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

  • Hoffman, Frederick L. (Frederick Ludwig), 1865-1946.
Date:
[1918]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

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

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    pulmonary tuberculosis. In the investigation of the royal commis¬ sion on the ventilation and sanitation of mines in West Australia much the same conclusion was arrived at, to the effect that ‘‘ Some of the cases investigated were of the purely tubercular type, but in the majority there had apparently been fibrosis of the lung followed by tubercular infection of the damaged lung.” And Sir Thomas Oliver quotes Prof. O. J. Hamilton in the statement that ^Hoal miners’ phthisis is not a tuberculous process but has more the character of an asceptic slough due to the altered condition of the organ. In the case of the stonemason’s lung, on the contrary, a complication with tubercle, at the time of death, or for some time before it, is frequently met with, accompanied by the expectoration of tubercle bacilli.” The correct ascertainment of either condition is frequently quite difficult, even on the part of an experienced medical practitioner. Bacilli are rare and so-called giant cells are only oecasionally observed. All the evidence, however, may be summed up in the statement that when pulmonary tuberculosis is actually present in the lungs of persons who have died of pneumoconiosis, “ the fibrosis is the result of a primary irritation induced by dust, and that the pulmonary tuberculosis is secondary and accidental.” MORTALITY OF MINERS AND QUARRYMEN—-UNITED STATES REGISTRA¬ TION AREA. The most recent American vital statistics of miners and quarry- men are limited to the two years 1908 and 1909, no subsequent analysis of the data having been made by the division of vital statistics of the United States Census Bureau. The mortality of miners and quar- rymen is combined, so the statistics are, therefore, of rather limited usefulness. In the aggregate there were 10,800 deaths from all causes, of which 948, or 8.8 per cent, were from pulmonary tuberculosis. The details of the mortality, by divisional periods of life, are ffiven in Table-126: Tarle 126.—PROPORTIONATE MORTALITY OP MINERS AND QUARRYMEN FROM PUL- MONARY TUBERCULOSIS, UNITED STATES REGISTRATION AREA 1908 AND 1909 BY AGE GROUPS. Age at death. Deaths from all causes. Deaths from pulmo¬ nary tuberculosis. Number. Per cent of deaths from all causes. 15 to 24 years. 1.491 2,184 2,122 1,869 1,430 1,657 47 88 151 235 214 168 88 4 5.9 6.9 11.1 11.4 11.7 5.3 8.3 25 to 34 years. 35 to 44 years... 45 to 64 years. 65 to 64 years... 65 years and over. Age unknown. Total, 15 years and over. 10,800 948 8.8