Document 2RL9LJ55RB32rNpLOM2Mrj4kR
OF THB PSI3ICA1 SZiBIHAKOSS AMO X-t036?^
07 A3BSST0S W0RE88S IS i-SBEStOB " ASP TOBTOOBD-KIS83 0PB3M._______________
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141 ploy*** of ibe Oanaftian Tihnn Wnn
YlUv Co., A^estoe. Que. and 54 employees of the Asbestos
Corporation of Canada* the Xeeaby-Hattisoa Co* end John-
pon'o Kind* all of Thetford Hinas, Qua. 40 of the mu of
tfcfe Canadian Johne-Uanville Co* hot* examined hy i>r. B- i.
dterenson and 2>r. Joseph Wyatt, she performed the physical
examinations and I-ray examinations reepeetleely. The
other examinations were all performed by me* exaept the
X-ray examination*. Aetually, Urfl. Stayonson and Wyatt-
miMi ST men; hat sinoe IT of these sen were re-examined
by me X Including then in cay list. Dre. Stevenson end
tt Carried on their work In WdYamber 1959* ay exattlna-
tians were done in July 1990 In Asbestos* and In Septsaber
1930 In Thetford Hines*
The Asbestos and Thetfonfi groups are very diesimilar with respect to age distribution and length of eerviet Is the asbestos industry, but racially and econ omically the two groups are much alike.
Table I gives the age distribution of the men and Table II the distribution according to length of service In tee asbestos industry.
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TABLE
I
AlW Ktwp<
AQB DISTRIBUTION Of ASBBflTQa lOTKWft
Annate*
f
StsBbor
Porooutage
1
n*UM Vlaaa
svator
Pareantage
15 - !* SO -
3 24
1 .0
1
t
2*7
8* -
24
17*0
8M
* #8 - JW
4
SB
10*8 17.7
4
4 fA
49*41 45-49 50-64
18 14
8
11 8*8
10.0
2.1
.......i.....
1
i
ia
11 7
U4 15.* U4
66 -
60-64
66 - 69 Sot state*
1 1 1 1
07 0.7
0.7 0*7
\ t !
1
4 4
1
7*4
11-4
* U
* 0 B.,..,r,,,,.,.14;,,
100.00
64 vjfiBinr'ini* w1a0B0*`*0'.'Jii...ggg38a88aaae
p
i
*
!IkM o trriee.
e- * 19 - 24 1 - W *0 - *4 - 89 SP - S4 8C - 89.. 40 44 I0TAI
aam or 3sanc& a Asmatog laresm
Asbestos
tuber
yenentace
44 SXJ2
4 11 f.fl
10 T.l
6 4.S
* IA
2 1
*
1-4 -
If
141 100.0
tfBW
1 1.8* 9 14*8 8 14*8 1C Ocd * ' XC.T 9 14.9 1 i-ae
8 *.T 54 190.0
>
It will be noted that while 46 percent of ft* ma in ffcetford Klees were erer~40 year of age only 8 percent of the sen in Asbestos were over 40* And far ther with respect to length of Berries 86.4 percent of the B9& examined in The tford Hines had worked 1a the a*-
* heotofl industry for 10 years~or mere* bat in Ashe etca only ZZ percent had worked for sore then ten yeara*
Sable ill shows the disposition of the sea In waricua parto of the industry* Sinoe the numbers are
mill
oaeupational grouping8 sre uU# &
Aetasto* tfe* oasupailQiis *** AiTidsd lata & g*w$
'i
baA faetozy; 1a Mattel Kip** al| tfes
first t*s essspatloaal group* are sitd sin** so
asbestos laaatrfastaring is m1A on theta* AH .
the wi of the fhstfort fiA8 group seal* bt .** stsss-
lflet* tat 9 sea ii srdudad fm th* Asbestos gmp
sine* they 414 not appear to be exposed to am unusual
aaoent of duet.
*A BZ%
111
<i
aaarofg of amiss is sifrggM qccpfasiobs aypsa^B arete*
l tsars of aerriee
> -0-4
, - e
mil
_M.. Sfi
AflW03 | BrtUtwt vt*
. T. 18
- to-x*___ _______ < 15-19___|___7
8 8
Faeton? 24 id
BQttfQSS Kina
81U
Brtllio* pit
i
1s 1
. $1,
IS 4
. 80-8* | 9
i
8i
28-89
1
i
81
2044 , S6-S9 . 40-*ft
T0FA1
1. --1 --
-1
89
2?
OH--'............... .....................................
1 1
...........................
AO
.................................
i
1
40 .1
2
14
The past oscrapetionsl history In industries other than tha asbestos industry was alg&lfioant only in 5 oaaee. Of these on* ha-3 bn a grain inspector
far 6 /***? en4 bo oxsomA ta taary
osMltlon*, a M
as Wigiroa wnt? miner ffr* is years* me i *099**
ainey for S ptan, * fourth haft worked la a ament plant for
9 |m, and the fifth had operated a drill la ea iron mim*
.last iadiridu&l ahowol X-ray erldenoe of ifftamoemiesle*
the ether* did not tor pnemoeoaloslB*
In fable XT are girea observations of wight in relation to ^g^ght hr ago* fho average mights ui taken froa the figures eoapiled by tho Adwooiatidn of^X1^2B|0uM gedtflfttl* hireetora and the Actuarial Sooietr of Aneriee*
f A B 1 g XT,
gBXSHTS ABD HEIGHTS ACCOBSIgfl 70 ACT
Pound# Under aror&ae
1_ FmuMt. trff mnM
)
20-559
10-19
fi-9 1 -4 to 44
5-9 10-19 o~39
AW33703 fo 23
4 is.o
IHBW09B So. 9 gofer
urouJfenz
*- 16 .T
lG,oFa1 i
Industrial
workers
<
25
23
20 #0
12 i
&04 1
i
19
13 *6
6
J 34.8
.1S,,,_.,J 11
M --....
24 16
17 *2
11.4
9 16*7
22
3 | 6*6
ii ii i
i* 9
15*
6.4
-c n,i
7i
j "' ' H
12*9
1
14 1 10 1
"
4
2.9 1 *0
3 '*
The group of 10,000 male industrial workers re
ferred to In the shore table was studied by the Suited
States Public Health Serr lea '
pnblic Health Bulletin
. .'-iv*
6
3o* 162}. It will be noted that thera la *cry little distinction between me large group and the group of asbestos workers so far aa degrees of overweight or underweight are concerned.
In the consideration of Individual dateeta some Interesting faeta have been found. In this study only the 101 men at Asbestos and the 64 aen at Thatford Mines are considered, el nee the records of the us ex amined by Dr. Stevenson are not strictly comparable with alas.
TBSTgt-
Dividing the aen into two groups according to whether the teeth did or did not need attention, of the Asbestos group 49.^required attention, and of the TK&tford Hines group 61*9 .
ESARIffS;-
watoh.
Acuity of hearing was tested by means of a (My own hearing, which baa been tested by an
audiometer, was considered nofinal, and used as a standard) The wetoh test is admittedly..very rough. *In noisy occu
pations impaired hearing is frequently found in the older
employees. Of the 101 men at Asbestos 10 showed definite hearing lose. This is not ea exce&a proportion since an;
-7
group of adults will show a similar pi*turn . la Thetford Mins8 28 of the 54 non suffered fra wall marked Soaring loss* this la a Tory high pereentage, and ooap&rable to shat may be found In wearing shods and boiler shops. Ill these men, except,two,, had been exposed to loud noise In their work for IQ years or sore* sad it la reasonable to suppose that soles played a part in their hearing disability*
The number of sen with Infested fOBSILS was 27 In Asbestos and IS in Thetford Sines* and al most inletleal ratio to th total in both groups.
Defeats of the fjjjyiiOIP were rare. 4 men
in Asbestos and 1 in Thetford Mines had enlarged
thyroids.
+'
BlOQD PRE3STOB:Headings were recorded In all men over 40 years of age. Except in exceptional oiroumatanoes the blood pressure was not taken in the younger men. Consequently although the groups examined In Thetford Mines was nailer than that in Asbestos sore blood pressure readings were taken there. 2 men in Asbestos had blood pressures of over 150 and Z blood pressures under 100 r.*zw of mercury. 8 men in Thetford Mines had blood pressures of over 150 ana 2 blood pressures 'indor 100.
8-
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The ineidsaoe of BBRSIA io of interest from tks aonpeagstlca standpoint- is Asbestos all new topley*** ansi past s physical lamination fet&x* anploymast. There ws** 4 eases of ingniiiaj hernia dissevered among the 101 men examined there in addition to these & man had been operated upon for tills eoaditioa
In Thetford Hines physical ampin*tlea ia net required before employment- Thors ware 4 oasts of in- .. . goiaal hernia among the 54 men examined and * cases which hod boon operated upon*
Ocas interest has arisen In connection with the oconrrenoe of the so-called ASBESTOS cowry- these are osoally pin head sited elevations of the sfci& some*tot like slants warts, Sons of these soars 4*te*t*$. in the Asbestos msn probably due to ay ignoreaoe of their appearsnee. 8 of the Thetford Hines men had these growths on their hands and severs! others reported having had then at one tins or another-
9
IDBG 3
Of the 101 man exBttioed by a* at Asbestos only 4 suffered from definite first siege pneumocon iosis* These will not bo considered on anoonnt of the doubtful diagnosis.
Of the 40 men examined by Dre, Stevenson and Wyatt 14 were diagnosed as first stage pneumocon iosis fasbestosis 1) (2Jam including the 17 sec ex amined by Ere* Stevenson and Wyatt and subsequently re-examined by me in sy group of 101). 4 The snob lesser inoidense of pnensoaonloals in ny group of man may sees surprising, but it must be remembered that tbs X-ray negatives were not read by the sane sen. In my group tbs X-ray diagnoses wore made by Br. Meriwether of Pitcher, Oklahoma, and in the other group* the intorpretations were by Brs* Wyatt and geaaooat. Further the grscp examined by Ers Staybneon and Wyatt ware, in gen eral, older than those In my group.
Of the 54 men examined at Thetford Mines 24 were diagnosed by X-ray as suffering from paeumoooniosis (asbestoels), of these * wexs diagnosed as'probably first stage asbestoeis, d as early stage, f as definite first stage and Z as second stage,
ffa* p*rttueia ?&ote regarding the ^afiSte seues of
Asoeetoei# .^r.-
- Mb).**? f,nr4 p*,
10
kaom,rccjr la. Mi
Oamatlonal hlatory Symptom*
'din*.
labaataa Stoud.
66 ah 71 A.l
. 66 Aa 94 AH 2000 Aa
39 0WMA A to yaara
*7 gmiTtl operator lull foraaan 34 yaara
42 30 )
loadlog oar* in mill A foreman a# ya*ra ^rillar 7 yaara
4l Millwright 51 yaara
oougb.dyapnaa daflaient aipanalea
loan of atreugik o* arapltation*
laft tpax.
aough, dyapnaa poor arpantioo, pera-
froquaQt sold# uaaloa diminished loft
ohaat, aropitailont
ail aw both luoga.
no symptom#
aa tboorsal signs.
no aymptoma dyppnaa,sough
ao abmanul signs. bo tboormal sign#
2001 Aa 2002 xa
t notor attendant
qo ayaptoma
for 11 yaara
35 millwright f4 yoart no ayaptome
faint nelat raloa 5 4 4 rib la front. bo abnormal sign#
2009 k.\
30 labourr & vatohmaa in allI 9 yoara no oyaptosa
2019 A*l? 25 labourtr top floor
*11 i, 2 yaara
no symptom*
2020 Aa 4? in alii X6 yaara
no symptom*
202! Aa 52 aliiaright JO yaaro so oyaptoaa
ao2j *a arn7 A.l
~20%2 4<i 2055 A%1 2034 Aa
2036 A.l
20*52 A.l
66 saeoa in alii 26 ye'tra no eyaptooa
48 ala# (w>rk not atatad) no ayaptorn#
12 yoar#
driller 4 ywara
*od ayaptoa*
41 drill** 23 yoara
no &yapboae
6Q drillor 4 year#
no ^yupto ;#
aparaman yaara
foramafl 2} yaara
37 drill r 3 yaara
no symptom*
iraakaan 4 ywa
22 pip* aorerer
no symptom#
ffnotorv) & voar#
alight dullness right
baa,l#ft sheet expas4s
sort than right.
braath sounds at apioaa
harah
,>
0 abnormal algae
rpaosiOA alightly
Hal tad
spaasion Halted
no abnormal algae
ao abnormal signs no abnormal algBa
absent voeal fmltua
broaohial rales laft eida 00.abnormal algpa.
It
fan. Blag-
Table VI
M. nosis AffO QqgucaUoaal hlatorr gyaptcas
Thelford 181nee arme>
fllqa. <v
} A.l 42
* 4.1 *? 6 JUi 59
(probably) 11 ft.2 5* 12 ft*
15 At
t5 4.1 47 (probably)
id A.l v; t? 4.1 45
(early)
21 4.1 V (early)
25 4.1 62 (early)
26 4.1 29 (early)
2d 4.1 44
5 4.1 *5 (early)
52 4.1 5* (early)
5* 4.1 56
59 A.l
y?
(early)
fto A.l 62
ft! A.l 1if. (probably)
filling bags 6 yerae no eymptoas soars# slicks above heart
oiler to years
foreman 4 years
A at both bases behind.
drilltr 2} year*
no symptom#
no abnormal sigas
cleaner in ail! 5yrs. dyspnea
fllUnfs bag* ft yrs,
no abnormal signs
millwright 2? years dyspnea
no abnormal signs
sveeper 1.` years
cough t exp* coarse crepitations
sc toration,
left apex behind
Ooc, blood in
spuUai, dyspnea
lose of weight
aiU.wrtg't '-1 years
cough S exp ectoration,
dry rales ever rt,sheet behind, expansion deficient
dyspnea, loss
of weight A
strength
millwright years
sough
occasional dry rales at
driller it years
no symptoms
left base no abnormal signs
driller 17 years
history of pleurisy,
ooabooraal signs '
sister died
of t,b,e,
millwright 1ft years
dyspnea
no abnormal signs
driller ftc years
No syapusas a>my erepltatiens right
driller 6 years
No symptoms
base, no abnormal sign#
general wor* in pit
ft years
filling bags 1 year duet shwi r years
history of
hemoptysis
no abnormal signs
In oill 5 years
cough, dyspnea no abacmal signs
in tunnel feeding
ousneoted t,b.c
crusher 5 years
in t>xo
crushertt years
oc synptom# no abnormal ci/ns
swsej er in jtll ft yrs
oiler i/> niil 5 yeras
loading \x>xes in pit sister died a Shovere of fine crepitates
years, feeding
...of t.b.c. 1 ' both lungs behind from ft
the 2>iil ' years
vertebra down,percussion
3 milisrig t tdyears
dyspnea
note diminished no abnormal signs
foreman '( years
feeding crusher t*' ys&r dyspnea
crepitations io rt,axilla
cleaning in mill yrs.
b> 1. base behind,
fee'lini' crpsher in md i l no ayap to-na
r y-nr?, driers 5y<sar,
no <bnoraii sign*
f reran n 51 il " . *nr
Table.Vl (continued)
.. ***! *Jtt Oooupatiortal history gyaptoas . Signs.
Tbetford Mlfi#s arouo ^sont'd*
^5 A.l 54 (**>
51 Ju.1 51 (probably)
55 4.1 50
54 4.2 4l 29 4.1 4*
(lete)
loading boxes in pit ?yr., driller 6 yrs. operator in sill 6 yrs., millwright 1<> years
no syapteas -
no syaptoa#
oU-*r in alii io ya*. son died i.b.i
fara'ian iU '? yrs.
daughter ha#
tuberculosis.
jUI repair# i" yra, alii foreran i" yro. foreoAfl aill 1*1 yri* aillwright 7 yre.
oaugh^dyapciea no eyaptotoa
ito bnor*al signs.
percussion lots resonant ovsr right lung, ehoeers crepitations right side front & baaic, eeer left P. or lobs front 4 basic,
expansion poor, oany
ampliations 1. apex 4 in r. axilla, crepitations r.i I, upper iobss befalod t at both bases, expansion poor,psrsuasion poor st sptsec. no rales, no iboormAl signs.
1?
It will be noted that of the It* Am xaoined at A*boa to* If vere diag-
fiotod a* first otago asbestos!a, while of tha examined At fhotfard Ulae*
21 wo diagaoaed ot first stage asbeiiosia and 3 u second stage asbeatosis.
this to not to bo interpreted a* todlooting an excess baxard La Thetford
Xlao* The increased inct'onoa of pnsw&oneeonioela In Thetford al&oo to
oiaply a reflection of tho different distribution with reepeot to ago add
length of *orvi ce, Reference to tables 1 and 2 will rooail tho groat dlff** ones# in theee two things,
la tho groat sajority of case* tho length of oorvieo ia dust/ work oas
aoro thaa $ years at Lndlooted in thofolltrving table#
length of oarvies
.'dumber of oases
Suabar of kmhi examined.
0 ~ A yr. n-7 n - t*
1* 4 over Total
a
y 1
At
hU 75
n? _____ 122_________
Prom this table one would conclude that sabeotosia la not likely to devetope with *o ezjoauro of Iobb than " year*, but tJiat with exposure of
aore than r* years there is a groat possibility of it developing* Xt lo
however, of intoroat u> rciabor thaisany non with long ; erioJe of exposure
do not develops \ny sign# of asbsatoeie*
As to occupations of At drill ore 1*. were ca?ee of aeheotoeie# of if?
*111 workers "7 Tore cases of asleataals and of Ay worhere in the factory
dly 1 case ahow'*4 *~rt\y evldenca of the 'ieeaae, Svidontly there it iittfce
difforoRO# in the hazard in mill .<rk*r and Iri.lors. The sill -sorters
appear to be expose.' to far greater dtst concen tratiur.a L/u*n the drillers
*.vj it is rather difficult to understand 4ar we 'Ugn incite; of asLostOfiie
a-song *,,ho drill-ri,
it ::piy r my not t-? sf
tor not the.
that the drillers are occasionally exposed to granite duet. Boa* of the oasce of asbestos!* a|, peered to suffer fro* disabling
ayaptosu. Perhaps the *o#t common symptom was shortness of brsath, but tee# than half the oases complained ofthls ayaptoa (11 of the il oases).
ts to phyaloai si^ns I was unable la find any pattogsomocis signs whieh would snarls one to aa.:e \ dlagoeia in the abeenos of the x-ray picture. Inspection of the lungs was of 1UU value since it ^as difficult to evaluate the degree of diaphragoaUe excursion and sometimes expansion a,..eared to be deficient when actually it was not. if a respiration tank had been available some quantitative idea of vital capacity eight have been attained} the measurement of abeit expansion by a tape measure was given up after the fir^t i ' examinations *
Since there is not standard pitch of percussion note and no standard intensity of tactile frost tut or vocal resonance one has to compare one side of the chest with the other to deteot abnormalities. But asbeetosls is essentially a symmetrical lesion and in this disease the comparison of the two sides of the chest is of Uttle help. The sane observation# apply to the -quallty-of the breath sounds.
The most frequently found abnorjslity was the pretence of rales, p rtloularly crepitant rales. In ^any of the store severe cases shower8 of these raise ocourrei throughout both Aides of the sheet,particularly on coughing, but in two of the three case? of second stag ashestosis these rales were not heard, bo that evidently triejre are not a constant sign of tha disease. On clinical exarjlnation t"?o or three of the oases with large numbera of crepitant mle* it tbapiees were thought to be tuber ouioun but t-ia x-ray exam!nation '!! oct fir; tJ'.ia i-prosoion
Tuberculosis did aot play aa imperWit pert J,u Uve study. eae of the ease* of tabestool* appeared t# be complicated with this disease. Indeed the lneidenco of definite tuberculosis in the two group# ot 1?9 individual# was very low. There were several suspected caste oo el1*1eel examination which were not confirmed by x-ray and several suspseted Meet by x-ray which showed no real evidence In the way ofsigns end sywptoms. Only one cate In the groups can be considered as activity tuberculous.
It was difficult to obtain sputum from most of the mod sloe* rery few of the^ were toughing. About \2 sputa were *xarai n*3 for tuberale bad lit and asbestos bodies. Ho tuberel* bacilli were found but one ease did show several asbestos bodies. This oaee was diagnosed by X-ray as probably asbsatosis Cfirst stage) but Is not Included in the number of asbestosls oases elnoe tno x-ray film was not ''aiisfaciory.
Conversation wi'.h physician^ -nd Sine managers in the asbestos regions indicated that no hazard to health was suspected in cor.neotioa wi& work, in th asbestos mining end milling industry.
In g-norai It may be said that the hazard of pneumonoconioils i* the asbestos mining and milling toduetry hi* bttoo dazonatrated, but evidently the disease does not Incapacitate to any great degree and apparently it is not particularly associated with tuberculosis.
I