Abstract

Coal the Killer

The article presents information about health problems faced by several people working in the coal industry. Ray Hutchinson, working in the coal mine says that miner should be president. He had to retire from the mines a few mouths ago because he couldn't breathe any more. He is all out of breath if he climbs two flights of staffs or walk around his yard a couple of times. He always sleep with his head on three pillows and have to take three or four different medicines. Jesse Green, a retired miner, lives in a small frame house down the street from an iron and pipe foundry in Bessemer. His dad worked in the mines for over fifty years, he started when he was only 10. Two years ago he died from lung disease. Most of the old miners is gone now. They had to be tough. Back when they were first organizing, the operators would treat a miner like a mule. In fact, they treated their mules better.