Dust Pneumonia (Dust Bowl) (general, years, American, government)

[OneDayAttaTime]

I had never heard of this until today but DH and I wonder if that is why so many of our relatives here had weakened lungs and some died young.
The American Dust Bowl | Dust Storms | Farming and the Depression

[Cindiana]

I watched a program on the History Channel today where they talked about dust pneumonia, they said it wasn't pneumonia at all, but much like black lung disease. Many children died during this time. It was a program about the Dust Bowl of the 30's and 40's, very interesting.

[aus10]

I caught the same program. Very interesting. I also had no clue that the could actually make it rain more by introducing a substance (can't remember the name) into the clouds. Does anyone remember the name.. I'd like to learn more.

[jtur88]

Silver iodide is the chemical used for cloud-seeding to cause rain.

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Here is an interesting article about Donora, Pennsylvania, and the health effects of air pollution:

http://www.aerosols.eas.gatech.edu/E...%20Episode.pdf

Incidentally, an additional trivial fact---the young grandparents of Ken Griffey Junior were survivors of this day in Donora. Ken Griffey Senior, also a fine ball player, was born in Donora in 1950. Junior, by the way, will be the second basseball Hall of Famer to be born in this little town---Stan Musial was also botn there. Joe Montana was born in the nest town over, Monongahela PA, just 5 miles away.

[GloryB]

Originally Posted by OneDayAttaTime

I had never heard of this until today but DH and I wonder if that is why so many of our relatives here had weakened lungs and some died young.
The American Dust Bowl | Dust Storms | Farming and the Depression

Like several other posters, I watched the program as well. I was also wondering the same thing as you stated in your post. I'm not from that area, but there had to be long term effects from this....especially from the child survivors.

Until I saw the program, I had NO IDEA this problem lasted for so many years. I thought it was a short time in history. It is amazing to me how long it took for these hard working folks to get any help from the government. Watching the show just gave me such a great respect for their resolve to hang in there no matter what. We sure could use that same spirit in America again.

[KansasKris]

"Until I saw the program, I had NO IDEA this problem lasted for so many years. I thought it was a short time in history. It is amazing to me how long it took for these hard working folks to get any help from the government. Watching the show just gave me such a great respect for their resolve to hang in there no matter what. We sure could use that same spirit in America again"


GloryB,
To find that great American Spirit, you have only to go to our Gulf Coast! Katrina was like a 150 mile long tsunami with 30 feet high tides going 1 - 2 miles inland. Imagine! Our beautiful Mississippi Gulf Coast was virtually destroyed.....

Sorry, didn't mean to hijack the tread...

[macmeal]

Originally Posted by Cabe09

I watched a program on the History Channel today where they talked about dust pneumonia, they said it wasn't pneumonia at all, but much like black lung disease. Many children died during this time. It was a program about the Dust Bowl of the 30's and 40's, very interesting.

I didn't realize this was a problem either, until recently. I'm not surprised at the term 'dust pneumonia'....lung problems (and OTHER things) were often misunderstood by the general public, and given 'familiar names' rather than medically correct ones.

Silicosis (deadly disease of sandblasters, hard-rock miners, and tunnel workers) was at one time called "miner's asthma". Lead poisoning was called "painter's colic"....and tuberculosis was just plain "consumption", among many OTHER examples.

You're right, "Dust Pneumonia" was probably related to similar 'particulate matter' lung damage, rather than pneumonia, which is an infectious disease. Somtimes damage caused by irritating gases (Chlorine, etc) is called "Chemical pneumonia".