. " . " " ... 321 10 
 
 " 31. " " cartage.. 3 00 
 
 Feb 3. " " cash on acc't 31.246 72 
 
 " 1.-,. " " freight... 1.015 35 
 
 " 18. " " " ... 926 40 
 
 " 20. " " " ... 375 89 
 
 March a " " "... 385 71 
 
 " 4. " " " ... 437 33 
 
 " cash on acc't 5.202 00 
 
 "8. " " freight. . 105 35 
 
 " 15. " " " ... 423 21 
 
 " 18. " " cash on acc't 500 00 
 
 "19. " " freight... 465 53 
 
 " 24. " " " ... 511 78 
 
 " 28. " " " ... 521 60 
 
 " 29. " " " ... 332 13 
 
 " 31. " " " ... 436 40 
 
 April 1. " " " ... 382 62 
 
 - 2. " " " ... 497 85 
 
 " T. " " cash on acc't 8.710 83 
 
 995 54 
 313.603 79 
 
 1872. 
 
 May 1 1 . —Pierce & Ro we . freight $249 46 
 
 • : 22. " " 333 04 
 
 June 14. " cash 1.230 27 
 
 " 20. " freight 325 72 
 
 Julv 8. " " 215 89 
 
 Carried forward $2,354 38 $685,561 28 
 
L03 
 
 Brought forward £2 351 3s £085.501 23 
 
 July 10.- Pierce & Howe, freight 381 2ft 
 
 " cash 088 17 
 
 18 •• freight 154 72 
 
 •• 19. " " 259 60 
 
 44 24. " 187 57 
 
 81. " " 104 79 
 
 Aug. 9. M cash 2,782 7!) 
 
 0.803 88 
 
 May 17.— Jos. Wescott & Son. freight £313 57 
 
 June 4. 44 " 428 70 
 
 « 10. - cash 2.213 84 
 
 "15. •• freight 450 85 
 
 July 10. " cash 1.394 70 
 
 ••15. •• freight 482 00 
 
 •• 17. 44 4 " 428 5G 
 
 •• 19. " 44 308 00 
 
 Au<'\ 9. " cash 3.375 33 
 
 • : 29. 44 freight 318 14 
 
 1873. 
 
 Feb. 3. 44 cash 987 42 
 
 10,701 11 
 
 Total £703.125 67 
 
 Insurance. 
 
 1*72. 
 
 Payments as per statement of May 1, 1872. ... £1.441 87 
 
 Dec 31.— On buildings in Market and James streets 21 00 
 
 1873. 
 
 Feb. 3.— Builder's risk on 21 Water street 16 00 
 
 On property Water street. Brooklyn, and Pier 
 
 29. New York 1.047 50 
 
 Total £2.520 37 
 
 Scows. 
 
 1872. 
 
 Payments as per statement of May 1. 1872. ... £27,940 57 
 
 May 7.— T. A. Scott, raising sunken scow at Pier 29. . 200 00 
 
 Divine Burtis, Jr., repairing scow 247 07 
 
 Oct. 9.— 44 44 in August.... 148 14 
 
 4 4 4 4 in September 124 79 
 
 Total £28,000 57 
 
 Interest. 
 
 1872. 
 
 Payments as per statement of May 1, 1872. ... £1.998 S<> 
 Aug. 1. — On bond and mortgage to Bowery Savings 
 
 Bank, 6 months, to date 1.750 00 
 
 Carried forward $8,748 89 
 
104 
 
 Brought forward $3,748 89 
 
 1873. 
 
 Feb. 1.— On bond and mortgage to Bowery Savings 
 
 Bank, 6 months, to date 1,750 00 
 
 Total $5,498 89 
 
 Horses, Wagons, and Harness. 
 
 1872. 
 
 Payments as per statement of May 1, 1872. ... .$1,762 18 
 
 Aug. 7.— W. B. Davis, repairing wagon $90 00 
 
 Oct. 15.— Brewster & Co., " 97 50 
 
 31.— W. B. Davis, " 4 65 
 
 1873. 
 
 April 7.— xV. Strauss, seven horses 1,800 00 
 
 " 8. — J. L. Moore, six sets harness, etc.. 159 01 
 
 Thomas Moore, six collars 42 00 
 
 2,193 16 
 
 Total $3,955 34 
 
 Taxes. 
 
 1K72. 
 
 Payments as per statement of May 1, 1872. ... $3,772 76 
 
 Dec ] 28.— Taxes on Pier 29, for 1872 $203 11 
 
 " 30. — Taxes on property bought of W. 
 
 II. Marston, for 1872 1,687 60 
 
 Taxes for 1872 on property bought 
 
 of Union Ferry Co 1,065 86 
 
 Taxes on property corner of Front 
 and James streets, Brooklyn, for 
 
 1872 177 64 
 
 Taxes for 1872 on property in 
 James and Market streets, Brook- 
 lyn 227 39 
 
 " 31.— Default on taxes for 1872, at Pier 29 4 06 
 
 3,365 66 
 
 Total $7,138 42 
 
 Office Furniture. 
 
 1872. 
 
 Payments as per statement of May 1. 1872. ... $5,337 23 
 
 j une 13. _J. W, Vandewater, one desk $38 00 
 
 July 17. — J. W. Kissam, two water-coolers... 29 00 
 
 67 00 
 
 Total $5,404 23 
 
 Bonds of the city of New York 
 bought at par $248,000 00 
 
 Net proceeds of sales of above 
 
 bonds 238,703 98 
 
 $9,296 02 
 
105 
 
 Bodwell Granite Co., freight <>n stone deliv- 
 
 ered in April , *io.77<5 07 
 
 South Brooklyn Steam Engine Works, on ac- 
 count of anchor-plate No. l $8,000 oo 
 
 Total expenditures to May 1, 1873 $3,573,196 40 
 
 JOHN II. PRENTICE, Treamrer. 
 O. 1\ QUINTAttD, Secretary. 
 
 F. 
 
 Cash Kkckiyko in .May. 1ST:}. 
 
 On capital stock $500 <> - 
 
 For material sold 4,98G 27 
 
 il rent 2.500 00 
 
 li interest 2.508 17 
 
 " labor 77 (50 
 
 " discount on bill of iron 10 92 
 
 Total #10,577 90 
 
 Cash on hand May 1. 1878 197,149 15 
 
 Total #207,727 11 
 
 Cash expended in May, 1873 89,685 71 
 
 Cash on hand June 1, 1873 £1 18.041 40 
 
 Cash in Brooklyn Trust Co.. June 1 $109,293 28 
 
 il in Atlantic State Bank. " 5.510 OS 
 
 " in Long Island Bank, " 2.575 20 
 
 on hand in petty cash, " (502 84 
 
 Total #118,041 40