Document 7Mw6kKy7EX443L0naoYbK1a66

8 fei oc c=a Industrial Hygiene Digest February. 19 and 0. 001 to 0. 18 mg per cubic meter following, installation of control measures. Of 36 err one showed definite symptoms of mercurialism, while others exhibited vague changes. The appeared to be no correlation between mercury exposure and urinary levels of mercury. T cadmium portion of the alloy did not appear to constitute an exposure problem. There are references given. -- Authors' summa 167 A Note on Methyl Bromide. G.R. Simpson. Arch. Environmental HealthJ_3, 673-674 (Nov. Methyl bromide is one of the three declared noxious substances under the New South Wales Fumigation Regulations. Because it is colorless, practically odorless and tasteless it is no apparent to the operatorwhen a toxic atmosphere is encountered. As a result, severe cases of methyl bromide poisoning from house fumigation and from fire extinguishers and some mi ones in agriculture have occurred. During the last few years the use of methyl bromide has popularity in New South Wales, particularly as a total herbage destroying agent for golf and i greens. The method of application to such greens, the concentrations found, and the necess. precautionary measures are described in this paper. The author concludes that tests for me bromide in air during fumigations for total herbage destruction on golf or bowling greens ind a severe potential hazard for the operator. It is essential respiratory protection be afforded all times and dermal protection as well while gassing. 168 Hydrocarbon Pneumonitis in Rats. R. Ring and J. D. Nelson. Arch. Envircnmental Health 22* 749-752 (Dec. 1966). Hydrocarbon pneumonitis in rats due to kerosene and mineral seal oil furniture polish (Old English) was compared by inducing aspiration in a standardized fashion. The death rate with 24 hours from pulmonary congestion and edema was the same in both groups (60%). The exte of pneumonitis and the histopathologic changes in those that survived four days were indis tinguishable in the two groups. The clinical observation that pneumonitis in children due to mineral seal oil furniture polish is more severe than that due to kerosene cannot be supporter by these studies as being related to difference in aspiration hazard or toxicity. It has been suggested that the clinical observation may be related to the volume consumed, the furniture polish being more appealing to the child than kerosene. In the second set of experiments an attempt was made to evaluate the hazard of gastric lavage following intragastric instillation o kerosene in rats. Gastric lavage neither increased nor decreased the incidence and extent o pneumonitis in rats. These findings are in agreement with results of the cooperative clinical study of hydrocarbon poisoning in children. There are six references. -- Authors' summary 169 Permanent Encephalopathy From Toluene Inhalation. J. W. Knox and J.R. Nelson. New Engl. J. Med. 275, 1494-1496 (Dec. 29, 1966). Inhalation of glue vapors in an attempt to induce euphoria has recently become quite popular, particularly among teen-agers. The desired effects are probably produced by toluene, the m; component of the vapors. The acute central-nervoug - system symptoms after toluene inhalatu are transient euphoria, exhilaration and excitement, but in high doses confusion, headache, nausea, tinnitus, ataxia, tremors and fasciculations often occur. Acute, reversible hepatic decompensation and bone-marrow suppression are also prominent effects of exposure to high concentrations of toluene. The severity of the acute symptoms correlates well with the concei tration of toluene vapor, and specific safeguards have been established for industrial workers who must be exposed to this highly used solvent. Although acute toluene encephalopathy in hur beings is well documented, irreversible brain damage after chronic exposure to toluene vapor has not been conclusively proved. In 1961 Grabski (Am. J. Psychiat. 118, 46 (1961)) briefly reported the first case in which long-term toluene inhalation had apparently led to cerebellar degeneration. The present paper describes the same patient in more detail after eight additioi years of exposure to toluene and documents permanent central-nervous-system damage from nearly daily inhalations of large quantities of toluene over a 14-year period. The clinical find! of ataxia, tremulousness, emotional lability, a marked snout reflex and a Babinski sign on the right side were accompanied by diffuse electroencephalography. A plea is made for greater investigation of the extent of chronic toluene habituation in adults. There are eight references. 170 A Summary of Work on Aldrin and Dieldrin Toxicity at the Kettering Laboratory. F. P. Cleveland. Arch. Environmental Health 13, 195-198 (Aug. 1966). The level of agricultural productivity in the United States depends upon the use of effective bro; spectrum insecticides. Two of the most efficacious insecticides are aldrin and dieldrin. Whil these substances are highly toxic to insects and experimental animals, no definitive evidence i; available that any harm hds'resuft&l Td mankind. The incidence of tumors in male and female 19. 03122417