Document mpeaK8xk5k77QMBmQZr5X7vxZ

FILE NAME: Union Carbide (UC) DATE: 1936 OCT DOC#: UC011 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Conference Presentation - National Safety Conference - Occupational Diseases S a fety" C ouncil V/ EXPOSITIONSc ocrosEN n -jj.tm cmicaco UcCOnMIt* PLACE To Whom it May Concern - August 20, 1986 The attached photocopied materials are ai t-hentic reproductions of an original' ' i'jle copy of - . "The lesser known facts about common occupational diseases by Dr. Robert B. Hunt . Transactions of the 25** National Safety Congress 1936. / yyfa id te jL Robert J. Marecek Manager, Library . 1 ' J44 North Michigan Avem.e Chicago, lilinr s hOGM A Nonoc.. mmeiuul Not ior-in ( r  'O IB ffilfO S S i NATIONAL SAFETY COUNCIL, I n c . ATLANTIC CITY, NEW JERSEY OCTOBER 5 to OCTOBER 9, 1936 Ambassador, Chelsea, Rlu-Carlton Hotels and Atlantic City Auditorium CopviijM, l ' >6, Notion,) Seltlrr Council, |- c a istY (Ssasaeil, Isa. HONORARY MEMBERS ' A ssociation ok I ron and ROBERT W. CAMPBELL A rthur W illiams Lew R. P alme# S tf.f.l E lectrical E ngineers O FFICERS (1936-1937) Or. C. H. W atson, President D. D. F ennell. Vice-President for Public Relations Dr. H art K. F isher, Vice-President for Health John B. Gibson, Vice-President for Community Safety Councils H on. H arold G. H offman, Vice-President for Public Safety A lbert S. R ecula. Vice-President for Engineering A. V. RoiuvKDF.it, Vice-President for Industrial Safety R. T. S olenstf.n , Vice-President for Membership A lbert W. W h itney. Vice-President fur {education W . E. W orth. Vice-President for Finance and Treasurer. W. H. C ameron, Secretary and Managing Director EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (1936-1937) George J. A dam s. Paper and Pulp Section C. M. A llen, Metals Section C. B. Au.. Past President J. I. Ra n a sh , Past President C. W . Bergqctst. Past President' H arold S. R uttenheim , The American City Magazine W. II. Cameron, National Safety Council, Inc. Robert W . C ampbell. Past President Robert I. C atlin. Aetna Casualty & Surety Company Lewis A. DF.Bi.nis. Past President C. W. D empesy, Food Section M arcus A. Dow. Past President .. D. D. F ennell. Consulting Engineer Dr. H art E. F isher, Chicago Rapid Transit Company R. B. Fortuin. Lehigh Valley Safety Council" C. W. G iiibs, Mining Section John B. G ibson, Western Electric Company H arry G uilbert, The-Pullman Company H on. H arold G. H offman, Governor of NV.. jcr:.c:y OFFICERS A N D DIRECTORS, Continued E. C. H olden. Jr., Marine Section H arry J. K eli.f.y, Wood Products Section W alter G. K ino, Past President W m. C. K xoelk, Milwaukee Safety Commission Joh n E. I.onc,' Past President Tuns. II. M acDonald, United States Department of Acri. E. J. Meiiren, Portland Cement Association W. J. Melville, Chippewa County Safety Council I. W. M illard, Industrial Gloves Corporation H arold I- M iner, K. I. ht Font dc Nemours & Company K. J. O'Brien, J r., Louisville Safety Council Lew R. P almer. Past President C. E. P etticone, Past- President A ldekt S. Recuia. Industrial Relations Gumcl<>r<. Inc. I-T. Col. H enrv A. R enincer, Past President A. V. Rohwkder, Duluth, Missabc & Northern Railway C D . I - Royer. -ASSE-Enginecring Section George E. S antoro, General Electric Com|iany C harles B. S cott. Past President C arl L. S m ith , Cleveland Safety Council C. \V . S m ith. Standard Oif Company (Indiana) W alter D ent S m ith . Delaware Safety Coiincil R. T. S olenstkn, Elliott Service Company C. P. T olman, Past President George G. T raver, 'Chicago Safety Council Robert R. W allace, Worcester Safety Council Dr. C. H. W atson, American Telephone & Telegraph Con A. W. W hitn ey , National Bureau of Casualty A- Surety L'n< W. E. W orth, International Harvester Company A rthur 11. Y oung, P ast Prsident DIRECTO RS (1936-1937) George J. A dams; Paper & Pulp Section . C. M. A llen, Metals Section Ntjso.y K. A nderson, Seattle Traffic & Safety Council F rederick A rcher, Child Education Section A. L. A rmstrong, Chemical Section J. I. B a n a sh , Consulting Engineer J ohn J. B arada, Public Utilities Section E rnest W. B eck, United States Rubber Products. Inc. C. W. B ergquist, Western Electric Co. D avid S. .Beyer. Liberty Mutual Insurance Co. Clifford M. B is nor, Brooklyn Safety Council OFFICERS A N D DIRECTORS, Continued E. F. B la nk , Jones & Laughlin Steel Corp. C. F. B orkexhauen, ' Kenosha Safety Council S. D. Boyd. York County Safety Council A. \V. B keelaxd, Petroleum Section F. S. B rown-, Standard Accident Insurance Co. S.. W . B urciiiel, Automobile Club o f Rhode Island H arold S. B uttexieim . The American City Magazine. P reston D. Callum. Baltimore Safety Council \V. H. Cameron, National Safety Council Robert I. Ca t u x , Aetna Casualty & Surety Co. M. A. Clark, Automotive and Machine Shop Section . II. H erbert Corson. Safety-Department, Nashville Chamber of Com nterce F rank F.mery Cox, Berkeley Traffic Safety Commission Robert \V. C rowtiier. Springfield, Massachusetts Safety Council J. E. CvLLtNEY, Bethlehem Steel Co. Lewts A . D e Blois, Consulting Engineer Jay E. D ecker. Mason City Safety Council ' C. W . D empesy, Food Section J ames B. B o a u s . Philadelphia Gas Works Co. Dr. Louis I. D ublin, Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. D. D. F ennell, Consulting Engineer D onald A. F inkiieiner. Toledo Safety Council D r. H art E. F isiier. Chicago Rapid Transit Co. H oward B. I-'onda, Burroughs Wellcome & Co. ( U . S. A ,) Inc. W illiam "Forsyth, Superior. Wisconsin Safety Council R. B. Forth! n , Lehigh Valley Safety Council A lexander Foster, J r.. Quarry Section C. W. Giiibs. Mining Section John B G thson, Western Electric Co. H arry G uilbkrt, The Pullman Co. I saiah H ale, The Atchison, Topeka 8: Santa Fe Railway Co. M ajor Bolling H . H andy. Richmond Safety Council D. T. H arrington, U . S. Bureau of Mines R. C. H.wf.n, Vehicle Fleet Section G. T. IIf.i.lmuth, Chicago. North Shore & Milwaukee R. R. Co. C has E. H ill, New York Central Lines H on. H arold G. H offman, Governor of New Jersey E. C. H olden. Jr., Marine Section Frederick B. H u n t , Cement Section ' P. G. H unter, Power Press Section Morris E. H urley, Eastbay Safety Council Major N orman A. Imrie, Columbus "Safety Council - E dwin A. K ayser, St. U>uis Safety Council T homas P. K earns, Industrial Commission of Ohio OFFICERS A N D DIRECTORS, Continued K. T. K eller, 'Detroit Industrial Safety Council H arry J. K elley, Wood Products Section T hos. L. K elley, Paterson Safety. Council J. M. K errican, Rubber Section W m. C. K soelk, Street & Highway Traffic Section C L. L a Fo untains; Great Northern Railway Co. A. H . Lauer, Madison County Safety Council J. E. Long, The Delaware & Hudson Railroad Corporation W. R. Loyd, Safety Div. Birmingham Chamber of Commerce L. T. McArthur, Peoria. Illinois Safety Council Titos. H. M acD onald, United States Department of Agriculture M iller McClintock, Traffic Audit Bureau T. H. M cK enney, Retired F. VV. M atson, Minnesota Safety Council ' J am es R. M ays, Elizabeth Safety Council E. J. M ehren, Portland Cement Association W. J. M elville. Ghippewa County Safety Council I. W . M illard, Industrial Gloves Corporation E. M . M iller, Employees Publication Section . Jam es K. M iller, -Grand Rapids Safety Council H arold L . M iner, E. I. duPont.<le Nemours & Co. R; B. M orley, Industrial Accident Prevention Association E rnest M urphy, Albany-Safety Council E. J. O 'B rien, J r., Louisville Safety Council George C. A. O pp. The-Detroit Edison Co. Geo. O ppeniieimer, Kansas City Safety Council L ew R. P almer, The Equitable Life Assurance Society of t United States W ilson P almer, Meat Packing, Tanning & Leather Industries St tion A. E. P arker, Transit Section D avid A. P atton. Newark Safety Council ' M rs. G. M. P elton, Evanston Safety Council C harles W. P endock, Safety Division, Milwaukee Assn, of Coi merce C. E. P ettidone, American Mutual Liability Insurance Co. G en . G eorge B. P illsburv, United States Engineer Oftice . A rthur Potterton, Hudson County Safety Council A lbert S. R egula. Industrial Relations Counselors, Inc. Lt. Col. H enry A. R enincer, Lehigh Portland Cement Co. A. V. Rohwerek. Duluth, Missahe & Northern Railway Co D. L: Royer, ASSE-Engineering Section G. E. S anford, General Electric- Co. H enry C. S chaftnfr, Erie Safety Council K arl G. S cuoeffler, Rahway Safety Council *! w . W M .M U . MUmMrti.v M JU n tM m u - i.aK C W triirti^ W flW A iC lItH lV Jl JtiiM B M K lM O FFIC ER S A N D D IR ECTO R S, Continued H arry A. Schultz. United Stales Steel Corp. Earl S. S hartzer, Utica Safety Council -l Gen. John H. S herburne, Massachusetts Safety Council Dr. L. A. S iiouijy, Bethlehem tycel Co. ' Ernest L. Simokps. New Haven Safety Council , Cari. L. Smith, Cleveland Safety Council C. W. S mith.'S tandard Oil Co. find.) ; E dwin C. S m ith, Dlackstonc Valley Safety Council W alter D ent S m ith, bela\varc Safety Council W. A. S now, Construction Section U. T. S olensten, Elliott Service Co. ' P. E arl Spitzf.r, Cjontra Costa County Safety Council _ E. C. S pring, Lansdalc, Pa. ' - George R. S tephens, Safety Bureau, Buffalo Chamber of Commerce A rthur M. T o'de, Consulting Marine Engineer H arold M. T oombs, Refrigeration Section Geo. G. T raver. Chicago Safety Council ' W. W. TnENCtt, Schenectady Safety Council . W. D. T urrkvillI:, San Antonio Safety Council ' R obert R. W allace, Worcester Safety Council D r. C. H. W atson, American Telephone & Telegraph Co. H arrv M. W ebber, Retired E..T. W hiter, Western Pennsylvania Safety Council _ S. E. W hiting, Liberty Mutual Insurance Co. A. W. W hitney. National Bureau of Casualty & Surety Underwriters T. A. W illson, Accident Prevention Equipment Manufacturers' See* tion T. A, W ilson, Textile Section . W , H . .W 1v a KS^Union Carbide Carbon Corporation E. W. W iktii, Rochester Safety Council . H arry W ise. S r., Chattanooga Safety Council , J. M. W oltz, Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. W. W. W ood, Steam Railroad Section ' W. E. W orth, International Harvester Co. E. J. Zauft, Safety Bureau. Duluth Chamber of Commerce E arl W. Zimmerman, Safety Div. Syracuse Chamber of Commerce G.t L. Zwick. St. Joseph Safety Council I Conn- The funda metional Safety human life. Il . continuous cam;- . !tion-that is natm to all types of ha/ rectly' or mdire citizenry. It is a non-sectarian, am! filiations. Since it has won respect institution. Inseparable fro. the Council's woo conditions and pr. eases in America! Today there ao senting every m many of the Cn:.; arc dOO foreign in ship includes u firms, individuals. chambers of coni: organizations. A: dustrial concern:., ; companies, the m the railroads in 1 automotive indt; . sanding important trial field. Origin The history of ing slorv. is too I In brief, (lie Pi'-Congress was h Association of Iro Engineers in Milo, a result, the Natl organized in Nv. year with, fourteen o statis!t statisiu where It. jtimulato sc deep tstly betmehody is ad- O ccopational Diseases FRIDAY MORNING SESSION October 9, 1936 . The session was called to order bv the chairman, Dr. Hart E. Fisher. Vice-Presi dent for Health, National Safety Council, and Chief Surgeon, Chicago Rapid Transit Co., Chicago, who presided, introducing the speakers. The Lesser Known Facts About Common Occupational Diseases By DR. ROBERT B. HUNT Medical Advisor, American Mutual Liability Insurance Co., Boston Probably the leader in the parade of All cases of dermatitis cannot be cured industrial diseases is an acute or chronic by eliminating offending foods, but fur inflammation of the skin which we call .. ther investigation along these lines may dermatitis. This disease may t>rescnt it give us a clue with which to lessen the* self in any type of shop, factory or foun- loss of time from work and the discom ' dry. Any paste, powder, gas or liquid f o r t now produced- by industrial derma which comes in contact with the em titis. ' ployee's skin, even the water supplied by the town in which he-lives or works, jay .- Metals . be the potential cause of such a skin Lead disturbance. - The distribution of lead poisoning is The wide diversity of causes together quite extensive. ' with the varying , susceptibility of differ The skin of _the body is a protective ent individuals makes the problem of covering, and as long as it remains in control difficult. . tact it does a good job except in the case Much investigation is under way to determine why one person may he sus ceptible to a certain substance while an other is not. It has been proved many times that a poisonous substance .formed within the hodv has been able to prolong of tetraethyl lead, which'is used in blend ing gasoline and which is readily absorbed through the skin, having a tendency to create changes in the nervous system. The effect of other forms of lead, through that avenue of entrance, is practically* the action started by some external influ nil, which explains the extremely low ence. A printer developed a marked dermatitis from ink which persisted for two years. Finally food tests were made poisoning rate in typesetters, painters and others who continually come in contact with metallic lead. and showed that he was susceptible to Lead in any form, introduced through lettuce, which, w h en . removed from his the mouth, acts rather slowly when coin- diet cleared the skin. He returned to his pared with the inhalation of lead dust or usual occupation without a return of fumes. However, no matter what the symptoms. portal of- entry may be, lead L acted The poisoning of allergic substances is-' upon by the body fluids and so converted usually an accumulative process. It takes that it may eventually be deposited-with time to produce a _manifestation of dis in the bones. ' ; ease, but let any oilier substance cause Those bonj safe deposit vaults may the disease, and the irritating food may retain their lead contents for days or for be of sufficient strength to magnify its years, and if the exposure is removed, action. may also free the employee of all signs 117 f 1.18 Twenty-fifth National Safety Congress and symptoms of lead poisoning. Hut imagine the surprise of that supposedly cured person when years later, perhaps following some type of infectious disease or the excessive use of alcoholic bever ages. lie awakes to rind that he sutlers the aches and pains and paralyses of an acute load poisoning. As the body fluids alter lead that it may he deposited, so may tho.-c fluids attempt to de-lead the body, and ton rapid absorption may pro duce the original disease with all its dis comforts. One can readily see, then, that in some eases investigation of previous occupa(ions is quite necessary to determine the original contact with lead, i Heating of molten lead causes a black scum of lead suho.xidc to form on its sur face. and the beat from the metal dis burses the fine powder into the air. Hence, in the process of smelting ore;? such as zinc, copper and silver, mixed with lead, we find a rather high lead poisoning rale. Those engaged in- the manufacture of lead wire and cables, batteries, glass, pottery and rubber industries, plumbers : and users o f dry colors offer their share of lead poisoning. Probably the greatest source of lead poisoning may be found among those who sandpaper, scrape, chip or hum lead paint, .for the dust and fumes caused by those activities are rather rapid in their action. Such workers may become in capacitated in a few days because the inhalation of lead dust causes the maxi mum amount of absorption into the blood stream in the miniimim space of time. Chromium Chromium is a metal widely used as a foundation for colors, and dusts from its various salts may produce lesions of the skin, and mucous membranes of the nose. Chromium plating by electrolysis may cause fumes which arc similarly irritat ing Although c'.nomium pois.miiig !,.<.< not usually cause death, the number of days of absence from work on account of incapacity which it causes is gradu ally increasing. Other M etah . The most efficient portals of entry of foreign substances into the body are the nose and mouth. The .smaller the dust (the size of smoke particles for example) the greater the speed of absorption by the blood. I'umes from hot metals carry not only poisons hut numerous minute dust particles. This explains the inca pacities occurring among those engaged in acetylene and electric cutting and welding. When men arc so employed over a prolonged period of time, the constant inhalation of fumes and dust might produce symptoms of the metal upon which they work. In the ship building trade, particularly in the con struction of metal ships, we find occa sional c a s e s of metal-fume fever. "Brass chills" and "spelter shakes" front zinc arc names applied hv the .lay people to such diseases. The terrific heat ap plied to some of our common metals and alloys by acetylene torches produces suf ficient fumes to cause a temporary inca pacity in 24 hours. Permanent disability from sucb Causes is rare, however. Diseases Due to Dust Twenty-five per cent of all workers exposed to high concentrations of inor ganic dust arc expected to develop changes within their lungs due to that agency. We arc at a loss to explain why the other seventy-five per cent are not so affected. Mining, quarrying, foundry w o rk ., grinding, sandblasting, abrasive soap manufacturing, asbestos work, the mak ing of emery and carborundum products ami many other occupations offer op portunities for employees to inhale mic roscopic dust particles and create a foun dation for possible future incapacity. . We are interested particularly in those men who work with sandstone, quartz, tlint. granite, and sand, because they ex pose themselves to silica, and the chem ical changes between that dust and the body fluids, in the presence of tubercu losis. niav and usually do lead to a fatal ending. It is safe to say. in light of our present knowledge, that -the action of other in; organic dusts is much less virulent and . incapacitating. That, however, docs not allow u s to lower the vigilant methods to improve dust control and protect em ployees, because all dusty occupations are potential trouble makers. A lthough, the. differ within Ur -asbestos fibres;' and grinding o offers another t cause fatalities : The organic wool, tobacco, stances arc pr; ' dusts rarely re cause irritation . cr air tubes c : mild hrorichiti The factor *, mind,, partcula . silicosis and a progression cf changes occur ' suit of the pres: forms scar tissi: may fail to stoj As a result, the ing process ma changes within ' total incapacity years after the moved from IT ' B: Benzol is a extensively in tial ingredient plosives. It i? grease, oils an: that property phases of the r tries. In the t zol may he an applied to the which fastens only in the : branches of i work with gu workers soon cleansing actio freely for that The suhseque flictivuis may such tmauthon ' Benzol is e ing either thre absorbed thro within the bo duce a multitu The hone man tu*"i' -diet? ler llie dust for example) sorption by metals carry t o u s minute is the incaose cngagcJ cutting and 0 employed 1 time, the s and dust l the metal )i the shipin the con- find occa'Jiiie fever, hakes" from i lav people C h eat apm ctaU and roduces sufJorary incaut disability sever. ill workers us of iuor,to develop ilue to that f to explain ter cent are \i jy w o r k , jtsive soap the makin products : offer opinhab' micatc a fountpacitv. . ;.ly in those 'tie, quartz, ie they ex ilic client5t and tl.ic if tubercu.! to a fatal our present f other infrulent and does not hiethods lo jrotect empccupations Occupational Diseases iis Although the actions of various dusts hemorrhages are common; it may cause differ within the body, the exposure to death. . . asbestos fibres, present in the weaving The fumes from benzol are heavier than and grinding of dry asbestos material, air and lie neat the floor, which is an im offers another type of dust which may portant point in the engineering prob cause fatalities among workers. ' lem of ventilation. ' The organic dusts front cotton, silk, wool, tobacco, flour and similar sub stances arc practically harmless. Such dusts rarely reach the lungs hut tnny_ cause irritation of the windpipe and larg er air tubes and' result at the most in a mild bronchitis. The factor which should be borne in mind,, particularly when dealing with silicosis and ashestosis, relates to the progression of such disease. When The members of the benzene grottp arc absorbed through the skin, and more cases of poisoning are found when ntcu perspire than when their bodies are cool. Probably the answer to that is that the fumes may solidify as they cool and the powder may settle on the skin. The sweat on the body may dissolve this dust so that it is more readily absorbed through the increased surface ' blood supply. changes occur within the lungs as a re sult of the presence of such dusts, nature forms scar tissue to heal such lesions but may fail to stop when the'job is finished. As a result, the continuation of that heal ing process may lead to such structural changes within the lungs that partial or total incapacity may follow months oF years after the employee has been, re moved front h<s dusty occupation. ' Chlorinated Hydrocarbons This group of petroleum derivatives has been known to science for years but during the past decade its advance into the industrial field has been widely dis tributed and most important. Led by carbon tetrachloride and its chemically associated members, it has furnished In dustry with refrigerants for tee excellent solvents for rubber, wax. Benzole-Benzene and grease, thlnncrs for lacquers and a very fine household necessity for the re Benzol is a distillate of coal tar used moval of spots from clothes. Hospitals extensively in industry. It is an essen have been using it more and more for tial ingredient in the manufacture of ex the removal of adhesive plaster. plosives. It is an excellent solvent for Due to the non-fiammability of car grease, oils and cements, and because of bon tetrachloride, it Is used in fire ex that property it is important in many tinguishers. The rapid evaporation pro phases of the rubber and cleaning indus duces fumes which may smother a small tries. In the manufacture of hoes ben blaze, but we must not forget that ex zol may he an ingredient of the dressing cessive heat of the actual fire may bring applied to the leather and of the cement about combustion sufficient to produce which fastens the heels and soles. Not such biproducts as hydrochloric acid and only in the shoe trade b u t' in other phot-gene gas. Like its associated iiieui- branches of industry where employees ' "ber, chloroform, it may produce sleep work witlt gummy, sticky material, the when inhaled by an individual, and >l> workers soon learn of the solvent and 1/350 of an ounce in a quart 01 ah is cleansing action of this liquid and use it necessary to produce such action. That freely for that purpose upon themselves. thought must be remembered when a The subsequent outbreak of skin af large quantity of those liquid products is flictions niay be the first indication of spilled'on the floor, perhaps accidentally. such unauthorized use. *'_ Action should be started at once before Benzol is exfretuely poisonous, enter ing either through the nose or mouth or absorbed through the skin. Its "action the liquid gasifies, and employees should be notified to keep their heads up to avoid the low ceiling of gas. .. within the body is varied and may pro duce a multitude of signs and symptoms. The hone marrow becomes affected which tnrf alters the character of the Blood: Chemists have developed and intro duced to industry many new products, the basis of which is Hie chlorinated, hy drocarbons. These derivatives of petro- 120 Twenty-fifth National Safety Congress leum distillation arc frequently combined with those from coal tar to form valua ble chemical combinations. They have been placed on the market so rapidly that medical science has been unable to others of the danger. Even if removed from the poisonous gas at that period, the damage actually done by the gas may result in permanent physical damage. determine their physiological effect upon the health of man. We have known that Infection some of these chemicals are capable of creating changes in the liver, and only recently in a city in Massachusetts one ot these newer products caused the death of two employees and a battle to retain life among two others. *1he skin . is a protective covering of the body against infection and is ex tremely efficient as long as it remains in tact, but allow it to he broken or punc tured, introduce bacteria, and a battle ensues between the offensive agencies of infection and the defensive (towers of the Carbon Monoxide body. The winning of such a struggle may determine the presence or absence of You remember the adage, "W here incapacity. Infections a r e common there is smoke, there is fire." \Yc might throughout industry, hut two types are add to that. "Where there is fire there is particularly prominent -- infection result carbon monoxide." ing from anthrax and infection among This odorless hut poisonous gas ntay meat packers and fishermen. occur in any industry or in any home, hut Many of our fur, hair or wool-covered the poorer the ventilation the better the animals may contract anthrax. The germs chance of producing physical incapacity. of that-disease defy the ordinary methods Since the advent of the motor car, whose exhaust pipe may pour forth as high as 6% of carbon monoxide, we are all exposed to that gas, particularly in of'sterilisation arid may linger on hides, bristles or.hairs for long periods of time. Tanners, wool sorters, and hair or bristle workers may introduce the anthrax spore crowded cities. The ordinary passenger their skin and undergo much car liberates about two cubic feet per physical suffering and sometimes death. minute, and one can readily estimate the physical damage that may be done if such a motor is allowed to run within the doors of a poorly ventilated garage or shop. Fortunately, serious cases of such poisoning are not common among those employed in publie, garages, hut many of those employees arc likely to complain of headache and faintness at the end of a day s work, especially in colder weather when doors ami windows remain closed. In the steel industry, where gas is used as the heating agency in the blast fur naces, care must he used to provide proper ventilation. W ithin the mines, Infections arc frequently found among meat and fish packers and" those engaged in deep sea fishing. Although death . rarely occurs, the loss of fingers, hands and nasty septic wounds arc the result. Punctured wounds, cuts, abrasions, hums and scratches are potential avenues of entrance for bacteria which would seem to be waiting everywhere at .all times for such a break in the skin. Early meuical treatment might often save later surgical interference, not to mention the accompanying discomfort, incapacity and perhaps th e . loss of an es-m tial hodv part. - workers are warned to allow' enough time Summary following blasts for the escape of this gas. Reing a colorless, odorless and taste less gas, quick of action within the hu man body, the manifestation of the very first Symptom may he too late to save a workman front partial or total incapacity or perhaps death. ' Because the exposed person suffers first from motor paralysis, lie may be unable to help himself or even to warn I feel that the time has conic when an employer must demand of a manufacturer the answers to two questions: 1. How will your (roduct affect my business? - , . 2. How will your pro.duct affect th health of my employees? T hat employer is entitled to honest answers based upon sufficient chemical and physiological examinations of the questionable produit. That ma- '.cti:- ~0iujrc$s llc danger. Even if removed poisonous pas at that period, ; actually floue hv the pas may erniancnt physical damape. nfection is ; projeclnc covrrinp of ipaui.f infection and is ex-cut as lot" as it remains in low it to In- broken or punciHticc bacteria. and a battle cen the offensive agencies of ! the defensive powers of the winning of such a struggle ne the presence or absence of Infections a r e common industry, but two types are prominent --- infection rcsultiuhrn\- and infection among s and fishermen. iur fur, hair or wool-covered .contract anthrax. The gerhis sc defy the ordinary methods m and may linger on hides, u'rs for long periods of time, d sorters, and hair or bristle introduce the anthrax spore r skin and undergo much triug and sometimes death, are frequently found among packers and those engaged : fishing. Although death the loss of fingers, hands }tic wounds arc the result. . wounds, cuts, abrasions, atchcs are potential avenues for bacteria which would -waiting everywhere at .all : a break in the skin. Parly aent might often save later crcncc, not to mention the : discomfort, incapacity and soss of an essential body Summary he tune has come when au demand of a manufacturer i two questions: 1 your iroduct affect my 1 your product affect the tmployces? ; ter is entitled to honest upon sufficient chemical cal examinations of the ><lu< t That m.v - -M -t *.v V Occupational Diseases should be held responsible for the ills produced by the use of bis product and unless he can guarantee its safety, it has no place in industry. Too many lives have been lost or jeopardized by too little knowledge of a product's action upon those wlm handle it. 1 he incidence of lost time due to ill ness and injury in industry has been greatly lessened by the many agencies working along lines of safety. When in- dustry has been made fool-proof by the substitution of non-toxic preparations for those now found to he harmful, and when each employee is imhiicd with the idea that constant thoughtfulness and care arc most necessary for the maintenance of health and happiness, then, and not un til that idealistic stage has been reached may vigilance and perseverance in main tain and preserve health, limb and life be lessened. . Pre-Employment Examination as an Aid to the Control of Industrial Diseases By DR. W . C. TEM PLER . Medical 'Director, Coming Glass Works, Corning, N. Y. . We may well ask whether or not phy sical examination is of any value to. the world at large, rather than limit the dis cussion to the control of industrial di seases. In the conservation of life and health much progress has been made in the eradication or control of such diseases as occur in epidemic form, as well as that type of disease .which is not truly epidemic, but occurs in such frequency that general health programs are neces sary. Much has been done to control such disabling illnesses as heart disease, artcrio-sclerosis, kidney disease and dia betes; and something has been accom plished in the control of morbidity, which tends to, at least, make people happier' through good health, even though an in creased span of life is not gained. Physical examination has played a large role in accomplishing these things, be cause it was through physical examination and physical observations that investiga tors were led to exert themselves to find a remedy for the cause of such condi tions. Small-pox is no longer prevalent, due to such observations, which Jed to its control by vaccination. Malaria and yellow fever have been brought largely under control, and knowledge is now available in the control of venereal di seases, if the proper physical examination .and laboratory methods are used to arrive at a diagnosis. We are all familiar with 'r-ined in d> -reasiiip- death rate due to tuberculosis. In fact, in the treatment of all epidemic-type diseases that have so far been eradicated, the examination of patients {o de:, rmine the severity of symptoms and t!-..: im provement has been of foremost value. Knowing that the average span of life has been increased eight years in the last quarter century and assuming that the above mentioned factors have had some bearing on it, could we decry the value of physical examinations for th. general population? If we know that examinations made by insurance companies and their associating examining institutions, the clinics run by the United States Public Health Service, and the great mass of physicians, who all carefully examine their clientele, have been of value in the control of disease, may we not assume that examinations tn industry will help control the incidence and extent of industrial disease, particu larly when the life expectancy of in dustrial workers is less than that of the general population? In fact on April 14, 1936, at the Na tional Conference on Silicosis and Similar Dust'Diseases, called by the Secretary of Labor, Dr. R. R. Sayers of the United States Public Health Serviie said. '`P re liminary and periodic physical and roent genological examine should be made of all employees in industrial where ' -n't-it if