Document GqpEpzLk9y4aMBwVGZYvE0GV

FILE NAME Newspaper & Magazine Articles NMA DATE 1938 Jan DOC NMA097 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION Journal Article - What to Do About Dust Scientific American Sauntific Sauntific num jan Sauntific num eee -- C WHAT TO UST might be roughly described as the airy particles arising from a world that is wearing away un- der the ceaseless erosion of nature and DO ABOUT DUST Industrial Dust Hazards Little Known of - - Them Foundation to Study Ways Means of Com- Medical Legal Engineering Aspects bating - - the onrush of restless man The physical world is of course com- By JOHN F. MCMAHON posed of matter in many forms Dust Executive Assistant Air Hygiene Foundation in a broad sense is simply the tiny rem- nants resulting from the breaking up than industrial areas about St. Louis and of this matter It is the product of that suffer more from such ailments Rochester New York suffered severely which of wearing out men working elsewhere The evidence rates were mounting as a re tireless process walks hand with time and af- that excessive dustiness of any kind is argument accord- Insurance sult of the many claims fects life mountain tops and all ma- harmful is beyond Drinker of the Har- in- developments terial things Dust is one of the common ing to Prof. Philip N the face of these denominators of the world and exists Even vard School of Public Health Of the estimated 1,000,000 workmen knew where and often developments where to turn for help or potentially in every solid object ered knew not approximately man is made of dust according to the exposed to silicanudmubsetr is exposed to guidance Even noted physicians fre- quently Scriptures and unto dust he ultimately one half of this In addition to disagreed as to the medical as- returns harmful concentrations other dan- pects of the problem Engineers at- Thus certain fine powdery particles silica there are numerous lead dust or as- tempting to devise equipment to dispose inability are part of the natural order and might gerous dusts such as of dust were hampered by this be called natural dusts since they are bestos dust of medical men to say just what concen- independent of man Examples of such It was not until about two years ago tration of a given dust constituted a forms of air pollution include withering that the general public in this country hazard to health and just how low the dust storms searing the country side or became acutely conscious of dust as an concentration should be cut to make a place miniature particles of plant and animal to health and a cause of occupaenemy reasonably safe working followed life afloat in the air tional disease This realization cases Consequently a score of firms and Far more dangerous than these how- the wide publicity given to silicosis trade organizations banded together and generated Founda- ever are the made dusts in connection with a tunnelling project established the Air Hygiene Virginia scientific in the industrial processes of our highly at Gauley Bridge West tion of America a profit industrial era Besides the chimney But prior to this general awakening and hys- created to conduct research organization and kindred industrial dis- sweeps of ash incomplete combustion and so there are the with its accompanying panic teria a number of industrial leaders on silicosis Foundation in its search for -moke tar eases The combat numberless industrial dusts The use of representing the steel foundry glass the vital knowledge needed to abrasives to clean and polish metal ab- ceramic pottery refractory aluminum these ills is not only engaging in re- mak- rasive powder and abrasive soap coal and metal mining industries be- and search itself but is attempting to collect mg foundry work sand blasting quar- gan meeting and discussing ways dis- into one central reservoir the fruits of iving tunnelling mining glass making means of combating occupational lawsuits experience and research which have ac- and pottery making are among the eases An epidemic of ruinous firms crued heterogeneously everywhere dusty trades was sweeping the country Many The After getting underway early in 1936 The stone cutter of old hacking at were forced out of business entirely hard rock with a pick or with hammer and chisel had little to fear from dust The modern stone cutter thundering through brittle rock with power drills stirs up smoke waves of dust Un- less properly protected he may inhale harmful quantities of dangerous silica particles Some of these drills are known among miners as widow makers United States Public Health Ser- THEvice estimates that approximately 1,000,000 workmen are exposed to silica Just in America's mines and mills dust which breathed in sufficient quan- tities and over a sufficient period of time cause silicosis and other disorders may of the respiratory organs The inhalation of dust may under certain conditions weaken man's resistance to tuberculosis colds bronchitis pneumonia and sinus troubles Men working in dusty trades ty . 1 8 cays: dust at left thrown off in a cloud by a concentration of silica carries away all dust collector A dangerous new suction drill On the right a pneumatic 0000117 TRIAL EXHIBIT 27 s SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN amopse hdoesfpiinittaellsy disease compensated Na- JANUARY - 1938 with the findings of its inventory immediately launched a occupational disease due to air pollu surveys showing roughly what is the Foundation searches in the tion This review disclosed sharp con known and what remains to be sought of finding program flicts between the laws of the various Foundation was x three fields bearing upon the problem-- states respecting compensation for occu- out the Air Hygiene of medicine engineering and law It noted however a able to lay out a practical program The medical survey for example in- pational liberal trend toward compen- growing industrial scientific research into the fundamentals of industrial air pollution volved the evaluation of findings gleaned of industries in sating workmen who contract in in- The research is to be carried on at in a number here and abroad disease just as workmen injured institutions deemed best fitted for the and in research centers that on the basis of present dustrial accidents are particular task in mind Some of these It concludes a knowledge nine points are THE occupational disease question is are the Saranac Laboratory Saranac New York University Hospital at known about silicosis They are broad with its social and eco- Lake Philadel 1. Silicosis results from the inhalation The that many of the University of Pennsylvania of dust containing free silica nomic implications which met last year phia United States Bureau of Mines a 2. The time required for the develop- 44 state legislatures Washington D. .; Harvard School of ment of silicosis varies from a few years considered the problem Further as pointed out in the Sum- Public Health Cambridge MassachuMemorial Laboratory and to 20 or more depending upon the con- of the Economic Legal setts Singer Pia centration of silica particles in the air mary Report and Insurance Committee of the Mellon Institute Pittsburgh This program recently announced and the length of exposure silicosis is recognizable tional Silicosis Conference increased seeks to answer many puzzling questions vela 3. Beginning only by properly taken roentgen films costs for preventive or compensatory have marked economic on the medical and engineering aspects 5 X rays of the chest measures may the relative position of com- of the subject Some of these include 4. Associated with silicosis is a marked effects upon units Obviously a What is the mechanism by which to peting industries or silica acts upon the body Is silica tuberculosis predisposition Silicosis can be prevented by pro- manufacturer in a state with stringent a poison or an irritant Is the action 5. tecting the industrial worker from in- regulations is placed at a disadvantage with a competitor in a state where few of silica physical as in cutting or is haling silica dust exist This disadvan- it chemical 6. Concentrations to which dust must such regulations how- II What is the relation between sili- be reduced in order to be safe have not tage promises to be temporary and may be offset even now by the cosis and tuberculosis III What is the effect of other sub been absolutely determined containing silica ever cost of damage suits the action of silica 7. Industrial dusts Aside from the economic considera- stances upon are frequently not all silica being mixed materials Some of these may tion is the even more important social workman con- It is claimed that some dusts retard the action of silica apparently di- with other alter the silica action on the body or human factor If a his wife luting its effect while others are said 8. Asbestos a silicate is the only dust tracts an occupational affliction and his children suffer indirectly as to speed up the silica action IV Determination of hood design data United other than free silica which has been does the whole community The shown to cause lung fibrosis States Public Health Service has shown for various producing processes 9. Simple is uncomplicated of industrial involved in the crushing grinding silicosis as seen in the industries in this that the life expectancy than in the and general handling of rock causes relatively little severe workers is several years less Another problem calls for the devel country It is its combination with case of other workmen Pneumonia rates of a proof technique of ro- disability other diseases which is serious are twice as high and tuberculosis rates are much higher for the industrial opment entgenography X ray It appears that medical examinations employment The report of the preventive engineerto center group which roughly comprises some will be ing survey warned engineers their attack on the smallest dust parti- 15,000,000 persons employed in manu- including a chest roentgenogram required of workmen to an ever increas- out that in a general facturing and mining in the future Thus a man cles pointing the This situation further emphasizes the ing degree sense the finer the dust the greater need of a co^rdinatingand correlating may be hired or rejected on the basis potential danger dedicated to the devel- of his ray film Therefore the best The legal survey examined the statutes research center information on possible technique that can be evolved and court decisions of each of the 48 opment of needed of air- is the least with which employers can be states in an effort to establish the exact the cause cure and prevention satisfied status of the law in each state as regards borne occupational diseases Possessed Coal mines constitute powerful cutting teeth a imaGrere se anotheranother dust hazard and especially at points whreenrdeeremdadcuhsitlneesss on a flat arm At the right this operation is rendered undercut the coal by a spray of water seam by means of on the cutting arm