Very important, interesting and true fire article.. Must read -

Here is an article I found whilst sufing around ... Pneumonia Rare Disease Is an Occupational Hazard for Performers By Andrea M. Braslavsky, MS WebMD Medical News Reviewed by Dr. Pamela R. Yoder June 29, 2000 -- Fire eaters, those intrepid circus and street performers who spew jets of flame and plunge oversized matches into their toughened mouths, have more to worry about than scorched tongues and heartburn. They are also in danger of accidentally inhaling their secret weapon, petroleum, and triggering what has become known as fire-eater's pneumonia. "It's a very uncommon condition," Tomas Franquet, MD, tells WebMD. Still, Franquet, a radiologist at the Hospital de Sant Pau in Barcelona, Spain, says he and his colleagues have seen three cases, all in street performers, during the last year and a half. "They're young men who put on these performances," says Franquet, describing the typical victim. "In Barcelona, they're generally found in the old city, but I've seen them in London's Piccadilly and around the Pompidou Center in Paris." The performers use a flammable liquid, usually a petroleum derivative like kerosene, to "breathe" fire -- but sometimes instead of exhaling, they accidentally inhale. "Fire-eater's pneumonia happens because these street performers aspirate petroleum derivatives and develop an inflammation of the lungs, which often ends with [death] of lung tissue and the formation of pneumatoceles, which are like holes in the lung," Franquet says. While the symptoms and the course of the disease vary, the performer may show up at the hospital with chest pain, shortness of breath, a dry cough, and maybe even fever and chills. Franquet and his colleagues used CT scans (also known as CAT scans) and chest X-rays to determine the extent of the damage and guide the course of treatment. "What CT does is allow for better visualization of the [damage], not just with this condition but with all lung conditions," Franquet says. "It allows us to characterize the lesions, to determine their nature, their reach, and their size." Treatment usually involves a course of antibiotics and corticosteroids, although surgery may sometimes be necessary, as was the case with one of Franquet's patients. Because it is so rare, few cases have been reported in the medical literature, so Franquet and his colleagues cataloged the symptoms and complications, along with their treatment of those three cases, in a recent issue of the Journal of Computer Assisted Tomography. "As I've said, it's an uncommon condition," says Franquet, "but diagnosis is not a mystery: it's cause and effect. It's not too hard to figure out once you know what the patient has been doing in his spare time." Vital Information: Researchers say there is an occupational hazard for performers who "breathe" fire -- pneumonia. Although the condition is fairly rare, these street and circus performers sometimes accidentally inhale fumes, which can cause inflammation in the lungs. Treatment usually consists of antibiotics and corticosteroids, but surgery may be necessary in more extreme cases. anyway have a nice day..

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