Document NGnO4jKq4v8vv73Jow83MXpkE

< Industrial Hygiene Digest INDUSTRIAL HEALTH NEWS LITERATURE ABSTRACTS MEDICAL ENGINEERING CHEMICAL TOXICOLOGICAL LEGAL - - - decision* ud trmnd* AUGUST, 1949 (Vol. 13, No. 8) INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE FOUNDATION 00 FIFTH AVENUE PITTSBURGH 13. PA- FOUNDATION FACTS,,**!** FaundAtlon Fact* la a monthly n#w*.|ttr laauatf to Industrial concern* holding mombonhlp In Induatrlal Hygiono Foundation. Tho Foundation la a non-profit association of Induatrloo for tho advancamont of healthful working condition*. Tol-Jl August, 19^9 M.E. Coyle of General Motors to Keynote Annual Meeting Conferences to Include one on Air end Stream Pollution No. 8 M.E. Coyle, Executive Vice-President of General Motors Corp., vill deliver tie keynote address opening the lUth annual meeting of Industrial Hygiene Foundation et Hellan Institute, Pittsburgh, on November 17. Mr. Coyle will Speak on subjects of treed Interest to Industrial management, as corporate activities and their in fluence cn the National economy. Besides the main meeting for management representatives, four professional conferences will be held here an November 16------ (l) Medical, (2) Chemical & Toxicol^lcal, (3) Engineering and (k) Legal. These round-table sessions are being arranged by the respective professional committees In the Foundation and the agenda fill be announced soon. November 18, the day after the main meeting, will be devoted to a con ference on the Air and Water of Industrial Communities, with emphasis on air pollu tion. The membership voted 3 to 1 In favor of such a conference which In effect will be a continuation of the main meeting. The agenda will cover subjects of Interest to both management and technical representatives. The Medical Conference on November l6, the main meeting on November IT od the "air and water" conference on November 18 will all be held in the main auditorium at Mellon Institute. The other conferences (November l6) will all he teld either at the Institute or nearby at sites to he announced. Hotel reservations should be made now. Both the Hotels Webster Hall and Sehenley, near Mellon institute, p.-i-vm/se full cooperation, as do the downtown hotels and the Pittsburgh Convention Bureau. More details later. I-H-F In American Can Company's Annual Report The U7tb annual report of the American Can Company, a Foundation member, contains the following: "With the assistance of Industrial Hygiene Foundation of America, which Is located In the Mellon Institute In Pittsburgh, a survey was conducted of the Company's edlcal program for employees. The purpose of this survey was to determine ways uhere- the Company's already comprehensive medical program can be made more effective." (Editor's Note: The Foundation Is now engaged In four other such studies dealing vlth medical administration, cost and procedure.) November 16, 17, 10-- 4400 firrw avcnuC 'rrsauncN ii). rndufltrlal Hygiene Digest - 15 August, I9U9 However, great care should be taken to exclude the tuberculous In select ing persons to receive aluminum therapy, (4) It is not believed that a scientifically controlled experiment in industry is feasible for the evaluation of aluminum for the prophylaxis of silicosis. This follows from the uncontrollable variables inherent in the industrial situation and other factors which have been discussed. For these reasons, it appears improbable that any research agency would consider it advisable to under take such a project except under special conditions already discussed, and which may not be attainable. (5) The McIntyre Research Foundation, as presently organized, is not equipped to solve the aluminum prophylaxis problem in relation to silicosis. The steps considered necessary to accom plish this objective are outlined. (6) Research should be continued with laboratory animals with the object of finding a more adequate basis for application to nan. Such study is now Included in the program of the Saranac Laboratory of the Trudeau Foundation. '-- Authors' Summary 866 Effects of Electricity on the Human Body. V.B. Eouwenhoven. Ind. Med. 18, 269 (July, 1949). The author discusses briefly the various effects of electricity on the body. Including variations with the amount of current. The current values of Interest are: (1) threshold of feeling, about 1 milliampere; (2) let-go current, above which it is difficult to let go of a wire, about 9 milliamperes for men, 6 for women; (3) current producing ventri cular fibrillation, 0.1 ampere; (4) current producing a block in the ner vous system, one ampere or more; and (5) the counter shock current. The last three result in death if prolonged; otherwise artificial respiration may save the victim. These effects refer to alternating current of com mercial frequency. Direct current is much less harmful. The only effect of high-frequency currents is heating. 867 Asbestos is end Cancer of the Lung. Editorial. J.A.M.A. lEo; 1219-1220 (Aug. 13, 19^9) Records of English, American and German physicians and The Annual Report of the Chief Inspector of Factories in England for 1947 show that the occurrence of cancer of the lung is related to pulmonary asbestosis. This relation is supported by the following observations: (1) The incidence rate of cancer of the lungs in asbestosis patients is 10 to 15 times as high as among the general population.(2) The male-female ratio is more nearly equal than it is for the general population, which indicates that an environmental and evidently occupational carcinogen tended to equalize the incidence rate of cancer of the lungs for both sexes. Recent experi mental observations support thi9 interpretation of clinical evidence. 868 Changes in the Lungs Produced by Natural Graphite. H.E. Harding and G.B. Oliver. Brit. J. Ind. Med. 6, 91-99 (April, 1949). A brief description is given of the industrial uses of natural graphite, which is a crystalline carbon mixed with up to K# of free silica and with other minerals. The greatest dust risk occurs in the grinding of natural grephite, for which evidence is presented to show that this can lead to Industrial Hygiene Digest - 18 August, 19fo 875 Research on the Development of Silicosis Following Cessation of Exposure to Dangerous PustT Vera Grelnacker-Oristofarl and F. Lang. Ztschr. f. Unfallmed. 40, 5l (19U7) German. Hie authors prepared tables vhich give the status of silicotic persons who were removed from exposure for at least four years. From these figures the authors conclude that the workers vho are removed from exposure as soon as the first roentgenologic changes are noted have a greater chance of not falling 111 of of manifesting Illness later, than those vho go on vorklng. They stress the importance of adopting technical measures to control dust. -- Condensed from J. Ind. Hyg. & Tox. 876 Investigations on Combat of Occupational Anthrax: Further Experiments on Disinfection Procedures In Industries Utilizing Animal Hairs and Bristles: Bactericidal Action of Watery and Soapy Formaldehyde Solutions at Higher Temperatures. . Haller and K. Heicken. Ztschr. f. Hyg. u. Infektionskr. 125, 109 (July, 19^8) German. The bactericidal effect of formaldehyde solutions an anthrax strains Is greatly enhanced by increased temperature. With the same concentration, a formaldehyde solution Is 100 times as effective at 80C. as at 20C. The addition of soap Increases the sporocldal effect, particularly In the lover concentrations. The most effective concentrations for various temp eratures were determined. On the basis of these observations a procedure vas developed for the disinfection of animal hairs and bristles (vhich are Impaired by exposure to boiling or to steam under pressure), vhich vas used vlth success in establishments that spin horse hair or manufacture brushes. -- Condensed from J. Ind. Hyg. 4 Tox. 877 Investigations on Combat of Occupational Anthrax: Bactericidal Action of Caporlt, Chloramine, Chlorlmide, and Formaldehyde Against Anthrax Spores at Twenty, Twelve and Four JC. E. Haller and K. Helcken. Ztschr. f. Hyg. u. Infektionskr. 128, 87 (July 16, 19U8) German. These studies were conducted to determine the most suitable methods for the disinfection of railroad cars and other transportation facilities in vhich imported skins and other possible sources of anthrax had been carried, also of storage facilities, tanneries, vool-carding establishnents, horse-hair-sptnnlng, and for the protective clothing of workers. Of the three chloride preparations, caporit was found to be the most efficient, particularly at the lover temperatures of 12 and k-'C. The s-nrncldal action of formaldehyde solutions increased in proportion to the concentration up to a concentration of b%. The disinfecting potency of these solutions vas considerably less at 12C. and even less at UC that it was at 20*C . The soapy solutions of formaldehyde were more effective at lover temperatures than the watery solutions and the ones that had been prepared 2k hours before, either vith or without soap were more effective than fresh solutions. It vas concluded that the solu tions of caporit and formaldehyde are of practical value for the disin fection of areas vhich might be contaminated vith anthrax organisms. -- J. Ind. Hyg. & Tox. (Editor's Note: We have no clue to the composition of "Caporit".) Trjuatrial Hygiene Digest - 37 August, 19^9 Control of Cupola Stack Emissions. J,F. Drake and T.G. Kennard. Iron Age 163, dti-92 (Apr. 7, 19^9) An Installation Is described Involving a closed charging bell, a dry dust collector and a vet vasher, which results In stack emissions within the limits set by Los Angeles County air pollution regulations. Data are given on the nature of matter collected by this system. 935 Musgrave "Aerodynamic" Dust Collector. Anon. Ind. Heat. Engr. 10, 10ti-lti9 (Sept. 19^). Messrs. Musgrave & Co., Ltd, have acquired the manufacturing and selling rights for this new collector (Systems Llnderothy, which is based an a new principle of separation, and la designed to overcome difficulties Inherent In the normal type of centrifugal collector. The filter surface consists of a specially slotted sheet bent Into the form of a cone. The air or gas to be cleaned la passed at high velocity over this surface, and due to the form of the slots,aerodynamic forces are set up, the resultant force on the dust particles being in a direction away from the cone face. This force keeps the dust particles suspended In the form of a thin cloud layer immediately In front of the filter surface, while the clean air escapes through the slots. These slots or passages far the clean air are many thousand times larger than the dust particles which are removed, so that even with adhesive dust3 there Is little tendency for the filter to become clogged. -- Atm. Poll. Bull. 936 Is It ITue that Silicosis Is Not Progressive In the Absence of Tuberculosis? J.L. Nlcod. Presse Med. 57 51ff. (Jan. tt, 19*+9J. ' Nicod does not agree with the conclusions of the conference on pneumo- noconiosis held in London In April, 19^7, which asserted that pneumonoconi- 03is can be arrested spontaneously by the cessation of exposure to dust except far those cases In which silicosis 1s combined with tuberculosis. He performed necropsies on 150 miners who had been employed In the Swiss Alps and who had died from silicosis. Neither recent nor old tuberculous lesions could be demonstrated on microscopic examination of 35 to Uo per cent of these 150 men who had been working as miners only temporarily, in some cases not longer than one year, and who died from silicosis twelve to twenty-three years after having 'discontinued work in the silica dust en vironment. The postmortem examination revealed the progressive course of the'silicosis in the pulmonary tissues and In the lymph nodes in the ab sence of any tuberculous process. In case3 in which ellicosi3 was combined with tuberculosis, the latter nearly always developed after the silicotic lesions in the lungs, and frequently it had an acute and terminal course. Tuberculosis Is a late complication of the pneumonoconiosis in the great majority of silicotic patients- -- J.A.M.A. 937 Dust Control in Machine Shops . Anon. Industrial Notes. Bureau of Ships, Navy Dept. No. 91. 12pp. (April 22, 19^9). Conscious of the daily requirements of proper dust control, technicians are stressing constantly the importance of using effective dust-collecting IS s* Industrial Hygiene Digest INDUSTRIAL HEALTH NEWS LITERATURE ABSTRACTS SEPTEMBER, 1955 (VoL 19, No. 9) INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE FOUNDATION MELLON INSTITUTE 4400 FIFTH AVENUE PITTSBURGH 13. PA. FOUNDATION Foundation Facta to* monthly'*wal%ttor louH to Industrial eoncarna holding Mfnbarthl^ lm Industrial HyQlona Foundation. Th* Foundation la a nonprofit association af IndurtHoo for tftp advancamont of hoalthful working condition*. . -- 44QQ nrrn ^avonuk -j\ /r'^X.FTJflO*?* I iDuua****** ***> September, 1955 the common aspects of tuberculosis were seen instead of the features characteristic of silicotuberculosis. It is suggested that the term "tuberculosilicosis" be used for such patients. Active tuberculosis was found in eight patients with stage 3 silicosis, but most of the patients in that stage did not show signs of tuberculosis or other in fection. The authors conclude that the transition from the nodular to the massive stage can take place without the superimposition of in fection. -- Cond. from J. Am. Med. Assn. 1113 Mortality from Lung Cancer in Asbestos Workers. R. Doll. Brit. J. Ind. Med. _U. 81-86 (Apr. 1955). In necropsies of 105 persons who had been employed at an asbestos works, lung cancer was found in 18 instances. In 15 cases asbestosis was also found. These 15 workers were employed at least nine years before 1923, when dust control regulations became effec tive. An additional 113 men who had been exposed to asbestos dust for 20 years were followed up and their mortality was compared with that of the whole male population. Thirty-nine deaths occurred in the group whereas 15.4 were expected. The excess was entirely due to excess deaths from lung cancer (11 against 0.8 expected) and from other respiratory and cardiovascular diseases (22 against 7.6 expected). All the cases of lung cancer were confirmed histologically and all were associated with asbestosis. From the data it is concluded that lung cancer is a specific hazard of asbestos workers and that the average risk among men employed for 20 years or more has been of the order of ten times that experienced by the general population. The risk has become progressively less as the duration of employment under the old dusty conditions has decreased.-- Cond. from author's summary 1114 Primary Lung Cancer in South Wales Coal Workers with Pneumoconiosis. W. R. L. James. Brit. J. Ind. Med. 12, 87-91 (Apr. 1955). Primary lung cancer was found at necropsy in 3. 3% of 1,827 South Wales coalminers and in 5.4% of 1,531 South Wales non-miners. In 12 cases with massive pneumoconiosis the tumor was in the mass, or touching it, in five. In the other seven the tumor was remote. Lung cancer in South Wales miners is similar to that in non-miners with re spect to the ages at death, the distribution of the histological variants of the tumor, and the distribution of metastases. The significance of these findings is discussed. Attention is drawn to the difficulty of diagnosing lung cancer in the presence of massive pneumoconiosis. -- Author's summary 32.