In more than seven years which have passed since the tragic events of September 11 in New York City, many people are still suffering the physical ill effects of that fateful day.
A new study just released says that large numbers of those who were present at the events after the attack are suffering from amongst other complaints diminished lung capacity.
The statistics show that lung complaints recorded by the World Trade Center Medical Monitoring and Treatment Program Clinical Center show that the toxic dust that coated the area are causing lung problems at a rate two and a half times more than that of heavy smokers.
The major concern for the Clinical Center is just what the long-term effects of the unknown constituents of the toxic dust will have upon the health and life expectancy of those who work in the area for prolonged periods.
Obviously, it is the rescue workers, who are thought to number somewhere around 40,000, who are those considered most at risk.
According to tests carried out by the Clinical Center, 25% of the people on their books are suffering a 10% reduction in lung capacity.
They also say that as so many years have passed since the original incident it is unlikely that these people’s condition will improve and the concern is that it may well deteriorate for many people.
These figures do not include the estimated 12,500 people who have developed asthma conditions as a direct result of the effects of September 11.
