Health of workers in chromate producing industry : a study.

  • United States. Public Health Service. Division of Occupational Health.
Date:
1953]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Health of workers in chromate producing industry : a study. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    95/156 (page 81)
    Observing findings of a tuberculosis survey carried out by the Denver Tri-County Chest Survey (92) in 1949, including some 324,000 people, we find the rate per 10,000 persons for active, far-advanced tuberculosis to be 3; for active, moderately advanced to be 5; for active, minimal to be 2; for questionably active, far advanced to be 1; for questionably active, moderately advanced to be 8; and for questionably active, minimal to be 7; for inactive, far advanced to be 5 and for inactive moderately advanced to be 31; as compared to no instances among the chromate workers. However, the rate for inactive, minimal tuberculosis was 65 per 10,000 in the Denver survey as compared to 110 per 10,000 among chromate workers. Thus, one can note that the severity of tuberculosis is less among the chromate workers. One would anticipate an apparent low prevalence of tuberculosis in both the chromate and nonchromate groups as compared to the prevalence in routine mass screening surveys. In one such survey a rate of 11.6 cases of active tuberculosis per 10,000 men of similar age is reported (93). The chromate plants have a periodic (six months to a year) X-ray examination of the chest for all their employees. This, over a period of time, would tend to _ decrease the number of active cases of tuberculosis that may be found in this group of employees as compared to others where such a program is not in operation. Cardiovascular findings Criteria and method.—The criteria for interpreting symptoms and signs and diagnosis for heart disease were those of the New York Heart Asso- ciation (94). Parts of the general physical examination with reference to the cardio- vascular system included the palpation and auscultation of the heart, blood serological test for syphilis, and chest roentgenogram taken at 6 foot target distance. The lack of an electrocardiogram, as well as the inability to study the worker on more than one occasion, is acknowledged. In all the chromate-producing plants as well as in the plants where non- chromate groups were selected, preplacement examinations which included evaluation of the cardiovascular system were required. Therefore the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases in these groups would be anticipated to be lower than that found in a similar age group of male workers who do not undergo such a screening procedure. Heart disease-——Of a total of 653 white chromate workers 21, or 3.2 percent, were diagnosed as having heart disease. Nine had hypertensive heart disease, eight had arteriosclerotic heart disease, three had rheumatic heart disease and one had syphilitic heart disease. In the 244 colored chromate workers 9, or 3.7 percent, were diagnosed as having heart disease. Five had hypertensive heart disease, three had syphilitic heart disease and one had rheumatic heart disease. The median age of the 21 white chromate workers with heart disease was 59.1 years, whereas that of the nine colored workers with heart disease was 43.3 years. The higher prevalence and 8]