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INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE NEWSLETTER
Volume 8
Issued monthly by Industrial HrareNE Division
February 1948
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Number 2
FEDERAL SECURITY AGENCY U. S. Public Health Service
WASHINGTON 2i, D. O-
Editorial Board
J. G. Townsend J. J. Bloomfield
W, M, Gafafer
Managing Editor
Catherine V* Beauchamp
State Editors
Arkansas---Wm. A. McQuary California--Herbert K. Abrams
Los Angeles County--Paul G, Brown
Los Angeles City--A. V, Nmtir Colorado--*P V, Jacoe Connecticut--Esther Giant Florida--Howard M. Nelson
Georgia---L* M. Petrie
Idaho--A, L Btladeau Illinois--Kenneth E. Morse Indiana--L. V. Spolyar Iowa--C. L. Campbell Kansas--P. H. whitman Kentucky--Rosalie Blum Louisiana--'Warren H. Reinhart
Massachusetts--Bernice Linde Michigan---Knowhon J. Capian
Detroit--George M. Hama Minnesota---G. S, MtchaeUen Missouri--W, Scott Johnson
St. Louis--Robert M. Brown Kansas City--H. F. Schulte Montana--Paul M. Giever New Hampshire--F. J, Vintinner
New Jersey--Marie A. Sena
New York--May R. Mayers North Carolina--Wm.H. Richardson Ohio--Thomas F. Manctiso
Cleveland--Harold C Cutter Oklahoma--E, C. Warkentin Oregon--Charles M, McGill Pennsylvania--Philip C. Hill Rhode Island--Joseph Wuraftic
South Carolina--Harry F, Wilson Tennessee--Marion F. Trice Texas--Martin C. Wukasch Utah--George G. Richards Virginia--J. C. Johnston Washington--Russell H. Scott West Virginia--Paul D. Halley Wisconsin--Walter H. Poppe, Jr.
This publication is free to persons engaged in industrial hygiene in governmental agencies (Federal. State, or Local). For sale by Superintendent of Documents, Government -Printing Office, Washington 25, D. C. Rates--91 a year (Domestic); $1.25 (Foreign),
Statements made in this publication by authors who are not members of the Industrial Hygiene Division do not necessarily represent the viewpoint of the USPHS.
Any information printed in !?* publication may be reprinted without request from the USPHS. Acknowledg ment would be appreciated.
Approved by Director, Bureau of the Budget* as required by Buie 42 of the Joint Committee on Printing
Bloomfield Recommends Broad Industrial Health Program for Peru
After 3 months of observation in the mines, mills, homes, and schools of Peru, South America, Mr. J. J. Bloom field, USPHS, recommended a broad in dustrial health program for the workers of that country. In view of the inade quate housing, sanitation, and education available to thousands of Peruvians, Mr, Bloomfield emphasized the need to de velop better living conditions at the same time that industries improve the working environment.
Peru passed a law in March 1947, creating a Department of Industrial Hygiene in the Ministry of Public Health and Social Welfare. Soon after the law was enacted, through the Institute of Inter-American Affairs, the Minister
of Health and Social Welfare'requested the Public Health Service to detail Mr. Bloomfield to assist him in studying the industrial hygiene problems of the country and in organizing the new department.
Under the auspices of the Health and Sanitation Division of the Institute of Inter-American Affairs, Mr. Bloomfield went to Peru where he worked jointly with the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the Servicio Cooperative Inter-Americano de Saiud Publics. That Peruvian industries had serious health hazards was well recognized. However, there, was no one source of information which presented a wellrounded picture of these hazards, and it was necessary for Mr. Bloomfield to obtain first-hand information.
Peru's Future
Although Peru is primarily an agricul tural nation, its manufacturing industry is growing rapidly, and it is extremely rich in mineral resources. Until recent ly Peru's high, rugged mountains re tarded the development of some of these resources. But in the past few years, a number of good roads have been con
structed which connect the three im portant sections of the country and make good transportation and communi cation services possible on a national scale. Aviation also is playing an increasingly large role in tbs communi cation field.
The study made by Mr, Bloomfield included an investigation of general living conditions in Peru; a survey of industrial hygiene conditions in 21 representative mines, mills, and manu facturing establishments, employing ap proximately 23,000 persons; and a brief study of official and nonofficial agencies whose work was related to industrial hygiene.
Present Conditions
About 2J4-niillion people in Peru are gainfully employed, and approximately half of them work at agriculture. About a half million are engaged in industries known to present major health hazards.
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