Lead poisoning and lead absorption : $b The symptoms, pathology and prevention, with special reference to their industrial origin, and an account of the principal processes involving riskLegge, Thomas Morison, Sir
Science
Lead poisoning and lead absorption : $b The symptoms, pathology and prevention, with special reference to their industrial origin, and an account of the principal processes involving risk
Legge, Thomas Morison, Sir
Lead poisoning
It includes also a number of cases which were reported previous
to 1905 in the markers of testing ranges at a small-arms factory.
Duckering[38], who investigated these cases, found that the bullets
were stopped by dry sand in boxes 8 feet long. On entering the sand
the bullets became disintegrated, so that, after being in use for some
time, the sand contained a large amount of lead, and had to be removed.
In doing this the box was turned over, and the sand deposited on the
floor immediately behind the targets. The lead was then separated by
sifting by hand, and the sand used over again. In these operations much
floating dust was produced, which was inhaled by the markers, who stood
in an open trench immediately in front of and below the targets.
=Metallic Capsules.=--Some cases have occurred from the manufacture
of capsules for bottles. The capsule consists of a lead leaf rolled
between two leaves of tin. Cases arising in the early processes of
casting and rolling do not differ from those described as due to
contact with molten metal and handling of lead. The most difficult to
deal with are those which occur in the final process of cleaning and
colouring. Before colouring with varnish paint, the capsule is placed
on a rapidly revolving lathe, and the hand of the worker, carrying a
cloth containing whitening, is placed lightly on the capsule. A slight
amount of dust is inevitably raised, and this dust, collected from the
bench, was found to contain from 11·5 to 25·6 per cent. of lead; while
dust which had settled on a beam 9 feet from the floor contained 9·3
per cent. Of thirty-one workers employed in cleaning and colouring,
fifteen showed evidence of lead absorption in a blue line on the gums,
and in one there was considerable weakness of the left wrist. Similar
experience of lead poisoning in this industry has been noted in German
and Austrian factories.
Periodical medical examination at quarterly intervals has been
instituted in the principal factory, with good results, as it enables
those who show early signs of lead absorption to be transferred to
other processes. Exhaust ventilation has been tried, but, except at the
few lathes where cleaning alone is done, without complete success, in
view of the nature of the work.
=Shot-making.=--Cases in shot-making arise from the dust given off when
sifting the shot into different sizes--an operation which should be
carried on in sieves entirely closed in and under negative pressure.
Dust collected from the glass casing over a sifting machine contained
60·3 per cent. of metallic lead. The sample was free from arsenic.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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