Mortality from respiratory diseases in dusty trades (inorganic dusts) / by Frederick L. Hoffman.

  • Frederick Ludwig Hoffman
Date:
[1918]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Mortality from respiratory diseases in dusty trades (inorganic dusts) / by Frederick L. Hoffman. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    18/470 (page 12)
    ending with 1914. This reduction in the death rate has, hoATever, only to a limited degree affected the persons most seriously concerned— the AAmrkmen and AAmrkAAmmen employed in the so-called dusty trades. On the basis of a conseiwative estimate it appears that of the 44,130,000 xVmerican AAUige earners of both sexes, approximately 4,000,000, or 9.06 per cent, AAmrk under conditions more or less detrimental to health and life on account of atmospheric pollution or the relatiA^ely excessiAU presence of atmospheric impurities predisposing to, or accelerating the relative frequency of, tuberculous and nontuberculous respiratory diseases. WAGE EARNERS IN DUSTY TRADES. Table 1 presents the details of this estimate for the seA^en recognized branches of industry more or less exposing to health-injurious dust and fumes. Table 1.—AMERICAN AVAGE EARNERS EMPLOYED IN DUSTY INDUSTRIES. TRADES, AND OCCUPATIONS. [Compiled from Report of Bureau of the Census on Occupation Statistics, 1910. For occupations included, see pp. 40-50.] Trade group. Males. Females. Number. Per cent. Number. Per cent. L Metallic dust . 258,454 7.9 33,255 4.9 2. Mineral dust. 514, 693 15.8 15,332 2.3 3. Mineral industries. 844,897 25.9 550 .1 4. A'egetable fiber dust . 336,323 10.3 296,135 44.0 h. Animal and mixed fiber dust . 183,937 5.6 149, 262 22.2 6. Organic dust . 531,911 16.3 177, 545 26.4 7. Alixed organic and inorganic (public) dusts. 594,285 18.2 1,399 .2 Total. 3,264,500 100.0 673,478 100.0 This formidable array of employments Avith exposure, more or less, to health-injurious conditions, attributable chiefly to the single factor of dust in its varied forms, suggests the practical importance of consideration, by those qualifled, not only of the eAudence itself, but also of the methods and means by Avhich a truly deplorable situation can be brought effectiA^ely under administratiA^e control.^ 1 It has been pointed out in this connection that the “ irnportance of dust of various kinds as a causative factor in respiratory diseases is being borne in upon us with greater weight. Heim and Agasse-Lafont {Arch. gen. de mcd., 1914), after reviewing the various ill effects of industrial dusts, came to the conclusion that the classification should not rest upon the origin of the dust, but rather upon the nature of its harmful influence. They recognize dusts of an active and of a passive nature. The effects of the first are toxic, predisposing or infectious, while the dusts acting passively act by their mere presence as foreign bodies upon the surfaces of the respiratory system. These passively acting materials may be of soft or hard consistency. The latter are more effective in bringing about the common chronic pneumoconiosis. They point out that the active agents are by far the most important in bringing about the acute respiratory diseases of which pneumonia and acute bronchitis are the most frequent. They do not follow the chronic lesions resulting from passive agents to a conclusion to illustrate the increased predisposition of the damaged tissues to other secondary processes.”