Fishermans' Lung

The incredibly hardy Talha plant has large buds that are ground up into a fine powder, called Taha. This powder can then be put into a pipe, or rolled into a cigarette. Either way, while smoking, there is a chance that some powder remains unburnt. Typically, this powder is inhaled, accidentally, into the lungs. For most, this isn't an issue, it gets coughed up, or some way or another makes its way out. For the people who work the docks all day, however, it poses an additional problem. Talha, being a badlands plant, is exceptionally sensitive to water. It will even absorb mositure out of the air, swelling as it does so. This poses a problem inside of someone's lung when they are breathing in water logged air 6 hours a day.

Causes

Inhaling of Taha particulate along with the continued exposure to moisture-filled air causes the particles in the lungs to swell, inflamming the lung tissue and, in many cases, leading to pneumonia.

Symptoms

A particularly nasty cough, often producing mucus. Shortness of breath, particularly noticable on labourers, who will spend more time catching their breath than working. After the first few days, a fever will begin to set in.

Treatment

Treatment is easy to come by, and often just takes the form of a couple days off from intensive work. Those who had got it pretty bad might quit for a day or two. Relaxing by the docks with a warm cup of cider tends to be a preferred method of self-treatment. As it also helps open the airways, and brings up phlegm. The coughing, while unpleasent, is a fairly effective natural method for removing the particles. For more serious cases, a cleric is brought in, while much more expensive, (from a few unpaid days to the cost of a spellcaster), the treatment is trivial to any talented spellcaster.