Document q1jEEaDBa5135xZKExwro8G5

FILE NAME: Owens Illinois Library (OWL) DATE: 1929 DOC#: OWL006 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Relevant Abstracts from The Journal of Industrial Hygiene THE JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE EDITORS DAVID L. EDSALL. M. D.. S. D.. United States EDGAR L COLLIS. M. D.. M. R. C. S,, Great Britain VOLUME XI JANUARY. 1929--DECEMBER. 1929 PUBLISHED BY HARVARD SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH Boston, Mass. THE JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE ABSTRACT! POISONOUS HAZARDS AND THEIR EFFECTS: GASES, CHEMICALS, ETC. Fatal Poisoning Probably Dub the relationship between the various >Arsenturetted Hydrogen. La types of white blood cells. Such a rde. Abstr. as follows from Soc. de blood picture, coupled with a definite d. lgale de Paris, Noe. 14,1927, in exposure to solvent vapors of a con nn. <Thyg., May, 1928, N. S. vol. centration considered toxic, according pp. 800-801. to present day standards, tends to in Two workmen who had to clean out dicate th a t the possibility of benzol tank containing sulphuric acid and poisoning in chemical laboratories idge were apparently exposed to ar- must be considered. niuretted hydrogen. The men had Many industrial plants still use ben sen working for only twenty minutes, zol, since the claim is made th at the ae said he felt ill; he went home, and cost of suitable substitute solvents is ed of acute edema of the lungs in prohibitive. Certain chemical labora rty-eight hours. The second de- tories use a sufficient amount of benzol :loped bronchitis and gastro-intesti- to be considered as a potential hazard, >1trouble. In searching for a cause but not enough of this solvent is util poisoning, the sulphuric acid was ized to justify its retention on the and to contain 1 part of arsenic per above claim. I t is felt th a t in practi ousand; this metal was recovered cally all chemical laboratories benzol :>m the viscera of the deceased. As could be replaced by some 'solvent ither of the men had been taking any known to be less toxic, such as toluol, edicine containing arsenic, the au- xylol, or Hifiash naphtha. I t is recom or holds that the sulphuric acid in mended a t this time th at in case the a tank, acting on the sludge, gener use of benzol in chemical laboratories is ad arseniuretted hydrogen. Once continued, it should be confined to the is gets into the lungs it is trans- testing of materials only, and should omed into arsenious acid which not be employed as a cleansing agent. uses considerable blood destruction. Also, in order to detect incipient ben E. L. C. r. zol poisoning a t a stage when its effects can be minimized, all laboratory work Benzol Poisoning as a Possible ers exposed to benzol fumes should be uzard in Chemical Laboratories. given a thorough medical examination J . Bloomfield. U. S. Pub. HeaUh before employment, and should be p., July 20,1928, vol. 48, pp. 1896- reexamined, with systematic blood 97. counts, once every month or two there Blood examinations of the workers after. Any worker whose blood pic >osed to benzol vapor in the chemi- ture, on reexamination, shows a marked ^ , laboratories visited by the writer departure from the normal (obtained I not show an abnormal white blood from a previous examination) should 1 count. However, the blood of be promptly excluded from benzol ee of the men showed a departure in exposure. Chronic Carbon Monoxide P oi soning. J . C. S. Bailley. Canadian Med. Assn. Jour., Aug., 1928, vol. 19, p. 167. Lead P oisoning as an Occupa tional Disease. Langeles. Brux elles Mid., 1928, vol. 8, pp. 1679-1686. This article is issued by the Chief of the Industrial Medical Service in order to help doctors in carrying out their duties connected with the extension of the Compensation Acts in Belgium to certain industrial diseases, including lead poisoning. The usual accepted signs and symptoms of lead poisoning are spe< blot bas con.poic cellt Son lead the and inha chief tion port DUST HAZARDS AND T1 Anthracosis and P ulmonary T uberculosis. T. Wedekind. Abstr. as follows from Klin. Wchnschr., M ay 6, 1928, vol. 7, p. 890, in Jour. A m . Med. Assn., July 21, 1928, vol. 91, p. 214 In a series of experiments on Tabbits, Wedekind succeeded in producing healing of tuberculosis of fatal type b y intravenous injection of a suspension of coal dust. His theory is th a t irritation of the cells of the vascular endothelium by the particles of coal gave rise to migration of large numbers of phagocytes into the lung tissue.-- K E .D . T he I mmediate D iagnosis op P ulhonary Asbestosis at N ecropsy, v M. J . Stewart. Brit. Med: Jour., Sept. L- \ 16,1928, vol. 2, p. 609. Juice from lungs fibrosed by ashestoe dust exhibits under the microscope myriads of the "brown bodies" charaoteristio of this disease. Subsequent histologic examination revealed them derir num Thes in as a wo m att not w Both cotic. Pr Cociki vol. 2 TL gestic bodic life to of as besto; These and c meanr incub asbee< may, sembt ABSTRACTS 35 SfOXIDE Poif. Canadian 1928, vol. 19, AN OcCtJPAgelez. Bruxi. 1579-1586. r. the Chief of rvice in order eng out their ! extension of n Belgium to es, including Rial accepted sad poisoning are reviewed, and fairly stated, with special attention directed toward the blood condition and the presence of basophil red corpuscles. The author considers these an effort of the hemato poietic system to replace poisoned red cells rather th an as degenerated cells. Somewhat unfortunately he ascribes lead poisoning to absorption through the skin, then through the digestion, and only lastly by the lungs; in fact inhalation of lead dust is of course the chief cause, and the skin, in occupa tion, m ay be entirely neglected as a portal of entry.--E. L. C. 3AZARDS AND T H E IR EFFEC TS UiONABY Tund. Abdr. as hnschr., M ay in Jour. Am. >28, vol. 91, p. nents on rab> d in producing f fatal type by i a suspension ry is that irrivascular endo ws of coal gave ge numbers of lung tissue.-- dering on fibrotic areas, and, in smaller numbers, within the fibrotic patches. These bodies have been described only in asbestosis. In this case the worker, a woman, aged 34, had made asbestos mattresses for sixteen years; but had not worked for two years before death. Both lungs were fibrosed and anthracotic.--E. L. C. 3NOSXS o r Punat N ecropsy. led.'Jour., Sepi. meed by asbesthe microscope bodies" charac Subsequent revealed them 244 THE JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE with lead oxides. The lead fume given T he Occurrence of Lead in the off behaves like a gas, is absorbed into Ego of the D omestic H en. Part the finest bronchial tubes, and is today III. W. B. S. Bishop. Med. Jour. a common source of poisoning where Australia, June IS, 1929, vol. 1, pp. the foregoing are practised. He de 792-806. scribes tire various combinations of Articles reporting upon Parts I and gas flames used to produce a high tem II of this extended research appeared perature, laying stress on the fact that on April 21, 1928, and Jan. 26, 1929. the higher the proportion of oxygen (See This J our., 1928, vol. 10, Abstr. used the more lead is given off into Section, pp. 216-217, and 1929, vol. the atmosphere as, e.g., with the oxy- 11, Abstr. Section, p. 158.) This con acetylene flame. He believes that the siderable article concerns weights of sole real protection of the person em eggs, the loss of weight during incuba ployed using this flame is the "fresh tion, and the weight of embryos. air irspirator," i.e., a facepiece with Throughout, the methods used are suitable tubing attached through carefully described, and the facts as which the wearer can breathe fresh certained are stated in tabular form. air from a distance of, say, 30 feet. The lead naturally present in the white- Provided the work is carried out in yolk was found to diminish during in lofty, well-ventilated rooms, danger to cubation from 0.08 mg. a t 6 days to other persons is not great as, owing to 0.005 at 20 days; meanwhile it in its weight, the amount of lead rapidly creased in the embryo from 0.0008 mg. diminishes at 1 or 2 meters' distance at 6 days to 0.08 a t 20 dayk, The from the burner. In Froboese's opin toxicity of lead compounds was tested ion no one should be allowed to do by injecting them into the air lock of autogenous soldering who is not wear the egg; the fat-soluble compounds ing a fresh air breathing apparatus, were found to be the least toxic, the whether locally applied exhaust venti order of decreasing toxicity being: lation is present or not. tiie chloride, carbonate, colloidal lead, Thirteen experiments altogether are sulphide, phosphate, stearate,'oleate, described, together with a minute glyceride, and the lecithin compound. account of the aspirating apparatus Lead was found to be present nor used and the method of determining mally in egg yolk in two forms, as the amount of lead found. Each ex lead oleate and as lead lecithin com periment lasted for two hours and pound.--E. L. C. from 3 to 5 cu. m. of air were aspirated. The T oxicity of Lead Sulphate In one experiment (repair work by in Comparison with T hat of Car burning off the lead with a flame of bonate of Lead (White Lead). L . hydrogen and oxygen in excess) 23.3 Schwarz and F. Sieke. Abstr. as fd - mg. in 10 cu. m. were found; in another lows from Klin. Wchnschr., 1928, vol. (metallization) 17.3; in two others 5.3 7, pp. 1836-1888, in Bull. Hyg., May, and 5.2, respectively; and in the re 1929, vol. 4, p. 424. mainder front 0.2 to 4.5 mg. per 10 The authors were asked to give a ou. m .--T. M .L . definite opinion os to the toxicity of ABSTI lead sulphate and, therefore, carried out comparative experiments with rabbits and cats feeding them with the Bulphate and carbonate. Analysis of the sulphate revealed 72.7 per cent, sulphate and 26.7 per cent, lead oxide, i.e., 73.3 per cent, total lead. The sample of white lead contained total lead equal to 79.2 per cent. The amount given in the food was 0.1 gm. per kilogram of weight daily for thirteen weeks; administration was then stopped as loss of weight, diminu- DUST HAZARDS AN D ust. C. 0 . Sappington. Health Practices Pamphlet No. 4>Nal. Safety Council, 1929, pp. 7. A popular review of the conclusions of various investigators with regard to the industrial dust problem--in particular: the inhalation of free silica, the importance of particle size and of the toxicity of the material breathed, the mechanism of dust absorption by the lungs, the percentage retention of the dust inhaled, the prevention of dust formation and diffusion, the re moval and collection of dusts and fumes, the advantages and limitations of masks and respirators, and the dust explosion hazard. The procedure followed by the 1 United States Public Health Service in their studies of the dusty trades is given.--T. H. H istochemical Study of Anthraco8 bi> Lxjho. A . Polieard and S . Doubrow. Presse mid., Ju ly 10,1929, pp. 905-907. The authors report further on^their ABSTRACTS 245 ad sulphate and, therefore, carried at comparative experiments with ibbits and cats feeding them with the alphate and carbonate. Analysis of he sulphate revealed 72.7 per cent, ulphate and 26.7 per cent, lead oxide, .e., 73.3 per cent, total lead. The ample of white lead contained total ead equal to 79.2 per cent. The amount given in the food was 9.1 gm. per kilogram of weight daily for thirteen weeks; administration was then stopped as loss of weight, diminu tion in the hemoglobin content of the blood, and more or less considerable punctate basophilia occurred in the animals. In other experiments larger doses were given. No significant differences were ob served and the authors conclude that "sulphate of lead and carbonate of lead, when given with the food, or absorbed from deposits placed in the subcutaneous cellular tissue, have, for practical purposes, equal toxicity." -- T. M. L. DUST HAZARDS AND THEIR EFFECTS Dust. C. 0 . Sappington. Health Practices Pamphlet No. 4, Hat. Safety Council, 9S9, pp. 7. A popular review of the conclusions of various investigators with regard to the industrial dust problem--in particular: the inhalation of free silica, the importance of particle size and of the toxicity of the material breathed, the mechanism of dust absorption by the lungs, the percentage retention of , the dust inhaled, the prevention of ; dust formation and diffusion, the re; moval and collection of dusts and 1 fumes, the advantages and limitations | of masks and respirators, and the dust ! 1explosion hazard. H ie procedure followed by the , United States Public Health Service i in their studies of the dusty trades is ; given.--T. H. | H istochemicau Study of Anthrak cosed Lung. A . Policard and S. j Doubrow. Presse mid., July W, 1929, [ pp. 905-907. * The authors report further on. their method of micro-incineration. A lung section placed on a elide is incinerated in a small electric furnace after which only inorganic cinders, still in their original position, are left. .Such a section 3 now compared with an un incinerated fellow, when the exact rela tion of inorganic matter to lung pig ment can be determined. The conclu sion is drawn th a t some lung pigment is derived from iron in the blood and is endogenous, but, especially in those exposed to occupational dusts, most pigment originates as inhaled dust and is exogenous. Hence, evidence is ob tained that dust is inhaled directly into the lungs, and th a t tubercle bacilli may be taken' in by the respiratory route. The article is illustrated.-- E. L. C. A Case of P ulmonary Asbestosis. TF. B. Wood and D. S . Page. Tuber cle, July, 1929, pp. 4&7-40O. f The clinical description and post mortem findings are given of a woman, aged 34, who worked from age 21 for THE JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE itory air because of the con- crystalline m ineral composed mainly tsly alternating inspiratory and of magnesium silicate. The author .tory movements and because of deals chiefly with radiographic appear lectric charges of the particles; ances and gives twelve illustrations. >rm of the particles also must be H e considers th a t pulmonary asbes i into consideration: flat scale tosis is a definite condition character ell-like particles are more easily ized b y progressive dyspnea which in suspension. The sedimenta- becomes extrem e; it is accompanied proceeds in direct ratio to the by cyanosis giving a leaden hue to the It of the particles and thus to the appearance. W asting is a notable sc of humectation of the particles feature, while cough is a variable to the slowing of the respiratory sym ptom . Clubbing of the fingers ements in the smaller bronchi. In m ay be present. Prognosis appears large bronchi the mucosa is pro- to b e grave owing to intervention of id by ciliary epithelium and a such diseases as pneumonia or bron r of mucus, and the particles chitis, or even tuberculosis, although ^itcd on it are rapidly expec the evidence is not quite definite as ted , without having penetrated to whether a patient with asbestosis i the pulmonary tissue; b u t in the is m ore liable th a n a normal person ill bronchioles there is no mucous to co n tract tuberculous infection. {inn and the epithelium is thin Skiagrams present shadows suggesting 1 easily traumatized by deposited a diffuse fibrosis affecting chiefly tid es, which thus come in contact th e lower tw o-thirds of the lungs. The h the underlying connective tissue striations form a fine network, like i are carried away by the macro th a t of a cobweb, which lacks the ages or forced into various parts of coarse q u a lity of silicosis.--E. L. C. i lungs by a continuous pulling of ancctive tissue caused by the ex- T he P resence of the Asbestos nsion and the retraction of the lungs F ibre in th e L esions of Asbestos ring respiration. Thus the mecha- W orkers. S . R. Gloyne. Tubercle, sm of penetration of the mineral par June, 1929, pp. ses into the pulmonary tissue seems T he a u th o r first examined powdered be of the same nature as the asbestos fibers, and then looked for echanism of migration o f a needle them in workers. H e found them in Produced under the skin.--K. R. D. asbestos corns or skin thickenings which are common among the workers, P ulmonary Asbestosis. W. B. in nose sw abs, in mouth washes, and Food. Tubercle, May, 1929, pp. 353- in sputum . B u t in no case were the 353. "curious bodies" seen found by others Some description is given of the in lungs. H e found them however in dinical condition of fifteen workers profusion in the lungs of one worker. ho came under observation after Careful exam ination of theae "curious ieing exposed for varying periods of bodies" w ith concentrated sulphuric lime to dust inhalation a t an asbestos acid showed th a t they were material-- factory. Asbestos is a fibrous and possibly blood pigment--deposited ABS round an asbestos fiber. How the are formed is not, however, discussed b u t a further communication dealin with cellular reaction to asbestos iliving tissues is promised.--E. L. C. D emonstration of th e P eculia Bodies of P ulmonary Asbestos: ("Asbestosis B odies" ) in M ateria Obtained by L ung P uncture anin the Sputum. M . J . Stewart an A . C. Haddow. Abslr. as follows froi Jour. Path, and Boot., 1929, vol. 32 p. 172, in Chem. Abstr., M ay 20,1921 vol. 23, p. 2482. The peculiar characteristic golde yellow bodies were found in two case OCCUPATIONAL AFFECTIONS 0 Aseptic N ecrosis by an Anilini P encil. P . Wilmoth. Presse mid. M ay 29, 1929, vol. 37, pp. 700-701. Iselin in 1927 reported in La Press,. Midicalc certain injuries arising from aniline pencils. Now P. Wilmoth de scribes a further case which war due to a portion of an aniline pencil penetrating the skin of the foot of young girl who was walking barefoo; across th e floor. A t first there watno pain; b u t te n days later the ski swelled and was found to be staineu a violet blue. F inally th e skin broke discharging purple fluid and leaving an ulcer with a necrotic blue-stained base. The ulcer showed no sign o. healing until all th e stained tissue had been excised. Apparently bits oi aniline under these circumstances pas.into solution and continue to kill th< tissues until they are removed. l i the present case no general symptom.were reported, although Iselin.m en- ABSTRACTS 211 d an asbestos fiber. How they ormed is not, however, discussed; a further communication dealing cellular reaction to asbestos in ig tissues is promised.--E. L. C. EMONSTHATION OF THE PECULIAR ies of P ulmonary Asbestosis sbestosis B odies' ') in M aterial ained by Lung P uncture and r a s Sputum. M . J . Stewart and 7. Haddow. Abstr. as follows from,' r. Path, and Bad., 1929, vol. 82, 72, in Chem. Abstr., M ay 20,1929, . 8, p. 482. 'he peculiar characteristic golden1 low bodies were found in two cases of pulmonary disease in individual persons who had worked with asbestos for several years.--P. D. T he Estimation of Silica in T is sues. E. J . K ing. Jour. Biol. Chem., Nov., 1928, vol. 80, pp. 25-81. "A micro method for the estimation of silica in anim al tissues, which de pends on the production of yellow silicomolybdic acid, has been de scribed. Evidence is produced to show th at the m ethod gives accurate results. "The silica content of some tissues has been estim ated; values are listed in tabular form." CUPATIONAL AFFECTIONS OF T H E SK IN AND SPECIA L SENSES \ septic N ecrosis by an Aniline ncil. P. Wilmoth, Presse mid., ly 29, 1929, vol. 87, pp. 700-701. iselin in 1927 reported in La Presse idicale certain injuries arising from iline pencils. Now P. Wilmoth de- sibes a further case which was is to a portion of an aniline pencil netrating the skin of the foot of a tung girl who was walking barefoot ross the floor. A t first there was i pain; but ten days later the skin relied and was found to be stained violet blue. Finally the skin broke, charging purple fluid and leaving a ulcer with a necrotic blue-stained ase. The ulcer showed no sign of ealing until all the stained tissue ad been excised. Apparently bits of niline under these circumstances pass ato solution and continue to kill the Issues until they are removed. In he present case no general symptoms vere reported, although Iselin. men-' tioned th a t headache, loss of appetite, and mild jaundice m ay occur. Nor is reference made to using ultraviolet rays to hasten healing of the wound-- treatm ent which Iselin found of value. --E. L. C. G ross and M icroscopic Changes in the Skin P roduced by X -R ays and by L ipoid Solvents. L . H. Jorstad and C. W . Lane. Arch. Der mal. and Syph., June, 1929, vol. 19, pp. 954-967. The conclusions are given as follows: Active preeancerous lesions histologi cally have been produced in the skin of the white rat by repeated painting with a diluted ta r p re p a ra tio n . The same type of lesion is produced by a single exposure of unfiltered x-rays, or by combining the two. procedures. In observing the histologie ehanges produced by these procedures a t different intervals throughout the period of experiment, further evidence was gained that eoal tar, allied substances such as THE JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE :Osvaldo. Abstr. asfollowsfrom Ann. ottal., Feb., 1988, vol. 56, p. 154, in m. Jour. Ophlh., No., 1988, vol. 11, 988. A man having the care of war pro file s undertook by means of a lathe >cut off the point of a hand grenade hich was filled with phosgene gas, uislng it to explode. He received ie full effect of the contents in his use and eyes and was immediately aveloped in a mist of gas. The face nd lids became red and swollen; the ornea opaque with necrosis of the pithelium such as commonly follows a acid bum. The opacity prevented view of the iris or pupil. In a few ays the injury was followed by a ieep infiltration, comeal ulceration, nd hypopyon, with prolapse of the ndobulbar tissues and loss of the eye. it the end of the year there was ymblepharon and adhesion of the rbital tissues. The result was so much more serious than that usually following an injury from phosgene gas that the author concludes that the gas must have had in it some bromine and chlorine to produce so serious an effect. Splenomedullary Leukaemia in an X R ay Worker. W. H. Evans and R. E. Roberts. Lancet, Oct. 18, 1988, vol. 8, pp. 748-751. A case is reported of typical myeloid leukemia of fourteen years' standing in an X-ray worker. Then all evi dence previously published associating radiations with leukemia is critically reviewed; eleven cases were found, including two in radium and thorium workers. Finally the authors hold that the small number of cases makes it impossible to exclude coincidence, and pronounce the case against radia tions as a cause of leukemia to be "not proven."--E. L. C. DUST HAZARDS AND THEIR EFFECTS Explobibility o r Sulfide Dusts n Metal Mines. E. D. Gardner tnd E. Stem. U. S. Bur. Mines Rep. Investigations, Serial No. 8868, 1988, op. 11; abstr. as follows in Chem. Abstr., Nov. 80, 1988, vol. 88, p. 4880. Explosions have occurred in blasting n massive sulphide ores of greater magnitude than could be accounted ibr by the charge of explosive used in making the blast. During regular blasting in such ores sulphide dust is produced and scattered about the mine, while sulphur dioxide and hydro gen sulphide appear in the atmosphere. In these occasional heavy blasts the concentration of sulphur dioxide in the after-atmosphere is very high. Gallery tests show th at sulphide dusts can be ignited by blasting and th a t the combustion may be violent enough to be considered an explosion but it was not shown if such explosions are selfpropagating. To prevent these explo sions, settled dust should not be allowed to accumulate. Ail working places should be thoroughly wetted by sprinkling before the bore holes are loaded. And bore holes should be steamed and tamped to the collar. t A Cabb o r Pneumoconiosis. Re- j sult o r the Inhalation o r Asbestos ! D ust. H .E . Seiler. Brit. Med. Jour., I Dee. 1,1988, vol. 8, p. 988. A case is reported of extensive ABSTRA pulmonary fibrosis ascribed to inhal- 1 ing asbestos dust. The fibrotic con- 1 dition resembled that produced by ? silica dust, when seen by radiograph. 1. The patient was a man aged 40 years, who for twenty-two years had been employed in th e asbestos industry. : He sought advice on account of chest r symptoms associated with lassitude, OCCUPATIONAL AFFECTIONS OF ri I ndustrial Skin Lesions from Salts o r Antimony in the T extile Industry. A . B . Sdisky. Abstr. as follows from Dermal. Wchnschr., 1988, voi 86, pp. 783-787, in Bull. Hyg., Feb., 1989, vol. 4, p. 170. The author describes occurrence of some 200 cases (including relapses) of industrial skin lesions due to the use as a mordant of solutions of salts of antimony in cloth dyeing. The form assumed was a pustular, necrotic dermatitis commencing usually as a folliculitis and ending in an atrophic scar. Usually the arms were affected. A perifollicular abscess formation was found histologically. Etiologically the author believes that acid intermediate products, which are formed when antimony salts are used for mordanting, were responsible for the trouble. The condition was much the worst in the summer months and, in order to neutralize the excess of intermediate products, the author commended addition of chalk. This step was followed by notable remis sion] After four months the chalk was given up on technical grounds, when the cases again became more numerous. Use of indiarubber gloves and smear- ABSTRACTS 125 pulmonary fibrosis ascribed to inhal ing asbestos dust. The fibrotic con dition resembled th at produced by silica dust, when seen by radiograph. The patient was a man aged 40 years, who for twenty-two years had been employed in the asbestos industry. He sought advice on account of chest symptoms associated with lassitude, loss of weight, and night sweating. No tubercle bacilli were found, and his clinical condition is ascribed to his occupational hazard.--E. L. C. Clinical P icture op P neumonokoniosis. G. Schellenberg. Beilr. , . t. K lin. d. Tuberk., June 29,1928, vol. 69 p. 498 OCCUPATIONAL AFFECTIONS OF THE SKIN AND SPECIAL SENSES I ndustrial Skin Lesions from Salts of Antimony in the T extile Industry. A . B. Selisky. Abstr. aa follows from Dermal. Wchnschr., 1928, vol. 86, pp. 72S-727, in Bull. Hyg., Feb., 1929, vol. 4, p. 170. The author describes occurrence of some 200 cases (including relapses) of industrial skin lesions due to the use as a mordant of solutions of salts of antimony in cloth dyeing. The form assumed was a pustular, necrotic dermatitis commencing usually as a folliculitis and ending in an atrophic scar. Usually the arms were affected. A perifollicular abscess formation was found histologically. Etiologically the author believes that acid intermediate products, which are formed when antimony salts are used for mordanting, were responsible for the trouble. The condition was much the worst in the summer months and, in order to neutralize the excess of Mid intermediate products, the author 'recommended addition of chalk. This step was followed by'notable remis sioni After four months the chalk was given up on technical grounds, when the cases again became more numerous. Use of indiarubber gloves and smear ing the skin with vaseline is naturally of value.--T. M. L. Lesions D ue to Copying-Pencils. G. Marsiglia. Abstr. as follows from Riforma med., 1928, vol. 44, pp. 1808, 1811-1818, in Bud. Hyg., Feb., 1929, vol. 4, P-179. Erdheim, a surgeon of Vienna, was the first to call attention to the dele terious effects of aniline dyes on living tissues, in 1914 and 1920. By experi ment on guinea-pigs, rats, and rabbits, he showed th a t when small fragments of sterilized copying-pencils were intro duced beneath the skin of the abdomen, a cyst formed round th e foreign body and the color was diffused into the surrounding tissues and produced a wide necrosis. Fragments of green pencils produced the least injury, the violet were the most severe, gentian violet much less than methyl violet. A fragment of 2 sq. mm. of the last caused a zone of necrosis 3 cm. in diameter. Cicatrization did not take place until the whole of the necrotized tissue had been eliminated. In addi tion to the local lesions signs of intoxication might also occur, if the dose was a large one, leading to a fatal issue, and, postmortem, lesions of