The workers with weaker bodies were the first to faint, collapsing in the nauseating stench, their bodies convulsing as though possessed.
Hansen, with his robust physique, covered his nose with a towel, and didn't find the smell unbearable.
However, under the influence of the stench, his lungs began to feel heavy, and he struggled to catch his breath.
As a steel sheet cutter, Hansen had long dealt with iron filings, welding fumes, and wood dust, not yet severely afflicted with "shipyard disease." But recently, every night, he too felt chest tightness, needing a few coughs to feel better.
It's evident the stench from the river triggered his lung illness.
He turned back to the workshop, coughing forcefully out of habit, trying to expel the congestion from his lungs.
Cough!
Cough!
After coughing, Hansen felt his chest clear, though he sensed that what he coughed up wasn't just congestion but seemed like a lot more.
