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La Medicina Del Lavoro Dec 2019.
UNLABELLED
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BACKGROUND:
The Clinica del Lavoro of Milan provided several contributions to industrial hygiene and occupational toxicology during the twentieth century.
OBJECTIVES:
Describe the first years of the laboratory of industrial hygiene of Milan through three figures who played a leading role: Enrico Carlo Vigliani, Nicola Zurlo and Gianmario Cavagna.
METHODS:
Scientific literature of the period 1948-1970 was investigated, also interviewing first-hand witnesses of that period.
RESULTS:
Enrico Vigliani was the first European scholar to understand the importance of a laboratory of industrial hygiene within his institution. Thanks to the support of private (Montecatini) and public (INAIL) institutions he succeeded in creating a laboratory in 1948. Nicola Zurlo, who directed this structure in the first thirty years, conducted innovative studies on chronic mercury intoxication, lead intoxication and silicosis, designing and creating instruments for capturing and analyzing atmospheric dust and protection devices. He conducted analysis of the health effects of organophosphorus insecticides and started to study the air pollution. Zurlo also provided an epistemological and methodological content to the discipline. Gianmario Cavagna, one of the first Italian toxicologists, contributed to the discovery of the origin of fevers caused by the inhalation of metal fumes and to the studies on the pathogenesis of byssinosis, hypothesizing a role of bacterial endotoxins in the genesis of this disease.
CONCLUSIONS:
The contributions provided by these three protagonists to industrial hygiene and occupational toxicology were relevant and made in those years the Clinica del Lavoro of Milan as a landmark, not only in Italy but also abroad.
Topics: History, 20th Century; Humans; Italy; Laboratories; Lead Poisoning; Occupational Health; Occupational Medicine
PubMed: 31846445
DOI: 10.23749/mdl.v110iS1.8875 -
International Journal of Occupational... 2016Prior studies have been performed on cotton textile plants throughout the world. This study was planned to identify the rate of byssinosis and chronic obstructive...
OBJECTIVES
Prior studies have been performed on cotton textile plants throughout the world. This study was planned to identify the rate of byssinosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in hemp and jute workers and those who worked with both of them.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
The study was realized in a factory which consecutively processed hemp and jute. The study enrollment included 266 people, 164 of whom were active workers and 102 were retired. A questionnaire, plain chest X-rays, physical examination and pulmonary function tests were performed. Dust levels were measured in various sections of the factory during 8 h work shifts. Endotoxin levels of various quality hemp fibers and dusts were measured.
RESULTS
The rate of byssinosis (28.2%) was higher among the workers that who exposed to both jute and hemp dust. The frequency of chronic bronchitis in retired workers who previously smoked was higher (20%) as compared to currently smoking workers (17%). High dust levels were measured in some parts of the factory (mean (M) = 2.69 mg/m3). Working in dense dust areas, active smoking, being older than 40 years of age, being an ex-smoker, and working in the factory for a period exceeding 15 years were significantly associated with bronchitis and emphysema development. High endotoxin levels were determined for fine hemp dust (605 EU/mg), coarse hemp dust (336 EU/mg) and poor quality hemp fibers (114 EU/mg), whereas in fresh hemp stalks the level of endotoxin was determined to be lower (0.27 EU/mg).
CONCLUSIONS
Because of high exposures to jute and hemp dusts that are associated with high byssinosis rates, personal protection and environmental hygiene is crucial to prevention of byssinosis.
Topics: Adult; Bronchitis; Byssinosis; Cannabis; Corchorus; Dust; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Occupational Diseases; Occupational Exposure; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive; Textile Industry
PubMed: 26489943
DOI: 10.13075/ijomeh.1896.00512 -
British Journal of Industrial Medicine Oct 1960The symptoms of byssinosis were produced experimentally in one of three cotton-mill workers with pronounced byssinosis, by a dust prepared from leaves of cotton plants....
The symptoms of byssinosis were produced experimentally in one of three cotton-mill workers with pronounced byssinosis, by a dust prepared from leaves of cotton plants. Dusts of calcium carbonate, bacteria, and fungi did not reproduce the symptoms. Two mild cases of byssinosis and two cases of chronic bronchitis did not react specifically to any of these dusts.
Topics: Byssinosis; Textile Industry
PubMed: 13778563
DOI: 10.1136/oem.17.4.307 -
Inquiry : a Journal of Medical Care... 2022Workers in the textile industry risk developing various respiratory and pulmonary diseases due to exposure to cotton dust. The particles from the cotton lint are inhaled...
BACKGROUND
Workers in the textile industry risk developing various respiratory and pulmonary diseases due to exposure to cotton dust. The particles from the cotton lint are inhaled by the workers and results in the breathing problems including asthma, shortness of breath, cough and tightness in the chest. The poor health of labor contributes to the low productivity of the labor and in serious cases loss of jobs leading to the poverty.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the prevalence of respiratory symptoms among the textile workers and associated community. To contrast the health profiles of the textile workers, associated community and the control group to factor out any confounding factors.
METHODS
This study explores the health profiles of the textile workers and associated community and contrast them against the health profile of the control group to factor out any confounding factors. The study is conducted on cotton industry in Kasur, Pakistan. We interviewed 207 workers, 226 people from associated community (living in vicinities of weaving units) and 188 people for control group (from areas far away from weaving units and people are not associated with weaving industry) based on stratified random sampling technique. We employed descriptive methods and logistic regression to explore the association between respiratory diseases and weaving workers.
RESULTS
Overall, prevalence of postnasal drip, byssinosis, asthma, and chronic bronchitis were 47%, 35%, 20%, and 10%, respectively, among the workers. These percentages are significantly higher than the control group. An additional year of work increase the risk of postnasal drip, byssinosis, asthma, and chronic bronchitis by 5-6%. Among workers, 43% and 21% feel difficulty in hearing against noisy background and at low volume, respectively. Due to bad light arrangements at workstations, 21% and 31% workers are suffering from myopia and hyperopia, respectively. Proportions of the workers suffering from continuous headache, skin infection, depression, and low back pain are 28%, 29%, 27%, and 44%, respectively. Chi-square test results confirms that no confounding factor like air pollution is involved in this cause-and-effect study implying the association between the cotton dust and associated diseases is not spurious.
CONCLUSION
Respiratory symptoms were statistically significantly more common in the weaving workers compared to control group. Better environment at workstations, use of protective gears and education are the factors which reduce the risk of associated diseases among workers.
Topics: Asthma; Bronchitis, Chronic; Byssinosis; Cotton Fiber; Dust; Humans; Occupational Exposure; Textiles
PubMed: 35604168
DOI: 10.1177/00469580221088626 -
British Medical Journal Jul 1958
Topics: Byssinosis; Pneumoconiosis
PubMed: 13560832
DOI: No ID Found -
Transactions of the American Clinical... 1949
PubMed: 21407719
DOI: No ID Found -
British Medical Journal Jan 1943
PubMed: 20784632
DOI: No ID Found -
British Journal of Industrial Medicine Oct 1974
Topics: Byssinosis; Disability Evaluation; Eligibility Determination; Humans; Occupational Diseases; Pneumoconiosis; United Kingdom
PubMed: 4425635
DOI: 10.1136/oem.31.4.322