Document 93J2RRa6yNN8p6ZkNmanngLeq

INDUSTRIAL HEALTH NEWS LITERATURE ABSTRACTS MEDICAL ENGINEERING CHEMICAL TOXICOLOGICAL LEGAL * * * decisions tad fraacU 1 t JJ ** AUGUST, 1949 (VoL 13, No. 8) ) i. *1 1 INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE FOUNDATION 4400 JIFTH AVSNUB PITTSBURGH is. PA. f/tUrtfllg'S Esonh.T rrxfff - i%CO Czj Zr-ustrial Sygler.e Digest - 15 o He*-*ever, great care should be taken to exclude the tuberculous in select ing persons to receive aiuninun therapy. (U) It i3 not believed that a scientifically controlled experiment in industry i3 feasible for the evaluation of alunlnun for the proohyianis of silicosis, This fcllo.s fren the uncontrollable variables inherent in the industrial situation a---* other factors vhich have been discussed. For these reasons, it appears inprobable that any research agency vould consider it advisable to under take such a project except under special conditions already discussed, vhich nay not be attainable. (5) Hie McIntyre Research Foundation, as presently organized, is not equipped to solve the alunlnun prophylaxis problen in relation to silicosis. The steps considered necessary to accom plish thi3 objective are outlined. (6) Research should be continued vith laboratory animals vith the -object of finding a more adequate basis for application to nan. Such study is nov included in the program of the Saranac Laboratory of the Trudeau Foundation. -- Authors' Summary 866 Effects of Electricity or. the Human Bod7. V.3. Eouvenhoven. lad. Med. ltf, 2o9 (July, 1949). The author discusses briefly the various effects of electricity cn the body, including variations vith the amount of current. The current values of interest are: (1) threshold of feeling, about 1 milliampsre; (2) let-go current, above vhich it is difficult to let go of a vire, about 9 ailliamperes for men, 6 for vomer.; (3) current producing ventri cular fibrillation, 0.1 ampere; (k) current producing a block: in the ner vous system, one ampere or more; and (5) the counter shock current. The last three result in death if prolonged; cthervlse artificial respiration may save the victim. These effects refer to alternating current of com mercial frequency. Direct current is much less harmful. The only effectof high-frequency currents is heating. 867 Asbestos is and Cancer of the Editorial. J.A.M.A. 140, 1219-1220 (Aug. 13, 19**9). Records of English, American and German physicians and The Annual Report of the Chief Inspector of Factories in England for 19k? shov that the occurrence of cancer of the lung is related to pulmonary asbestosis. This relation is supported by the folloving observations: (l) The incidence rate of cancer of the lungs in asbestosis patients .i3 10 to 15 times as high as among the general populaticn.(2)- The male-female ratio is more nearly equal than it is for the general population, vhich indicates that an environmental and evidently occupational csxcinogen tended to equalize the incidence rate of cancer of the lungs for both sexes. Recent experi mental observations support this interpretation of clinical evidence. 868 Changes In the Lung3 Produced by Natural Granhite. 5.E. Harding and G.3. Oliver. Brit. J. lad. Med. 6, 91-99 (April, 19^9). A brief description is given of the industrial uses of natural graphite, vhich is a crystalline carbon nixed vith up to 10$ of free silica p.r\d vith other minerals. The greatest dust risk occurs in the grinding of natural graphite, for vhich evidence is presented to shov that thi3 can lead t 0 tj fUc'.li