Document DdjrK74reR5bm4RXNjvjV6OJd

MEDICOLEGAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH ASPECTS 845 experiment through industrial exposure, which, in turn, brings about a premature predisposition, usually acquired at a later age (Teutschlaender). The spread of cancer must be combated by destroying the evil effects of these noxae. This can be accomplished most effectively by an extension of industrial hygienic measures, as it is better and it seems to be much easier to prevent cancer of this genesis than to cure it. The proper appreciation of the urgency of the existing situation does not seem to be as general as is necessary and desirable even among medical men, supposedly sufficiently familiar with in dustrial medicine. Thus, Selby recently asserted that cancer belongs to that group of diseases (appendicitis, cancer, pneumonia, anemia, and communicable diseases) that are of no industrial importance, except as causes of disablement. Apart from the fact that this investigator seems to be unaware that acute and chronic chemical pneumonia may result from an occupational exposure to nitrous oxide, sulfur dioxide fumes, and other noxious gases, and to various types, of inorganic and organic dusts (silica, asbestos, iron oxide, and manganese), as well as that numerous forms of anemia are caused by an industrial contact with a great number and variety of industrially widely used chemicals (lead, mer cury, arsenic, benzol, hydrazines, and organic solvents), the data presented show unequivocally and convincingly that cancer is a disease of remarkable, industrial importance, and that industry has a moral obligation concerning curtailment of the occupational hazards leading to cancerous disease. It is unfortunate that most laws dealing with occupational diseases including cancer emphasize the compensation feature for disability sustained, and neglect the preventive aspect of these disorders (Allanj and Waters). In some states the law provides that the industrial commissioners and industrial boards are required to add to the industrial safety code such rules and regulations governing the installation, maintenance, and effective operation of safety measures in all industries and operations, as appear appropriate to prevent and combat certain hazards (Waters). In most instances such provisions deal mainly or exclusively with the control of dust hazards. It is evident that the industrial hazards giving rise to cancer require the introduction of much more detailed and extensive measures, than those considered in the ordinary provisions of preventive procedures incorporated in the industrial safety codes. The effective control of the neoplastic conditions in industry usually represents rather complicated and difficult engineering problems, in addition to the observations of elaborate sanitary and medical precautionary measures. it seems to be essential for the introduction and enforcement of such meas ures, that through the cooperation of government and industry, a thorough study of the various operations with known or suspected occupational cancer hazards should be made in order to determine their extent and type as well as the peculiarities existing in the different operations under normal and ab normal circumstances, before an adequate and intelligent program of tech-