Thanks to James Fussell for a real eye-opener. We hard rock miners
always believed that men had to be crazy to work in a coal mine - a
belief that wasn't helped by the actions of coal miners prior to the
Spring Hill disaster in Nova Scotia. It took more than courage to be a
"fireman" the guy had to be nuts.
Phil Inghams letter brings back other aspects of blasting. Even before
I attended mining school, friends who were miners had shown me how to
use a pair of soft gloves with gauntlets to handle "powder". The
gauntlets permitted one to handle the gloves without getting
nitroglycerin residue on one's bare skin. During mining school I was
very careful, but once, when working with the Old Timer, I forgot, while
I was preparing charges, and wiped sweat out of my eyes before he could
stop me. That night I had a beaut of a headache. I never ever forgot
again! I don't doubt the veracity of Phil's account, but no one ever
told me that one could be desensitized - certainly Vic was always
careful to avoid any contact. I suppose that constant contact with
nitroglycerine could have long term effects not recognized in earlier
days, so miners no longer followed the practice?
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