3d ago

Dying from The Bends on a bridge construction job is some terrible luck

6 comments

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brooklyn_Bridge#Caissons_2
Due to the extreme underwater air pressure inside the much deeper Manhattan caisson, many workers became sick with "the bends"—decompression sickness—during this work,[90] despite the incorporation of airlocks (which were believed to help with decompression sickness at the time).[100][101] This condition was unknown at the time and was first called "caisson disease" by the project physician, Andrew Smith.[102][103] Between January 25 and May 31, 1872, Smith treated 110 cases of decompression sickness, while three workers died from the disease.[54]
- In spite of this, only a few workers were paralyzed.
  lol
- _{I understand water pressure causing this is divers, but I don't get the physics here.}
  Never mind, the issue was compressed air, not natural air pressure.
The bridge’s chief engineer also got compression sickness and became bedridden. His wife effectively finished the job.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emily_Warren_Roebling
I didn’t know anything about the bridge, now I know. Thanks for posting the meme.
- I thought you meant finished the job, as in killed him in bed. Not finished the job literally as a liaison between him and the construction crew

6 comments