| caisson disease | See: decompression sickness Origin: Fr. Caisson (fr. Caisse, a chest) a water-tight box or cylinder containing air under high pressure used in sinking structural pilings underwater (05 Mar 2000) |
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| caisson sickness | Disease caused by rapid decompression. So named since it appeared in workers building tunnels or supports for bridges working in enclosed units under high atmospheric pressure to keep out surrounding water, called caissons. See: decompression sickness. (05 Mar 2000) |