Document N2wKEEgrXGJxdMJRwwB1GQ50E

FILE NAME: German Articles - Some with English Translation (GER) DATE: 1958-1959 DOC#: GER042 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: English Abstracts from Medical Journal asfc 1020 BULLETIN OF HYGIENE October. Iv his experience of 150 patients, cor pulmonale was rare. The ECO is often characteristic with right axis deviation and diphasic or inverted T in 02, D3, and the thoracic leads. S. Rossi (pp. 54-56) dealt with the Ir.CXj in pulmonary tuberculosis. Between 1947 and 1958 the ECO was performed on 10,000 patients (5,680 men and 4,420 women) at the C. Forlanini Institute at Rome. 3,780 had abnormal tracings ot some sort, mostly atypi cal voltage, or changes in S-T and T wave; right axis deviation occurred in 743 and left axis deviation in 403. There is no typical ECO syndrome. M. Casteuranco (pp. 58-59) discussed pathogenetic factors in cor pul monale. The mechanical insufficiency of the vascular bed is related to the size of the right ventricle; hypox- aemia causes increased pulmonary pressure. G. Puz- zuoli (pp. 59-60) spoke on the lesser circulation in pulmonary surgery. Investigation of 53 patients from 1 month to 6 years after pneumonectomy or lobectomy by means of angiopneumography, ECO, and cardiac cathe terization showed that surgery did not induce pulmonary hypertension later. E. Sartomu.it (pp. 61-62), discussing cor pulmonale, stated that it was a frequent complication of silicosis as demonstrated either post mortem or by study of the haemodynamics of the pulmonary circula tion; the other usual methods had not helped in diagnosis. Examination of 28 patients with confluent and massive disease showed cor pulmonale in 82%; the ECG on 115 patients showed right ventricular preponderance in only 98%. Cardiac catheterization on 30 patients with silicosis showed pulmonary hypertension in a high percentage though by the usual methods there was only a small number. He concluded that cor pulmonale in silicosis must be connected with the organic alterations in the lesser circulation, P. C. C.urti, L. Donno and G. L. Scalfi (pp. 62-68) mentioned that at autopsy on 194 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis, cor pulmonale wan pre'sont in 22%; catheterization of 70 patients frequently showed pulmonary hypertension without any clinical or ECG signs of affection of the right heart. The addition of tuberculosis even if only slight and localized, greatly aggravates the position. Autopsy on 28 patients showed right hypertrophy in 14. Emphysema is an important factor. Cardiac catheterization on 21 patients with the combined disease showed pulmonary hypertension in 60% at rest and in 95% after work. While there is in such cases a functional deficit of ventilation, and pulmonary hypertension especially after work, anoxaemia is not evident, hence the value of treatment by breathing oxygen is not great. [From the evidence submitted it would seem that cardiac catheterization is of value in demonstrating pulmonary hypertension in the absence of evident signs. In view of Prof. Monaldi's figures on schoolchildren at Naples, it would be interesting to have details of the BCG vaccination results.] W. K. Dtmscombe Nokdvik, N. La silicose et l'asbestose prdisposentelles au cancer pulmonaire? [Are Silicosis and Asbcstosis predisposing Causes of Cancer of the Lung] Arch. Belles Med. Sociale, Hyg., Med. du Traai! et Md. Lgale. 1959, Feb., v. 17, No. 2, 85-99, 2 figs. [94 `refs.] A grinder of steel eastings who suffered from silicosis developed cancer of the lung which was proved by the detection of malignant cells in the sputum. He e!... compensation on the basis that the continual In constituted an occupational disease. This q-,..' whether or not malignant disease of the lung , regarded as causally related to pneumoconiosis j , contpcnsatable is not uncommon nowadays; indeed an increasingly frequent problem for compeiia1 medical boards. The crucial difficulty is that pun ; cancer of the lung is a disease prevalent a n i o i ,) groups of the population, irrespective of that ,,,v ,. lions. A particular aspect of the problem is the n .. sively high incidence of lung cancer among hit cigarette smokers. In the absence of experimental p that pneumoconiosis and cancer of the lung are It.., aetiologically, recourse must be had to studies ui : relative prevalence of lung cancer in separate m ,,, tional groups. This statistical approach has been i.e. in many field studies all over the world. A ren.-.. these studies is the substance of the present article author is to be congratulated on the compreU-u bibliography]. The author does not accept that nun any interrelationship between cancer and silicons i admits the probability in asbcstosis. These coneluv accord generally with present thought and practi., Great Britain. The recent observations of J. C. Wv.sp on mesothelioma of the pleura among workei , asbestos mines in South Africa [Proceedings at national Conference of Experts on Pneumocan:.: Johannesburg, Feb., 1959--in the press: J. a. Churchill, London] support the conclusion in asbeue There is, however, the reservation that all varieties asbestos mineral may not be equally carcinogenic v present chrysotilc dust particularly is under suspicion [The question in respect of both silicosis and ashes: should be regarded as open. In recent ycats National Union of Iron and Steel Foundry Workci Great Britain has claimed that there is tin exec, incidence of cancer not only of the lung but of or organs among their members (see Turner, H. M Grach, H, G., this Bulletin, 1938, v. 13, 295). The number of cases recorded by separate oWi , cannot always be taken at their face value. Ihn Great Britain G loyne undertook the pathological u , tigation of asbcstosis cases for several observers an.: individual cases are common to several reported ser-. Nearly 25 years ago the interrelationship of cancer the lung and asbcstosis suggested itself to the rev., when a husband and wife, certified cases of ashes',.' both died of primary cancer of the lung.] A. Mclklejuin Bom.ici, H., Jacou, G. & Kali.ADIS, B. fiber M biditiit und Pathologic des Asbestlimgenkreh,, [Morbidity and Pathology of Lung Cancer von Asbestosis] Ztschr. f. Unfallmed. it. Ucriifskrun.. 1959, Mar. 15, v. 52, No. 1, 64-78, 3 ligs. [Nun., oils refs.] The extensive world literature on cancer of the k.. in asbestos workers and on related subjects is I: reviewed at considerable length with statistical nitaF. and critical discussion. From these reports the ad;:, tedly rough estimate is made that among 40.000 asbes: workers in the world 80 eases of lung cancer have K. mm?#--- 34, No. 10 OCCUPA'l'IONAL HYGIENE .1021 ell in 20 years. The opinions and conclusions of nl observers vary considerably and these differ.iic examined. Particular consideration is given to nportancc of skilled autopsy examination and the illies which may exist in forming an opinion on >er in a particular case exposure to asbestos con ed to die development of cancer, ah more research on this cancer problem is needed T to the present it is stated that a comparison of xpectalion of pulmonary cancer in the general ininii with that of workers in asbestos shows that latter groups the risk of cancer is not increased, morbidity curve of cancer with asbestosis perhaps xx its peak at a somewhat earlier age than that of odustrinl bronchial carcinoma. M . E. Dclaffeld o. M. J,, K ass. I., Schaefer. \V. B. & D enst, J. Infection with Atypical Tubercle Bacilli in Sraphite Pneumoconiosis. Arch, Intern. Mccl. '>. May. v. 103, No. 5, 814-7, 2 figs. [11 refs.) 'pliile pneumoconiosis is comparatively rare. In vulture of thu subject post-mortem findings have vported in 7 cases but though pulmonary cavitation red in 5 of these, in I case only was it attributed 'indosis. ' year-old white man while employed at a graphite m Texas, where lie had worked for 9 years, 'Pxd a spontaneous pneumothorax, which was . 'ted by pleural effusion. Radiographic examinaixxeuled diffuse pulmonary fibrosis, which was 'ed as graphite pneumoconiosis, and excavating 1ixis of the right upper lobe. This was treated \elomy and tliQ diagnosis of pneumoconiosis was '.!. The particular interest of the case is in the dielogical findings. Acid-fast bacilli xverc cultured sputum and directly from the resected puli cavity. On oleie-aeid-albumin agar at 37"C. the ` were round, white and glistening. The colonies, xpniure to daylight, became slightly wrinkled and coloured, but not yellow. They were strongly positive, rapidly decomposing hydrogen peroxide, 'nanisms were lion-pathogenic for guineapigs, mice, as and rabbits. They were, from the outset, s'.ly resistant to 20 /igm. of streptomycin per ml. ' ugm. of isonia/id per nil., partially resistant to of isonia/id per ml. and susceptible to 2 /xgm. no-salicylic acid per ml. Organisms with these 'eristics have been classified with those of the non'irnrnogonic " Halley '' type. [The symbol " yg." throughout for these quantities of drugs per ml., stonily refers to microgrammes f/tgm.).] sc present case the organism is regarded as an I nonehromogenii: mycobacterium and the pneu"is is considered to be a factor predisposing to 'He infection with organisms which are not >lv pathogenic for man. A few similar cases have -ported in association with silicosis. A. Meiklcjohn J R. An Investigation of Byssinosis in a 'yon Mill. Trims. Ass. Indust. Med. Officers. ' Jan., v. 7, No. 4, 157-60. i i . ----- & Schilling, R. S. F. R espiratory Function during the Bay in Rayon Workers--a Study in Byssinosis. Ibid., 161-2. ,,. Byssinosis has been reported in men and women exposed to cotton, flax and hemp It has not been reported in those xvorking with man-made fibres, though some of these contain cellulose, and are worked in the same manner as cotton. In a mill that had been spinning viscose rayon for 20 years, 91 out of a total of 93 card-room and blow-room workers were interviewed and asked similar questions to those asked in oilier byssinosis prevalence surveys. No byssinosis was found among those who had only been exposed to rayon. Of the 73 workers who had also been exposed to cotton dust previously, 15 had had byssinosis. Since working in rayon these 15 have lost their regular chest tightness on Mond.'vs (first day of work dter absence). 6 are symptom-tree, the others having residual bronchitic symptoms. ii. The clinical findings in this mill were confirmed by ventilatory function tests on those who had had byssi nosis and matched controls. The maximum breathing capacity was measured (by the indirect method) before and alter work on a Monday. There was no significant change in ventilatory capacity during the day in this group. This contrasts with a moan fall in ventilatory capacity of 14% in byssinotics and 6% in normal subjects in those working in cotton card rooms. Both those clinical and physiological findings indicate that the causative agent of byssinosis is absent in a rayon mill. C. H. Wood Stott. H. Pulmonary Disease Workers. Brit. J. Indus!. Med. No. 1, 23-37, 5 figs. [22 refs.] Amongst Sisal 1958, lan., v. 15, " A study was made in Kenya in a factory making ropes and bags from sisal to determine whether the dust produced causes pneumoconiosis or other chest diseases. " The average dust concentration in the card rooms was 243 particles per ml. (0-5 to 5 /it. Other parts of the factory xverc relatively dust free. Deposited dust had a very low silica content. " The respiratory illness sickness rate was twice as high in the card-room workers as in those working in other parts of the factory. " Radiographs of 37 workers with between six months' and 15 years' exposure in the card rooms revealed four xvith a similar type of apical fibrosis. Two showed heavy lung markings. In 46 films of workers of long experi ence in other parts of the factory only one showed heavy lung markings and none apical fibrosis. " The average maximum breathing capacity (recorded for one minute) was 53 l./min. in 36 card-room workers and 61 l./min. in 25 workers in other parts of the factory and of similar age. The difference is statistically significant. " No worker exposed to sisal dust gave the charac teristic history of byssinosis. Skin sensitivity tests with extracts of sisal were uninformative. " A subsidiary radiological survey of men in three sisal estates showed no evidence of pneumoconiosis or apical fibrosis but the exposure of the workers had been short and the dust concentration low.