Document 2j452BjQ7yogDn4JgB3p8vj2a

Mall Division* MI3CBLUHE0US. Subject. Mi FOISOBXKQ. Item* &u .34276*Date 25th August, 1943 C 0 g F I B g S I IA L * Further to our Memoraudum 54254 of 11.8,43 we now enclose.** One copy of kead Poisoning - Preliminary <* Medical Beport15 and One copy of ^Details of Cases of lead Poisoning Abadan 1942**. These two reports coisplei the medical information .: ashed for In your telegram 5317 of 23. 7 43. (Signed) H. W* Rigden, JSBF. /< 0016992 In. July and August f 1942, there occurred six cases of lead poisoning amongst workers in the Packed Oil Department all of whom displayed symptoms of Eacephalopathy, Unfortunately the first case died of uraemia which bad developed before admission to Hospital, and although we are morally certain that it was a case of lead poisoning, we were never able to prove the fact. The finding of lead in abnormal quantities In the urine of the other five cases led to a visit to the P.O.D. by the Chief Medical Officer ana the Pathologist, who found the exigencies of the present far had led to a vast increase in the output of "leaded spirits". A blast wall had been built around the Filling Section which made ventilation very unsatisfactory, and the rapid evaporation of the spirit at the very high temperatures which pertain in Abadan in the summer meant that the air was full of T.S.L. vapour, a fact which was later proved beyond any doubt. The C.M.O. and'the Pathologist made certain recommendstict which were immediately put into force with the result that there was an immediate' improvement in the 'figures of admissions to Hospital of cases suffering from lead poisoning. These recommendations wore t- 1. Powerful forced ventilation should be provided at all the "danger points". 2. The blast walls should be pulled down at once. 5. Better washing facilities be provided for workmen along with liquid soap in sufficient quantity, and increased f.C. facilities. 4. Provision for regular treatment of clothes by automatic cleaners. The figures of admissions to hospital are of interest, gases, admitted to hospital because of symptoms!- July August September October November ....... ....... ....... ........ ........ 1 5 2% o 6 KE 0016993... .... ,, ..... - 2December * It should be.noted that the blast walls were built In May 1942, and that they were taken down In September 1942, The working month at the P.O.D* consists of 90 shifts, fhe Mo, of shifts filling leaded spirit in 1941 as compared with 1942 is given in the table below as well as the mean maximum and minimum temperatures for these years. Ho. of Shift (headed g2.iS.Us) 32ft. Mean Monthly Isaaam^ July 17 August 11 Sept* 28 October 27 Movesber3o 112*2 82,8 111,3 79*5 108,6o 75*4 94,4F 82.8 65.0F 5$.9 1942, 1o7 of Shift Mean Monthly (Leaded UliiM) 110.5 114,1 106.5 97*1 83.0 83*81.8 75*8 69*5 59*2 It will be appreciated, therefore, that everything - - climatic conditions, decrease in ventilation, and pressure of work - combined to bring about this unfortunate btate of affairs*4 In all, 54 persons were examined, and 39 were found to be excreting lead in the urine in more than the generally accepted "normal** amount i.e, more than 0.14;mgms per litre of Urine. Of the 39 persons affected, 31 were suffering from symptoms, and an analysis is given of-the prominent symptoms displayed,** . lamia Weakness Fever Muscular Pains Diarrhoea Malaria F&eusionia 2 ** 17 6 * ' ""2 ' ' :VT6-^ .. 1 * * 2 (8,42 mgms k O.55 agas per litre) * 1 (0.35 per litre). SOfAL 31 It is to be regretted that at the time we were working \ short-handed, and as a result there were many investigations which we would like to'have carried out'but for which the time was just not available so that only four cases were examined for Punctate Basophilia*, jf and all the examinations were negative, Apart from the two cases of Mania (Encephalopathy) no signs of any significance were found on examination of the Central Hervous System, and in no case was a "lead line11 found on examination of the south. We find it noteworthy that all th eases who were . admitted suffering fro a high fever showed a fairly high lead excretion, a point which we have not seen mentioned in any of the publications we have read on the subject. During one of our visits to the P.O.D., we were ashed to look at several esses of desquamation of the feet in workers in the P.0.D. At . the sme ttoo we were not aware of the fact that this was a sign, of poisoning and we were equally certain that they had rume of the appearances of Petrol Dermatitis. There is no doubt in'opr sins now, however,.that these sen were suffering from dasi|uaia&tio:v due to T.5.L* w With regard to the distribution of the'affected and non-affeetbd.persons according to thair actual employment, the following is an analysis:- Mor than 0.14 asgs, Less than 0.14 -J^f^-jrLurlne,___ Bfiasai^urine. Filling Section Soldering. Section 25 S 9 4 Cleaning Drums with Petrol (1) 7 General Duties (Office) 1 (0.15 fflgms) 2 Ho history obtained 2 Total 32. -15 As one would expect there is & definite prepon- deranee of cases from Filling Section which show a high excretion of lead in the urine. The workers who. .were filling petrol into ` tins, for purposes of cleaning, are interesting as they must have been using leaded spirit for the purpose. The one office worker in th fiabnormal1* list can, I. think, be ignored as his lead excretion is hardly;to be regarded as abnormal - rqf~The-:,aoust:of le&d in'the'atmosphere of the*-.-;' "j Filling' Section at the P.O.D,--was .examined by our Chemical De partment, end the-following is an abstract from their conclusions X, Published date indicate- that freedom from ill effects say. be -expected if the lead in the, atmosphere is kept below 2 mg. of lead per working day equivalent- to 4*6 cu.m, fair in .8 hours. . 2. Before the blest walls in the P,0*D. were pulled : down, the atmosphere at head height over the tinning 100 0.N, spirit (containing 4.7 cos. T.B.L, per gallon) under tnasasr conditions, contained 15-20 rag* ' lead per 4,6 cu.m* of air* -* A ft/ v*0 ' * it % - *? &: %'A r^*>5 V^ -F-. %? 5*" Under approximately th# same conditions but after- removing the blast walls the lead content aversgad qirca 7 per.4.6 cu.m* of air*. 0 >,. ,`r- This figure is still too high, but since then the system of suction ventilation referred to above has been J instituted and is working satisfactorily. The amount of lead! in the atmosphere at the filling Section will be estimated again in the summer when conditions arc comparable* and we > confidently expect to find that the figure will bs well inside normal limits. As regards the Soldering Section, the amount of lead in the atmosphere was satisfactory, being circa 1*7 g* lead-oh. per 4.6 cu.m. of air, at 1| ft. above the surface of the molten solder. It will bs appreciated from the above facts and figures that the handling of rfleaded" spirits under certain extreme conditions can constitute-a very grave hazard, & hazard' which, though unlikely to occur under normal peacetime working';-" conditions-is very liable to occur under the stresses of war Production* It the same, time, however, we ere quite satisfied that all that is required to make conditions entirely safe for workmen is an adequate system of ventilation, plus a keen watch on all possible areas where spillage" Is likely to occur. Since' the blast, walls at the Filling Section were removed, washing facilities improved and the European personnel of the P.O.D* ,,.r;v4 mads aware of the risks, there have been no further cases of : lead poisoning reported.fro the Refinery. 3d/- A. Anderson. April. .1943.- ^ - ' If, 3., Ch.B., MEDICAL OFFICER* Eeferenee.,- (i) R.A. Kekoe (1925) lour.As.Assoc. KET 001639G u CO ? X ; is. K .. IXOLlXjm 1. indicates the.t the symptom or sign was present, - then it whs absent*. A blank space indicates no record*^ a. Only those cases with an excretion of lead amounting to G.20 sgms. or .sore per litre of urine are Included. There . x era 34 such coses cs against 39 whose urinary excretion, exceeded 0.14 agate, per litre of urine, the figure regards'll as "Normal1* In our previous report. The reason for this change is that the Principal Chemist suggested that our original figure was too low. The results recorded here d\ aonstrat that as far as our investigations are concerned !f-. idle increased minimal figure nefces little difference. 3. The length of time that these patients had worked in the Packed Oil Dept, varied from 30 years to 4 months. There-.'.* fore tiie inference is that a now factor had caused the illness* 4. Knee Jerks and 'Ankle Jerks were doaa and noted in each case. In the absence of ft statement to the contrary it can be taken that they were present* 5* Sis phrase fiAnaeic and tfeidemoUrlshed* could; be applied to 90fc of the cases bore noted. The-standard of living just then was low and many employees were newcomers suffering .... from latent-Malaria* 6, Cass os.2X, 22, 23, 24 & 27 are five of the six cases re" , farred to in th first para of our previous report. The sixth, as we have already stated, died before a positive "" diagnosis ms made, tout in .retrospect we have little doubt.. that-ha was m Q&m_.of ..Encephalopathy, 7* This year, 1943, we. have examined eleven'workers; in the P*0*B*. flie results'of"urtne estimation for lead are given in ague; per litre- - 0*10* 0*02, 0.05, 0*11, 0*05, 0*08, llil, 0*08, 0,09, HU and v0iC4 - all well below normal limits 8* This year, 1943, air -analysis have been dune at'"the with-the following results s- 24,6,43 - 0*07 mgsV Pb per Cubic Motor of air. ,, 7*B*43:;-'--:- Traces of Pto only, V. Both these estimations were carried out while the forced draught systea of'ventilation-was in operation*.-.The accepted" working standard of safety is 0.15 agms,per Cu* Motor. . * Uarsfriiifi asaiii#-to our previous report, last para, V}& are now mOre than quit satisfied that cn adequate system ofV-v vonillation is the real &nswer to Hie troubles sxoericuced - if^^dSShhff? but *t t *. tiMBfeattawiWPB^-*lte;*h*i> KE 0016397 -. \: r >_ . *5 f** : 1, + indicates that "the symptom or sign waa present, ... that it was absent* A bleak space indicates no record* ... 2*-'- Only fees cases with an excretion of lead amounting to - . 0420'.agM* '.or acre per. litre'of urine are included. There are 54. iraudk >eases .ss.a^aiaot:^-xbose urinary excr#ts#|;..v 'weeded: 0*1.4' n$s. per litre1 of aria# th figure rogjaided IP as *Hor&al* la wr previous report* The reason for Ms change is that the F*i&elpSl~cau9mlst.suggested that oar" l original figure was.to# low. $tu results recorded here do- eonstrate .that as far as.our investigation are concerned ^ the .increased minimal, figure makes -little difference* "" if 5, 3t*e.-length of fist that these patients had worked In the <f Packed Oil Dept* varied from 50 years to 4 months, There- V fore the Inference is that a new factor had caused the illness.*'. ( 2t 4* - Knee Jerks and 'Ankle 'Jeifcs.nersrdeae cad noted in each ease* . la the absence of a ittsteatent'-to the contrary it can foe r 'J| -taken that they were proirnt*" ' 5* The phrase ^Anaemic and Uadernourishad*5 could be applied to' 90S of the cases here noted. The- standard of living Just then w&s low and many eaployees were newcomers suffering. ...., from latent Malaria., .:' f 6, Case Ios*2i, 22> 25# 24 & 27 are five of the six cases re ferred to in th first para of our previous report. The sixth, as we have already stated, died before & positive -vdiagnosis was made, but in retrospect ws have little doubt ' that he was a case of Saceph&iops-thy* 7* This- year, 1945# we have examined eleven worker in the . F*0*D* fh results of urine estimation for lead are given " in agas* per litre -0*10, 0,02, 0.05, 0*11, 0*05, 0.08, v Ml, 0,08, 0,09# $11 and ,0104 - All. well below normal limits 8, This year, 1945, air analysis have been don at the P.Q*D* with the following results t- 24,6,45 . - 0,07 g, Fb per Cubic Meter of sir* - 7*8*45 Traces of Pb only, _7 ,,% Both these esttsation-is'.'were .carried out while the forced draught system of;ventilation was in operation* The accepted working standard of safety Is 0.15 mgsis,per Cu* Motor, 9* Referring again to our previous report, last, pars, w are: nowisore than quite satisfied that an adequate system of ventilation is the'real7 answer.-to the troubles experienced !last year,-but at the same -time,'we fully agree with the- ? - additional precautions outlined-in the Chess!cal St Develop- '* Dept^ote to -.-.the-Works Manager. (Lab.yob So.1520) ... -especially Sections 2,;5 &- 4 under the heading Discussion.* j -- Abadan, 17*8*45, 0016998