Document XR57Qo0xRONByD3eL55wRnaYB

ELEMENTS OF INDUSTRIAL TOXICOLOGY to an anesthetic with special affinity for the central nervous system. The first sign is usually exhilaration, followed by sleepiness, dizziness, vomiting, trembling, hallucina tions, delirium, and unconsciousness The mam first-aid requirements m acute poisoning are removal of the person to fresh air, inhalation of oxygen, and maintenance of boddy warmth. Skm contact with benzene should be avoided, partly because like other powerful solvents it produces dryness and cracking of the skm, but primarily because it will al most certainly involve excessive inhalation of die vapor See Industrial Data Sheet 308 and Hy gienic Guide Benzene hexachloride--see Hexachlorocydohexane. Benzyl chloride is a colorless liquid used in a variety of chemical syntheses. Its va por is a potent lmtant to the eyes, nose, and throat and may cause lung edema The liquid may cause severe corneal injury Beryllium. Among the occupational dis eases produced by beryllium, die first condi tion reported (in 1943) was an acute chem ical pneumonibs, which occurred among workers exposed to beryllium compounds and was attributed largely to the fluondes A delayed reaction to beryllium, charac terized as chrome and appearing as late as two or three years after the exposure which caused it, was reported some time later. Even more recently, it has been reported that the delay between last exposure to beryllium and the appearance of symptoms may be as long as ten years. This condition showed a granulomatous lesion of the lungs as the most striking effect, accompanied by general metabolic disturbances and anemia so that the individual had continuous weight loss and great weakness in addition to a chronic cough A large number of cases of dermatitis attributed to beryllium and beryllium compounds have also been re ported. Although as recently as 1940 beryllium was thought to be reasonably harmless, it has smee been declared that it is unques tionably a toxic agent and in such small quantities as to be among the most toxic chemically of all dements yet investigated. Acute effects have been brought about m animals with beryllium m quantities m the order of sulhnucrograms. Field survey evi dence shows that still smaller quantities may produce the chrome disease in human beings "Sale" levels of beryllium exposure may ultimately be set well below one jig per cu m of air It has also been established that a worker may cany home enough beryllium compound on his clothes to result m illness in some member of his family. Several investigators have demonstrated that the presence of fluorine contributes to tone action of beryllium Recommendations issued by the Atomic Energy Commission for the control of beryl lium hazards m atomic energy installations state as follows 1 The mplant atmospheric concentration o! beryllium at beryllium operations should not exceed two jig per cu m as an aver age concentration throughout an eighthour day. 2 Even though the daily average is within the limits of recommendation No 1, no personnel should be exposed to a concen tration greater than 25 jig per cu m for any period of time, however short. 3 In the neighborhood of an AEC plant handling beryllium compounds, the aver age monthly concentration at die breath ing zone level should not exceed 0 01 |ig per cum. 4 An individual showing any sign of chronic berylliosis should be excluded from further exposure to beryllium com pounds, 5 There is no reason to exclude women from employment m plants handling beryllium 6. Preemployment and termination exami nations, including chest radiographs; should be required of employees in berylbum plants. 7 Periodic chest radiographs should ha made every six months on personnel ex posed to beryllium. 8. Each individual exposed to beryllium should he weighed every two weeks, and if loss of weight Is noted the reason for it should be determined. See Hygienic Guide. Boric acid has been used for many years as a mild disinfectant and a soothing and 40-19