Document VJMLGL8nL3ZD3GJrYEBKx3Jrj

Common External Marks of Occupation or Occupational Diseases or Other Diseases (continued) Mark or sign Probable cause Significance Comment General and Miscellaneous, continued Facial paralysis. Paroxysmal asthma. Effeminization of males. Nerve damage such as from toxic agents or trauma. Commonly spasmodic asthma is an allergic disease unrelated to industry. Stilbestrol and similar agents. A common variety reveals mouth drawn to one side, drooping eyelids, impaired articulation. As one manifestation of occupa tional diseases, paroxysmal asthma occasionally may arise in such conditions as trichloro ethylene poisoning, chlorine bronchitis, etc. Limited chiefly to pharmaceutical workers processing hormone like chemicals. May be char acterized by enlarged breast in males, production of feminine type of body, sexual impotency. Can arise as manifestation of oc cupational disease. R. M. I. Legally held to constitute an oc cupational disease. Manifesta tions may subside after eli mination of exposure. Mark or sign Abnormalities of gait. Characteristics The manner of walking, together with the carriage of the entire body, may afford a true insight into precise disease states, or at least may indicate abnormality to the point that a medical investigation should be carried out. It is difficult to describe in a few words the peculiarities of gait, even though on observation abnormality be quite obvious. For this reason, resort to tabular presentation is for the moment abandoned. Many peculiarities of gait call for no description since the provoking cause is at once evident. Such, for example, are the waddling gait of the woman in advanced pregnancy, the worker with an artificial leg, the victim of a stiff knee, the many types of gait abnormality following infantile paralysis, the gait oc casioned by shortening of one limb, the tottering, generally unstable gait characteristic of senility or con valescence from disease. In other states, some of which are clearly occupational, gaits, while characteris tic, may be less obvious as to cause. In any peripheral neuritis of the lower limb, e.g., from lead or arsenic, the resulting ankle drop or weakness may lead to a revealing gait. In such instances the leg is lifted high with exaggerated knee action, the foot is thrown forward, and the ground or floor is slapped at each step. The shoe is worn at the toe. Al though the condition is commonly bilateral, when unilateral an obvious variation is induced. The gait of the worker under the influence of alcohol exposes his condition. The gait is staggering, tottering, reeling. Alternately the body may be leaned forward, backward, or sideward with purposeless lurching. The drunk, apparently about to fall with each step, rarely does so. The gait in manganese poisoning is called the "rooster gait." There is propulsion with ever-increasing rapidity, until the victim may catch himself on some support; otherwise he may fall. If he starts back ward, retropulsion becomes the obvious counterpart of propulsion. CAREY P. M C CORD Ooo