Trapped in a space the size of a small room over 2000 feet underground since August 5th. 33 miners are now being instructed by their rescuers on how to prevent gangrene in the wet and clammy conditions. A combination of lack of fresh air in the space and high humidity levels have medical people concerned that skin infections which could easily be treated on the surface could lead to gangrene for the trapped men.
The miners have been told to strip naked from time to time so that their skin is not constantly irritated by their wet clothes. Dry clothing will be sent down to the men.
Presently medicine and other supplies are reaching the miners through three small bore holes. Efforts to drill a larger 70mm hole through which a rescue capsule could be lowered to raise the men one at a time are about to commence.
Ways are also being sought to speed up the time it will take to rescue the men from the original estimate of Christmas to now perhaps mid October. It may require the men climbing upwards from the cave they are in now to nearer where the collapse took place that trapped them.
Already it is thought that 5 of the men after spending more than 3 weeks trapped underground might be in a depression. NASA is sending some of their experts to help the men deal with the mental anguish of living in such a small space with so many others. Living conditions on the international space station entail many of the same problems although with a lot more amenities available.