Document YQZ3Owx575dXEezBXrGEqM3y

Ii 410 INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE AND OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE disease and doctors and far too little on dust and engineers. The urgent need is not so much for more extensive medical exploration but for more intensive engineering practice." "Instead of ! medical panels engaged in periodical examinations, the need is for colliery panels--promoting dust control. Our supreme effort should be directed to the control of pneumoconiosis through dust suppression rather than of the pneumoconiotic through earlier diagnosis. If a combined offensive can be achieved so much the better." A considerable bibliography of the pertinent British literature is appended. Philip Drinker, Boston. The Education and Function of the Industrial Health Team. Ronald E. Lane, Brit. J. Indust. Med. 7:161-167 (Oct.) 1950. Hygienic Significance of Toxic Substances Deposited in Building Materials. A. S. ii Arkhipov, S. A. Rozenberg and V. G. Smirnova, Gigiena i Sanit. 1950; no. 3, p. 31. h Appreciable amounts of toxic substances (EttPb, CH6, P, CS2, Hg, C1CH2CH2C1) are found in the structural materials of industrial buildings, such as lumber, brick, concrete and plaster. Substances like ClCHaCHsCl usually reach maximum absorption values within 1.5 hours of exposure, but EtiPb absorbs more slowly (20 hours or longer). The time of average exposure, concentration, nature of the materials and other factors affect the amounts of absorbed material. Oil paints are very susceptible to uptake of chlorinated solvents, but that of CS is sharply reduced. Plaster composition of 1 part lime (containing Si0223, CaO 66 and AUO.i 3%), 10 parts slag (Si02 53, FeO-Fe^ 20-30 and MnO 10-20%), and 2 parts sand shows little jit or no absorption of Et,Pb.. G. M. Kosolapoff (Chem. Abst.). Heart Piseases and Working Capacity. B. Moia and M. Bieler, Med. depor. y trab. 15:3614 (Sept.) 1950. According to Moia and Bieler, heart diseases shown by incipient high arterial pressure or by a valvular sequel of rheumatic fever do not diminish the working capacity of candidates for employment. The owners of business and the boards of corporations should be compelled by law to give. work to those candidates. Comparative Study in Personnel, Either Refining or Selling Petroleum. H. Brevi, Med. depor. y trab. 15:3618 (Sept.) 1950. Brevi made a comparative study of the clinical records of 400 persons who had worked in the petroleum industry in Argentina for more than 10 years. Half of these workers handled ii >. petroleum in the process of refining it. The other half was in the business of selling petroleum and its derivatives. The personnel was found in excellent health. Cardiovascular, respiratory t i and gastrointestinal diseases, or else anemia, were encountered in a very low percentage of cases in each group, but the given disorder was not related to the.industrial duties of the worker. Diseases of the skin were encountered in none of the workers. Compensation for Change of Employment in Silicosis. P. Cozamian, Med. usine 11:509 I,' V: I, A (Dec.) 1949. 1' L Medical examiners' responsible for setting compensation rates for change of employment make decisions based on personal opinion. In the interest of equality, the author suggests that this matter be resolved in a more coordinated fashion. According to the law, compensation fti is awarded only. once and cannot exceed five times the old' monthly salary. It is intended to * X assist the worker while he adapts himself to- his new job and reaches the salary and degree of proficiency he had attained in his old job. This article outlines the guiding principles by $ which it is possible to make a more equitable decision as to the amount of compensation to be awarded. From Bull, de doc. med. inst. hyg. mines. l