Document 5kX24vNzjLpm6rdryXQRL7Jke

FILE NAME: New York State & NY Times (NY) DATE: 1950 May DOC#: NY101 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: NY Dept of Labor Monthly Review - Occupational Causes of Cancer [Continued from Apr Issue] The matenai on this page was copied from the collection of the National Library of Medicine by a third party and may be protected by U.S. Copyrightlaw. WCUbn-rj r StCTiofj, j NewYork State Department Labor MONTHLY REV IEW Division o f In du strialH ygiene &S a fety Sh Vol. 29 May, 1950 EXPOSURE TO MERCURY IN INDUSTRY; A STATISTICAL STUD Samuel Moskowitz, Ch .E., Ph .D. , Previous papers in this series 2 presented data on the exposure of workers to mercury vapor and dust in the fur-felt hat industry. These papers included the clinical and laboratory findings in these workers and the general relationship be tween atmospheric concentration, urinary excre tion, and the incidence of mercurialism. At that time, no attempt was made to analyze these relationships statistically nor was the factor of length of exposure presented as one of the var iables which was studied. It was noted, however, that there was a marked variation in urinary ex cretion among individuals who were similarly ex posed and among individuals with and without 02 0 .3 0.4 0 .5 0 .!- 07 0.8 ATMOSPHERIC CONCENTRATION OF MERCURY IN MG. PER CU.M. Figure I. 17 The material on this page was copied from the collection of the National Library of Medicine by a third party and may be protected by U.S. Copyrigbt law. of about three years show an erratic change .in individual and average excretions with passage of time. When the individuals whose exposures could not be completely evaluated are eliminated and the data presented in Table I are recalculated, the data given in Table IA are obtained. These data are not qualitatively and but slightly quantitatively different from those obtained before these cases are eliminated. Intensity of Exposure and Diagnosis , . It was to be anticipated that an increase in in ' tensity of exposure would result in an increase in . the-frequency o l positive cases of mercurialism. ' 4 \ rA statistical analysis of these data was therefore ' undertaken to determine whether or not that could be proved. In this analysis, the method used was . that of comparing actual with theoretical frequen / i fiesj `the so-called Chi square method for test of association. ' " - The results of this analysis are presented in Table III. The value of Chi square must be equal to or exceed 9 for statistical significance betwee: two groups, and values of 4 to 9 (correspondin to ratios of differences of means to standard er rors of the differences of 2 to 3) may be termer borderline. It is evident from Table III that greatei significance can be attributed to the differences between Groups I and II combined and Group III and between Group III and Groups IV and V com bined than to the differences between adjacent groups. This is similar to the results obtained ir analyzing the data relating to intensity of exposure and urinary excretion (Tables I and IA). It may be concluded, therefore, that the inci dence of positive cases of mercurialism increases with an increase in the intensity of exposure. If the borderline cases, also presenting somt signs of pathology, are combined with the positive cases of mercurialism, the correlation betweer exposure and diagnosis is not improved and leads to no more significant conclusions than if positives alone are counted as pathological cases. (Continued in June Issu e ) Exposure Group Table III -- In t e n sit y of Exposure and Diagnosis No. in Group % Positives Chi Square I 35 II 15 III 98 IV 20 V 63 I & II combined 50 III 98 IV & V combined 83 11.4 1.86 0 11.25 37.8 .02 ' 35.0 4.33 62.0 8.0 13.8 37.8 55.4 6.5 OCCUPATIONAL CAUSES OF CANCER May R. Mayers, M.D. (Continued from April Issu e ) In conclusion, I would like to say that one can not overlook the fact that there is a great deal of speculation, at the present time, as to possible en vironmental factors which may be responsible for the development of cancer, based largely upon medical case histories which, are difficult to inter pret or to verify. A few of the industrial carcin ogens are fairly well understood. Many more, how ever, are suspect only; and there is urgent need of scientific verification. It indeed, of very great interest that in industry it is possible not only to produce cancer by known occupational exposures under given circumstances, but that a typical site in the body may become in volved--a site quite remote, in some instances, from the point of contact of the individual's body with the carcinogenic agent. More intensive and more accurate, as well as more widespread knowledge of the occupational environment, is needed--particularly among stu dents of the cancer problem. A great deal more information is also required with reference to the physiological and bio-chemical responses of indi viduals exposed under actual working conditions. Perhaps the greatest impediment is the extreme fluidity of this environment---the fact that it currently changes to reflect every technological advance which is made It is hoped that the studies, now in progress of occupational causes of cancer, will throw new light on this subject, and indirectly perhaps con tribute to a better understanding of the basic causes of cancer, in general. Bibliography 1. Hueper, W. C.: Occupational Tumors and Allied Diseases, Charles C. Thomas, 1942, Springfield, 111. 2. New York State Occupational Cancer Committee, Occupational Cancer, 1950 3. Gehrmann, G. H.: J.A.M.A. 107:1436, 1936 4. Barsotti, M. and Vigliani, E.: Bladder Lesions from Aromatic Amines, La Medicina del Lavoro, 129, 1949 5 Machle; W. and Gregorius, J.: Cancer of the Res piratory System in the United States Chromate- Producing Industry, Public Health Reports, 63, 114, 1948 Mancuso, T. F.: Study of Occupational Cancer, Div ision of Industrial Hygiene, Ohio Department of Health, 1949 Annual Report of the Chief Inspector of Factories, 1947: Medical Section, London, His Majesty's Stat 8. ionery Office, 1947, p. 15 Fitzsimons, M. P.: Gynqecomastia in Stilboestrol Workers, Brit. J. Indust. Med. 1:235, Oct. 1944 Scarff, R. W. and Smith, C. P .: Proliferative and Other Lesions of Male Breast 10 Notes on 2 Cases Knoeir/,1 ~ \ T T .-1,r odf~';+'Pr-- oliferative Mastitis in Stil-