Document B5qxjxEBp2yKxm382do1r0DDo

FILE NAME: US Gypsum (USG) DATE: October 23, 1932 DOC#: USG077 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: 1932 transcript of Morris Fishbein editorial titled Most Industrial Dust is not Injurious to Lungs of Worker [VERBATIM TRANSCRIPTION] PACIFIC DIVISION SAN FRANCISCO CHICO, CA L ENTERPRISE OCTOBER 23, 1932 Dr. Morris Fishbein's Daily Health Service MOST INDUSTRIAL DUST IS MOT INJURIOUS TO LUNGS OF WORKER In a survey of the subject recently made, Dr. E___ _______ that most dusts in such concentrations as occur in industry does not exert an injurious influence on the lungs. Workers in leather, in the shoe industry and in milling are in contact constantly with the dusts associated with these working con ditions, but are not often sick as a result. There was a time when flour dust was held to be harmful. Later, it was found that the illness was due to breaking off of quartzite from the millstones and the quartzite dust was the harmful factor rather than the flour dust. Today when flour is milled by steam rollers millers do not experience the same type of lung trouble. Workers in limestone, marble,.gypsum and in cement do not suffer much from the dust they inhale because these dusts are calcium dusts and calcium is easily taken up and handled by the human system. There are, however, other 'dusts' which are not easily taken up, such as those from basic slag and emery. These dusts contain oxide of aluminum, which is not easily dissolved int he tissues and which therefore must be coughed up. Constant exposure to such dust causes re-peated inflammations of the tissues of the lungs and a type of bronchitis which becomes chronic and serious. It is, of course, difficult to tell the difference between bronchitis caused by dusts and that which results from exposure at hot furnaces and that dust to the fumes that arise in various industries, or indeed, that due to severe climatic conditions. Apparently the most harmful of all dusts is that developed in the industries using silica, particularly those associated with basalt and asbestos. The dust of asbestos acts in connection with the tissue of the lung to cause a thickening or fibrous condition of the lungs which goes on rapidly to a serious if not fatal condition. Coal dust does nob apparently produce any unusual mortality from respiratory disease. The lungs of miners are found to be simply black with coal dust and yet no serious disease of the lung has developed. If, however, the coal dust is combined with silica dust of the type that has been mentioned, the condition that develops may be extremely serious. Dr. Fishbein is editor of the Journal of the American Medical Association, and of Hygeia, the Health Magazine. i'H' r.J m CHICO. CAI. ENTERPRISE - ; ' vreo States Gypsum cA JgS Library ug C h ic a g o --'t- 'o; 51*' Fishbein* ;* iay 'Health Servii IT IN D U S T R IA L D U ST IS N O T " IN JU R IO U S TO LUNGS OF WORKER ' .* In a survey of the subject recently mjide.Dr,. El Cotljs points, out that most dusts in such concentrations as oc-i cur in industry 0 not exert an injurious influence on te lungs. Workers^ in leather, in the shoe industry ahd mi /milling are in. contact ^nstanuy, wiifo ' dusts associated with . these working ' ditions,; but are not often sick as a`result There was a' time when flour duat . v 1,,held, tp .be.harm ful. Lati(,. it .was foujgf^ that the illness was due to-< v^aking off-of , quartzite, frpm the millstone/ :*' 1 the qnaifc; ; zite dust was the harrafr'1 . ,ictor~ rathip* than, the flour dust. Today - hen flour .is m illed, by steam rollers m ili' s do not exi1perince the. sam type of lung tro I' Workers, in limestone, marblqT gypsum^ Ua'nadn cement do not suffer muer" Dr.',lFlshbebi - I dust they ^phalp/^Vppaiiae^.hpgA rinats. ays h a n d l e d h '^ p ^ y a i q ^ T h e r e are, howeyer, oth^r A dusts which are not easily' taken up, such as those from , basic slag and emery. j These dusts contain oxid of aluminum, which is- not easily dissolved in the tissues and which therefore must be coughed up. Constant exposure tp such dust causes re peated inflam m ations of the tissues of the lungs and a type o f bronchitis which becomes chronic nd serious. lt is, o f course, d ifficu lt to tell the difference between, bron chitis caused by dusts and that which results from .-ex posure at hot furnaces and that due to the fumes tb af arise in various industries, or indeed that due to , severe clim atic conditions. _ t.-/ Apparently the most harm ful of all dusts is that de veloped in the industries using silica, particularly those as sociated with basalt and asbestos. The dust o f asbestos. acts in connection with the tissue of the lung to. cause & thickening or fibrous condition of the lungs which goes., on, rapidly to a serious if not fatal condition. / Coal dust does not apparently produce any-unusual m ortality from respiratory disease. '.The lu n gs o f minfersi are found to be simply black with coal, dust andr y etj serious disease of the lung 'has developed..', I f j how ever^ coal dust is combined with silica dustlof the type th at been, mentioned, the condition that develops may be | tremely serious. * ' / VA i- - ' D r. Fishbein is editor Journal of the A m erican Association,, and o f H ygeia, the H ealth lagazmei.,, - *.'^Ht f.e *, Sh&T 0 9 0d0