Document Z82OLZqoVJ9xyeLYpX7rZGrKd

u s a d pQimmm preajtspiATgr mxtc al rarong oy c aps is OGCUimxm ra liii'l ' Vi'JfJ In July and .`ugu t of 1942, thora occurred six caeas of lead poisoning ajaongst workers in the Packed. oil Department all of whoa displayed syncstons of Kncaphalap&thy. Un- fortunately the first case died of uraemia which hsd developed before adaLseion to Hospital and although wo axe morally certain that It wea a ease of lead poisoning, we were never able to prove the fact. The finding of load in abnormal Quantities in the urine of the other five cases led to a visit to the p .Q.D by the Chief Medical Officer and the Pathologist, who found that the exigencies of the present War had led to s vest incroaa in the output of "leaded spirits". <4 blast sail had been built around the Pilling Section which mde ventilation v&ry un satisfactory,. ?md the rapid evaporation of the spirit at the very high tasiaporaturee which pertain in Abadan in the mimor mtmt that the air was "ull of 'f.lJ.L vapour, a fact which was Inter proved beyond any doubt. The C.H.O and the Pathologist mode certain recoanendatione which sore ijsaodiKtely put into fore with the result that thore was an issaadiate ii^rovement in the fi|?ures of ad mission to hospital of coses suffering from l>?,d poisoning. These recosEiondt: items ware:- 1. Powerful forcod ventilation should be provided t all the "danger points", 2. The blast walls should be pulled down &t once. 5. .--Setter via sluing facilities be provided for workmen along with liquid soap in sufficient quantity, and increased V/.c. facilities. 4. Provision for regular troctrasat of olothoo by automatic e leaner a* The figures of sdission to hospital ore of interest. C-3 3es admitted to hospital because of aywptoiMi 1942 July AUgUSt SepioMber October November Paaarabcr J e e # # 1 5 25 9 6 1 It should be noted that the blast walls were built in ?4ay 1242, and that they were taken down in Deptsnber 1243. The working month at the F.O.D consists of 20 shifts. The ITo. of shifts filling loaded spirit in 1941 os colored with 1342 is given in the table below as wall as the mean /ssxiiiiurx end HJtniEsua tai^joraturoa for these years. 1241 1942 N29771 ** *. uw v * ilia finding, of lad in abnorml quantities la the urine of the other five cases led to a visit to the VJ.D by the Chief Medical Officer and the Pathologist, who found that the oxigenolwe of the present war had led to a vest increase in the output of "loaded spirits*'* i bloat wall had been built around the Filling Section which mde ventilation vsry unsatiiifaetory, rsnd the rapid evaporation of the spirit at the very high temperatures which pertain in bsdnn in the sirwar nnt that the etir wua Cull of T.IS.L vapour, a fact which v.<>is lutar prorod beyond any doubt* The C.H.Q and the ethologist node certain recorastonuati ons which wore issmdlctely put into force with the result that there was an isaaedlate irprovariant in the figures of ad .-'dssion to Hospital of cases suffering frora l-id poisoning* fhoee racoraraondijtioiiB woret- 1* Powerful foread ventilation should be provided at all the "danger points". 2. 2h blast walls should be pulled dawn at once* 3. Hattar washing facilities be provided for worksoon along with liquid soap In sufficient quantity, and increased Vi.C, facilities. 4# Provision for regular treatment of clothes by automatic loaners* rho figure a of admission to hospital ore of interest* C-flaes admitted to hoauital because of sygsptoaat 1342 July August 'opt ember October November J^oOfsitber . * } *. *. .** ..... ..... 1 5 23 9 6 1 It should be noted that the blast walls were built in Hay 1942, and that they wore taken down in fepteeiber 1042. rim working isonth at the P.0.3 consists of 30 shifts. The Ho. of shifts filling 2 istiod spirit in 1341 as compared with 1942 is given in the table below sue well as the .man raaximua and miniffiuia tojaporeturaa for theso yours. 1941 1342 July August AOptsmbar October Hovas&rar Ho. Of shift {leaded Spirits) 17 u AS 27 36 y&un .Monthly iQfjpamturea Hex. Fin.c0?) 112.2 111.3 108.6 34.4f fMJ.0F 82.8 79.3 73.4 62*8 58.9 Ho. of shift (Leaded .'Spirits) 70 88 66 69 41 Heim monthly Temporeture* T5ex. :-/in 110*5 114*1 1C6 .5 97.1 83.0 83 81.8 73.8 69.3 59,2 KE 0010139 It -fin appreciated, therefore, that everything - climatic conditions, decrees* la ventilation, and pressure of work * combined to bring about this unfortunate state of affairs* In all, 54 persona were examined and 39 were found to be exorating lead in the urine in aora than he generally accepted "honaol" wnount i.a mere than 0*14 agms per litre of urine. Of the 39 persona affected, 31 ware suffering from ayoptoBis, and an analysis la given of the proainent ayj^jtoas displayed:- *^anls *..** '.'OttJmsss *.. * Fever ..... Fuscalar Pains ..... Diarrhoea . . walaria ..... 2 17 .& 2 1 2 (0*42 afpaa* &a,55 ngae per litre) Pneumonia ..... 1 (0.35 regaa. parlitre). TOTAL 31 It in to be regretted that at the time e wore working short-handed, nd aa a roault there are mny investigations which m we ld like to have carried out, for which the time was jut not available so that only four cooes wore examined for punctate Sssophi ia, end .511 the examinations wore negutivo* - part fron the two cases of i'snia (Snoophalopethy) no aims of any signifinde wars four.d on examination of the Cental Nervous MyctaEi, and in no case was a t*iea& line" found on examination of the mouth* ;re find it noteworthy that oil the cases who were admitted suffering frost a high fever showed a fairly high load excretion, a point which we have not aeon mentioned in any of the publications we have road on the subject* During one of our visits to the J.O.D., v;e wore asked to look at several cases of desquamation of the feet in workers in the P.0*D At the tine wo wore not ewers of the fact that this is a aim of T.3.L poisoning end we were equally certain that they had none of the appearances of Paraffin Dermatitis. There is no doubt in our mind now, however, that those issa were suffering from the effoctn of f.S*JL* ivith xwurd to the distribution of affected and non**ffsated parsons according to their actual employrient, the following ia on. analysis:- i'joro then 0*14 ragsu* load in urlng. Less than 0*14 mgma In urine. Filling lection Soldering Action Cleaning Drtuas with I'atrol{ S) General Duties (Office) v,o history obtained 28 8 13 (0.15 mgms.) 9 4 4* -0010140. 39 13 As eno would expect there ia a definite preponderance of coses front the Filling OW W>>1 uVw* a #rVi xm.,,. 4 1 < -- .V, _ Mania Meekness Favor * Muscular Fains + Diarrhoea Malaria Pneumonia 3 17 3 2 1 Ai (0*43 cvpss. '& 0.55 sagas litre) 1 (0.35 &*gas. par litre). TQT.Al, 51 It i.i to be rac-rottod that at the time w were working short-handed, as a result there are may Investigations which m would like to have carried out, for which the time was just not available so that only four caaoa wra examined for "unotate 3aeophl ia, and nil the examinations wore negative* -part fron the two cases of Mania (Snoopho lopethy) no alfpas of any significance were found on exuEiinotion of the Central f&rvous System, and in no case was a *lad lino" found on exami nation of the mouth* >' find it noteworthy that all the cases fcho ware admitted suffering from a high favor a-howad a fairly high load excretion, a point which v Isave not *-on loantioned in any of the publications we have read on the subject. During one of our visits to the r.o.D., vvO woro csked to look at ssvsral cases of desquamation of the feet in workers in the f *o *D. At the tins \m were not aware of the fact that this is & sign of T.3,1, poisoning and we ware equally certain that they had none of the appearances of Paraffin Dsrmatitla. There is no doubt in our mind now, however, that these taan warn suffering from the effects of i1 tVU f vith. vaprrd to the distribution of affected and non-affsoted persona according to their actual employment, the following is nn analysis:- More than 0.14 Mgpas iuad m wring. Loss than 0.14 jagaa in urine. Filling Action Soldering Action cleaning Drums with Petrol? J) f.enarel Duties (Office) Mo history obtained a# 0 3 1 (0.13 jagms.) 9 4 ro?.q 39 is as ons would expect there is a definite preponderance of cases from the Pilling `action which show a high excretion of load in the urine. The workers who wore filling patrol into tins, for purposes of cleaning, are interesting 4s they mat have be^a using 1 sdod spirit for the purpose. The one office worker in tho "abnor/asl^Ust can, 7 think, bo ignored as his load excretion is hardly to be regarded as abnormal* Tho amount of lead in tfcs atmosphere of tho Filling faction at the p.o.D was examined by onr Chemical Department, and the following is an abstract from their conclusions: - 1* Published data indioats that freedom t ron ill ffacts may be expected if tho loud in the atmosphere ia kept below 3 mg. of loud par working day equivalent to 4.6 cu.m* of uir in 8 hours. 0010141 3 Before the biost Kails la the P.O.D ware pulled Town, the atmosphere et head hei?rht aver the tinning ICO 0*li* spirit (containing 4.? c.os t .S*L per gallon) under sumiaar conditions, contained 13-kO mg. load per 4,d cu.m* Cnder approxiiantalyothe soma conditions bat after removing the blast walls he load content averaged circa 7 ag* per 4*6 eum of air* This figure is still too high, but since than the system of suction ventilation referred to above has been instituted and is working satisfactorily* The amount of lead in the atmosphere at the Pilling 'Action will be estiiaated again in the aimer when con* dltioas are ooizpurabla, and we confidently expect to find that the figure will be well Inaids normal Units* is regards the rfoldering Action, the amount of lead in the atmosphere was satis factory, being circa 1*7 ng* load par 4*6 cu.a* of air, t Xg ft* above the surface of the rsoltsn solder* It will be approoiatad from the above facts and figures that the handling, of *loaded' spirits under cartsin extrano conditions can constitute u vary grave ha sard, a hazard which, though unlikely to oacur under normal peacetime iforking conditions is vary liable to occur under the stresses of 'far Production* It tha snm tigs, however, we ore auite satisfied tht all that is required to make conditions entirely safe for workmen is an adequate system of ventilation, plus a keen watch on -ill possible area a where M spillr.ee" is llkoly to occur* Thaos tbs blast walls yt the Filling Section were removed, washing facilities improved and tie Europer<n personnel of the f.O.D jaado ewore of the 2d ska, there have been no further cases of lead poisoning reported from this ]?ofinry* HE 0010142