Document XRK2k4YewEJ8g788ap4B0O1gx

d & /aa //a / lit FINANCE (a) Ranking Arrangeitenta -2. the finances of the Council have continued to be administered through an account operated by the Rochdale bimXh of the District Bank* (b) Research Cotsnlttee Budget and Expenditure Research Budget Research Expenditure i 5,l*oo. o. o 5,706. 2. 8 It should be noted that the expenditure includes a sum of 3h3llu 0 for a 2l;r-. 2_.pa rcr l.. if*'- -- -. c.u. of 350 had been set aside for this in the budget for the previous year. Full details of the Council's Income and Expenditure are given in Appendix 1. 5. LIAISON WITH THE FAC?Ill DERARIIZKT AND THE AIR HYGIENE CGM1ITTE5 "j Continuing the prac ce established last year, edited versions of tbs Second Annual Report ver j forwarded to the Factory Department and to the Air Hygiene Ccrr-dttee of the Asbestos Textile Institute, A. pr.SF.aRCV PROGRESS i The research work of the Council has continued under the direction of Dr. P. F. Holt at Reading and Dr. J. Beattie at Cambridge. Brief mxmaries of this work are given below. Full reports appear in Appendices 2 It 3, (a) Work at Reading The apparatus for maintaining an asbestos dust cloud, described in the report for last year, has been further modified end bee worked extremely well. The photoelectric dust monitor has been used to follow the duet con centration in the experimental tunnel. It has been found to have enpls sensitivity for this work and is very reliable. Trials have shown, however, that it is not sufficiently sensitive to monitor the normal works atmosphere, but a new instrument is being constructed with increased sensitivity. This appears to be a promising approach to the development of an automatic method fcr continuous recording of oust concentrations in the factory. Two groups of animala have been exposed to asbestos dust. There is little doubt that lung lesions have been produced. No asbestosis bodies have yet been seen, but they may appear in the rats atill to be examined. Work has coraenced on the physics of asbestos dust clouds and studies are being mane or uie way in which asbestos dust builds up on a coarse gauze, vhich appears to set as a self-cleaning filter. The behavloua of the fibres Is being studied photographically. (b) Work at Cambridge, -- <".bres into the brains cf auliaals asbestoais ssue reaction observed. The thin layer C. & /00 t S' 3 -3- which forma the covering of the fibre can be eeen in two months by special methods end has reached a stage in eight months when it can be seen by ordinary microscopic techniques* Electron microscope studies of this tissue containing the asbestos material present sorirus technical difficulties. It has been obeerven in cone specimens that when the fibres and attached cells are in close contact minute droplets are extruded from the cells and this is considered to be a pre--collagenous material. When the asbestosis body has reached its normal thickness local cellular activity ceases. The injection of young and segmented but intact asbestosis bodies from unpreserved human material excites an inflammatory reaction which subsides in sight to twelve weeks and by twelve months no further progression has been noted. On the other hand the injection of fragmented asbestosis bodies, present in the lung from ten years and upwards, causes a severe reaction which does not subside in eight weeks. After six months it is still severe and con tinues to progress during a further period of six months. The amount of collagen end fibrosis in the area is seen to increase. As the asbestosis bodies present in a human lung are not all of the sane age these changes could continue over a long period. It is suggested that if the bodies could be pre* vented or delayed from segmenting cr fragmenting, asbestosis might he prevent**. Further studies on the chemistry of the capsular protein of the asbestosis body have continued by micro-chemical methods. There appear to be different types of collagen present end quantitative analysis is required to determine the mount present at different stages. 7. BIST SAMPLING AND ANALTSIS Further experience with the Ottway instrument and improvements in sampling techniques have indicated that the dust count recorded is substantially inde pendent of sampling time over the range of times necessary to produce an adequate sample. Work on membrane filter sampling devices has shown that such an instrument is likely to be suitable for adoption aa a standard sampler. Based on the ecperlance gained so far, an instrument is being d esigned for assessment by the three member companies. The possibilities of personal monitoring instruments are also being investigated. 8. MEDICAL ESSLAP.CH COUNCIL In connection with the suggestion by the Medical Research Council to carry out a lung function survey in the industry. Dr. Gilson paid preliminary visit# to all three companies. Ths M.R.C. Intend to call a meeting to further Uiis issue, ju> *-cn a meeting bee not yet taken place. 9 nrnumioHAL stmposioh at oxford At the end of March, the mashers of the Research Committee attended en international Synpoeivaa at Oxford on Inhaled Particles end Vapours. OB C- 6f /aa && //o' -h- o behalf of the Asbestcsi3 Research Council, the following papers vers presented St the Symposium - 1, The Aebestosis Body"; by J, Beattie# 2# "Studies on Mineral Content and Particle Size Distribution in the Lunge oi Asoestoe Textile Workers", by J. Beattie and F. Know# 10. PUBLICATIONS The two papers sectioned in paragraph $ above will be published shortly as part of the Proceedings of the Symposium. In addition, the following v-~v- ..loo --------*.~A r-r publication and proofs have been received# 1. nA dust-Feed Mechanism Suitable for Fibrous Dusts", by P* * . Hoij a# Icung. 2. ''Studies of the Che.rj.cal Properties of Chrysotile in Relation to Asbesccsis", by S. G. Clark and P. 7. Holt. : research fsiiows;-:i? With the acoro'." the Mana-enent Comittee, negotiations have been conducted with the Cnivarsity of Carjridge with ute object of engaging a full tine worker to carry out studies at the University an the biological reactions of asbestos usina the latest chvsical anA fhwd'NO. techniques, Tht terse of I reference to cover a period of three years have been agreed and an appointment is expected to be nade shortly# 12. RESEARCH COMMITTEE'S CCKENTS It is felt that substantial progress has been nade during the year, both at Cambridge and at Reading and the work at Cambridge will be considerably furthered by the full time appointment soon to be made. The Committee is particularly gratified at the manner in which the work at Reading has expanded to cover mare comprehensive animal experiments, the physics of asbestos dust clouds and dust monitoring instruments. To bring the physical aspects to a practical conclusion, it is felt that extra assistance ia required. A suitable proposal is being put forward by the Research Ccnsittee. (-fv - : --'L.--as`Eiqry-'yAggpT.yy -`kv** *