Document NG3bGQjBjnnrmkvoGdjzJMgGw

Employees treated for rashes after working in City Hail 8v STEVE GEI MANN A Binehamion doctor is treating five city workers for prolonged rashes and at least one case of an acne-type rash after they worked in the basement ut C itv Hall. Dr. F. Keith Kennedy said last night that he has prescribed antibiotics for one man with the acne-tike rash, a.'ifl is watching others who complained of me itchy, red rashes. The City Kali basement showed some signs of contamination alter the fire and explosion at the Stale Office Building 41 days ago. although officials could not lurk the rashes "'ith the toxic chemical problem in l he office low er The most frennent sign of contamination from exposure to the chemicals is a skin dis ease called chloracne -- a rash with pimples and sores on various parts of the body Some times. the condition looks like teen-age acne "These men are working in areas that were not isolated before.1 out are isolated now," Ken nedy said last night during a meeting of doc tors at Binghamton General Hospital. Kennedy later identified ihe workers ai maintenance workers and city police. The basement contains the mailroom. police lock ers and several offices used by police officials. Dr. Arnold J. Schectar. Broome County health commissioner, said he was stunned by the report, saying he unaw are of any health problems. Kennedy said the rashes, w hich he described as flat ana appearing mostly on ihe hands dis appear after washing and does not recur when, the men are away from work. Tho revelation came during a meeting wnh Dr. Georg* Roush, medical and em tronmenui health director for Monsanto t o . m ?t lut.is. Mo., the firm that made the poiwiilennaied bi phenyls used In ihe transformet that aj dam aged at the state tower on Feb. 1. Roush said PCBs are minimnilv toxic and will not irritate the skin and -uO vhloracne was not associated with PCBs allnough he said he would not be surprised lo find (lie skin problem. i\> have had no experience win chloracne ai Monsanto. ' Roush said And we ve had lot? of-cxpenence with PCBs If `I'.rres an eifect on lu-uith. it s not very muvn. Roush said the dioxins and dist-niofurans in ihe soot art more toxic lhaii ihe Pi. Bs and are extremely toxic to fetuses of 'aooraiorv ani mals. Tests have shown a variety 01 adverse health effects tn animals, inducin''; liver prob lems. weight loss and enzyme product ton prob lems. he told the doctors. In humans. Roush said an internal study of Monsanto workers exposed lo the chemicals in 1049 showed no increase in death or cancer. Roush also told the doctors that if the signs of contamination did noi appear in a week, *t was unlikely the person w as aliened. Hospital officials lust merit reported testing more than 410 people tor PCBs uung blood and liver profiles, and more extensive lesmig is being performed at Met Pain Laboratories ut Teterboro. N J. Meanwhile, cleanup crews will return 10 the basement and sub basement of the govern ment complex today lo begin recleamng over head p.-pes that show traces of toxic dust in new health department tests. Edward A. Mother, the stale cleanup chief, said a dozen workers will use detergent and scrub brushes lo clean ihe pipes inch bymch" uni il the work is deemed satisfactory by county ot finals. In a related development, the first state agencies began moving into tlie Columbus School yesterday. a process that will l.nl im' 1 lho middle of next week. HONS 216S64