Document gb5zGEqvDnKjz4mMwmL90B8oV

,>! : \ Ca tho Effects of Sxpoeare to the Dost of Bagle^Fleker Insulating SSa ferial Robert A* Echos# tiD* and Willard F* &*ehXo# Bt*D* -Bio actual methods employed Is. insulating hoses with fee typo of rooIs~wool asoatifMtorod by fee SsglswFieher Dead Oompasy wore observed lay visiting several si%m St hleh this work was its progress* Sais trio varying (hast esposuro assoelated with different operation end the precautions taken against mmh exposure were soon# Bis magnitude of fee exposure to dusts in the various operatione of a job in etnotanatt was determined by eeUoetiag; sorties of sir in the immediate vicinity of workson# under varying oecMSlticam* anti ost&aatlag fee quantity of sui . pended dust* fbe lend content of a sea pie of fee insulating saaterial was determined by speetrogrsphie analysis in order to safes sane. estSnate of fee significance of fee lead sxposttre of fee tttftoNot* In order to observe fee offsets, of Hunan exposure to fee dusts of the insulating nater&al* a group of men war selected for exonlnatlon and study tvm a large'group eagagod in insulating buildings* She selection at made la relation to fe length of employment of men groupod in working arses in various parts of the country* From fee available Information# as hewn in fable 1* It ms apparent that fee group in.Bast orange# Sew Jersey# had been employed longest# while fee largest group in any &m loa&tlen* and# fee refore# fee one most readily * 2, * accessible# ms situated at mit Plains# Connecticut* Thm& tm groups acMned could b# m$m%wI b provide vsriabiHby of exposure including t& greatest Which bad occurred* sad ala# aim of those who had been la these groups Ml discontinued the wcsfe# tore bad bmn m factor of oletiro ellMnatlon* The Albany row h&gpmbd to b employed temporarily in milt# Plains at th tins of the essninatloii of the v/hlte Plait groap* fhslr Inclusion brought the total- narsbcr of saen xanlaad up to teeatyseven Tfothoda* Duet Maples oar collected in the attic of a boas la process of being insulated# in relation t# both hand^paeklog and blowing* samples war also collected at the air pxmp used to blow the insulation* 13s# ao&lfted Greenburg-aesifch tepinger was employed with the standard haaMtedvan suction apparatus* Sb# tcetmisfue of olXeobiott# handling and counting was stellar to that deserlbed by Bloomfield and Dallavalle (11* 'Phe eossplofe history of all previous and preecuit mpXoysaonb ' .and of pmvlmm iXlm&u was recorded for each. tasa# together with bis age# bis family history# tb general stats of hie health# and the proses# or ahoe&ee of symptom of illness or disease* special attention ea given to the duration of tbs present and the nature of the day* 01%# with reference to exposure to dusts of insula* ting material# deonplot# physical msmtmblm imn given osoh ei in* eluding testa of the special #&## and -of misoular power# analysis of the urln for its reaction and for albumin and sugar# and a aleroseople study of the blood* That la- to say# a thorough search mis made for any and all physical aitouts or eh&omiaXlties* ihsee observations were recorded on the forma reproduced in figures 1 and 2* A sample of blood and two maples of urine or# obtained K g 000 8.0 4? 5 <* frees. each men# in chemically loan oatafners prepared 1a the laboratory* `fhea wore returned to the laboratory for analysis* the Blood end on of tbs urine samples were examined for lead by a sensitive and accurate spectrograph! method hieh has. bees described elsewhere - (2) $ tbs other urine sample as exastned for arsenic by the Gutseib method* Ttm chest of each man was further examined by means of storoosooplo X-ray photographs taken and interpreted by an experienced radiologist* Another competent radiologist studied all the plates sad independently gave his opinion aa to their significance* ori-lta and glacnaslcm* The results obtained in the dust counts are shorn in fable 2* CensicSering the physical character of the dust particles moat of which ere hair-like and therefor would tend to b entrapped In She up,.or respiratory tract ccrscwhafc more readily than tm ural rock dusts# it in probable that She effects of exposure could bo leas sever than those produced by similar t-ja Serial of more cossson structure* In view of the chemical exposition of the material on mat odder the effects of silica and of certain heavy motels* It is generally believed that the characteristic lesions of silicosis develop either very lowly or not at all. when there are fewer than 5#8GO*OO0 particles of pare silica per cu* ft* as determined by a light field method of counting exportable to that employed here C3) It would mms9 therefore* that bit dovolopnent of silicosis need not be expected la relation to turn hand* Packing operations# regardless of the fossa in which the silica may appear in t&o reek-wool* She hasard of the blowing operation# on the other hand# would depend in part upon th dags of protection provided by the use of Hacks* and in part upon the proportion of toxic silica In tho mbsrial* on is justified in the feeling that silicosis might well develop among ft jz 00Go04<d \ k* sea m&plyad In blow!ng operations unless due precautions mm taken# ffi danger of Ii9y netel poisoning would fee greet at these dust cmmntmbl one# If there were significant Quantities of such saetals in a soluble etato in the tsftterlftl* Even relatively insoluble eooyonads of load, for example# souId be potentially dangorooo. Her, however, uo arc dealing in sane manure with hypothetical matters# such as the proportion of materiel actually inhaled as compared with that swallowed# as well m its solubility and absorbability In the lunge md la fee alimentary tract* It seesaed beat' to deal vlth these matters practically thrms.iii the study of the spaced men rather than by methods based on hypotheses* U&mmr# the total lead content of tee saspiss of -the rock** reel was determined by analysis* A sample of material such as is put through the blower shewed m-lmA eontent of Z*12$# while & sample of feat packed by hand was lead# Arsenic determinations were nob made because of technical difficulties duo to the nature of the material* (r~i s&cfc exposition of the rock-aoGl will be determined at a labor date* The epeetregrasas'which mm taken te measure lead quantitatively dananstvated the pmmaom of large quantities of Iren# appreciable qoaafci** tics of alumiulva and manganese# together with traces of copper# chraeaiua# nickel and tin* 18m' infoxswtisn obtained from fee wasaination of each mq was considered first as a unit# In m oaae was there clinical evidence ef any occupational Illness or disease* He' nan was ill or complaining vaguely of generally poor health* Ho ma had lost weight# appetite or strength# nor was jfhsr* any combination of sympfetts or physical signs suggestive of silicosis#, or of lead or arsenio poisoning* The only c c o s ig ii h^naalltles involved the tsabh and gems and fee upper respiratory tract* several mm had semen welds in various stages# and most of them showed some degree of redness and irritation of the jsoeeus membranes of K? 0005049 \ m3m v the nose and throat# only a tm had good tooth and clean healthy stasis* However# despite the frequency of dentel caries and spongy# congestive# gingivitis# no lead line see observed* (The occurrence of gingivitis and dental caries is so &mmm among working see la general m to have no specific significance*) In the absence of individual cases of occupational illness sneng the men# further study was made of the group as a hole in search of less definite deviations frosi the norssal which sight indicate the oilstone of some oomon factor or factors of as injurious type* She more significant results of such study re sot down in tabular tea# Table 3 gives the age distribution of the group# ad shoos that the non under study represent a rather id range with respect to their ago* Xn fables 4 and 5# variation In systolic and diastolic blood pressure of the group is shewn* ($h circulatory system shows evidence of impair* noat or abnormal function in most ossa of chronic or sub*acut intosica* tics# and for that reason ny unusual trends la blood pressure are of importance is group studios of toxic agents*) of the five instances of aignlfloanfciy high systolic blood pressure# four wore in pcfsons over forty years of age* The one rather lew figure (loo) occurred la as* other!m apparently strong and healthy mm* The on definitely atonovael diastolic pressure (10^) was found In a mm of hh the occurrence of high blood pressure eawg persons in the middle and later decades in all nalhs of life is too oaaaon to require further earnest* Suffi.ce it to say that the data on those men are mU umsual for groups of corresponding age in ay occupation* Table 4 groups the data on the leucocytes (whit cells) of the blood* There are no abaonsally low results* Six results shoving !0#000 louooeytco or acre per cubic jmllliaeter of blood were found in persons who had evidences of active c m? subsiding upper respiratory infections without OOGoOoO disability or other evidence of infection In. the fom of suppurative gingivitis# ' fables ?# 8# and 9* give the results of the study of the erythrocytes (rod blood corpuscles) of the blood# ' inasmuch. m load absorption bonds to eons sai inareeee In the number of ^stippled** ojyt&roeyfcca# and a later deoveoae la the total amber of eryt&rocybes# together with a drop la the hoBse^obla of the blood#, these observation* have a direct beering on the questI mm of lead ebaorptton in those men# Tne one las erythrocyte annt of 5#is.OO#0O0# vao not accompanied by other evidences of abnormality the -basoglobla tains in this ease being sell within normal Halts# The result is not of physiological significance# therefore* All the hemoglobin detsxmlttaticns (Ibw instrument) gave results within the normal range* The shady of the stippling of the erythrocytes# llheelee yielded normal results* Observation among large ambers of apparently normal persons outside the lead trades# made by the methods used in this study# have been reported elseshere (If) and provide a basis for the interpretation of these findings# Toe one result of-14.0 stippled s^throoytee per 58 miorasoepie fields Is sensual# but such, value occur in entirely normal.sad healthy persons# All tfte. other results are sell within the eustoossy aomt1 limits* the analytical results obtained on the bleed and urine nr# recorded`lie fables 1.0#H and 12# The quantities of lead foawd is the blood of these sen cover a range of variability snob m has been reported previously in a group of normal healthy students <5)'* There Is no abnormal result in the entire .group*. *ho ooelyaea of the urine for lead alee yielded results within the normal rang as previously determined for large groups of normal persons ()C6)# It la quite oortain# therefore# that the inhalation of the dust of the alneralMBOol has not resulted in an appreciable lead absorption on tbs part of these tmn* Use eraenle determinetio&e on the urine are subject to Quuo0p a m *f m similar lntermrntstiett *- ' `Bn rang of noimal values for urinary arsenic Is net cut w@Xl established as a the ease of lead, but the mean scrotion of a listted MBtr sf sttal persons, whom m have stalled corresponds to that obtained in this grop of faen. The alas relatively .high results U.e. 00& ags# of A%Os or mom. per liter of urine) shoe no correlation with the higher lead findings* or with the duration o r apparent severity of tbs occupational exposure* They sey he regarded as random results unrelated to the occupation* Tm examination of fee $rsy films by the three radiologists rose!ted in - the general, agreement ttasbttesr vtm no demonstrable pathologic processes or deposits which could eorfcair&y to attributed to occupational exposure to dusts* la several eases there mas a distribution of fibrous changes suggestive of Incipient silicosis but of such minor character as aat to bo certainly differentiated fro the aeeendasy effects of chronic or subacute upper respiratory infection* One of the rsdlologle consultants expressed their Joint opinion*. that the "legions are more numerous In this group of men than one ordinarily sees In a similar master of adult cheat films* Recover* there being a small group who have none ****** to speak of* one matt render whether or net ttas findings &r@ of significance* X do not so -bov ess can be our m ** until a considerable time interval has lapsed sad another series of films (has been) made on the mm group of son* - - ** X -mmm in" tbs oonslusisn that netbing teas been found *hiefo can bo attribute to- 'Mss industrial. factors involved* " 1* Bsc methods used ia Insulating buildings with Sagle?ichsr racism sod involve 'ssnsidsrsds exposure to dusts rising from the. material* fho hand packing operation was soon to result la suspending somewhat less than 500*000 dust particles per cubic foot into the airy in fch Mediate . vicinity of the opera ting pump* the particles numbered approximately 4 750*000 par cubic feoty in the blowing operation the dust exposure was as OQdiiQoid high as 8f000,000 particles per cubic foot. 2* fhe nature of the material to such so b suggest, bit possibility of a silicosis tasaad* the Imti content (approximately XiS> f the siZiciou* material is of doubtfgt dcftlftosooc, theoretically* Ilia orecnle content vac not deterained* 3* She study of 2? mas of whom a soCNff have ted more than four yfters of expowro to dusts la handling the insulating material# faHod to oho easy clinical evidence of eeupabioncX disease or Illness* It* study of the lead and nraento secretion of thea mon disclosed no evidence of absorption of toad or arsenic In quantities above that which has been sheen to sects* among normal- persons without ocougatioaal exposure Radiographic chest esossinatlons shewed a certain evidence of oo* '.national pulmsmrf disease such as occurs in asver oxpoauro to silica# `.Xhera was suggestive evidence of the development of pulmonary change, but ban evident* was not sufficiently oiwineing to- justify a dlsgnosto of early silicosis In any case# 1* SlecesfieXd, J#J* and teUavalle, 0#M*f U# 3* Public Health Bulletinso* 217# (1935) 2# OhoInk, Jaeobj Quantitative apeettegraphld termination of lead In Biological tefcertol* lad* and teg* 0hen# 7* affif* (195J) 3* Ciwalaga, tenald 2** teats in Afcsospbarof tetheds of EctSaatioia sad Significance! ascend Bympmivm. on stliooet# teployara tetusl Insurance Company <1933) * km tehee, Robert As The Bta&tioele of tead Pcisoatng In the light of Recent Xafonsetton, Jour* of tied* (Cincinnati) 16s 527, (1935) 5* tehee,' Hebert A* Ttesasm# Frederick# aad Chelate, Jacobs Honasl Absorption and Escrotion of lead, J# A* K*A# IQl^s 90, (1935) 6* tehoe# Hebert A*# Stegsam, Frederick*, and Choleic# Jacobs on the Hemal Absorption and .excretion of bead! XX lead Absorption and hmd SSo&fefeten in Stodnvn wMimu Life* J* Indusfc# lifts* # 35i ]*> 0Q0o0'6'4