| Show ONE NE SESSION I t IUD FIGHT I Ii u ua PO PON N DISEASE I M a A Against gamst Maladies a I ales d. d of F Industry Told I by Experts By BOB HALE HALEl l Cher e battle against disease I steed sed by y mining operations 1 e efforts of th the i industry 9 stry I IJ J i ie government to lo V J s rimes ll se who suffer as a result ol of ri went under expert x ert Wednesday at the fifth ion n of the sixth annu annual l ex- ex on ex-on and convention cf of the thee X-I X e can Mining eon congress congress' g r e s' s V i turn mn tern division to the convention 1 d their attention to the all all- subject of health s n mining when they con- con the morning session in I minerals minerals building at the state gro hey h hey were given an exhaustive ht into hygienic matters as asle le lied to mining and into the ns that have been madet made t re e being made for the com- com Julion and treatment of work- work l vho contract maladies pear peto pe- pe ar arito to th the Industry II Jf Rattle Battle Outlined peckers were Theodore C C. Wa- Wa from Baltimore Md spoke on A Critical Review Occupational Disease Legisla- Legisla I ij and Dr LeRoy U U. U Gardner etor of the Edward L L. Tru- Tru u at the Saranac oratories who discussed Air Airlene J lene e in the Mining Industry rom Dr Gardner the mining by his knowledge t the e problem of industrial dis- dis Tand and the efforts of science to tol l Fat at it It Technical at times tines talk lalk lk was a thorough discus- discus lot f a problem that recently come ome to face American indus- indus that hat of occupational disease ady dy met and largely overcome he nation is the problem of in- in trial accidents but that of oc- oc Honal disease is a more re- re tf one that has been control contro- contro l ted d in many a state legislature Wing fading Utah's lice e his topic was of prime nest st Mj-st t to the mining executives f e all aU higher animals man solved In an environment poly pol pol- dby y variable amounts of dust M Continued on P PI Page K e EI Eight ht K Column Three Outline Battle Against N Nemesis of Miners Y Miners Y y Ned yu f 3 n n N A I LEADS IN N MINING 1 SESSION DEVOTED TO HEALTH PROBLEMS lS OF INDUSTRY Theodore Theodor C. C Waters left F. F S. S 1 session chairman and Dr L LeRoy Roy U. U Gardner Mine Min e Congress Reviews Gains in War on Disease Continued from Page One Dr Gardner said As a consequence consequence consequence conse conse- quence he has developed mechanisms mechanisms isms sms which prevent his his lungs from becoming clogged with foreign materials materIals ma- ma which would interfere with theIr heir proper function These combined mechanisms p pro r o v I ide d e adequate protection against ordinary at atmospheric pollution pollution pol- pol lution ution but industry thoughtlessly has las created such high concentrations concentrations ions of dust in the atmosphere that hat the protective devices fail and dust often accumulates inside the lungs Mining is one of the oldest industries in- in industries industries in in- where hazards of this kind have lave occurred largely because of the he lack of ventilation For centuries centuries cen- cen uries diseases of the lungs were accepted as an inevitable consequence consequence conse- conse quence of underground employ employ- ment The introduction of machinery machinery machinery ma ma- chinery and particularly the pneumatic pneumatic pneumatic matic drill created so much disease disease disease dis dis- dis- dis ease that the problem became becam serious se- se serious serious se se- rious to management Malady Com Combated ted Such a situation together with witha a general awakening of social consciousness consciousness consciousness con con- during the last 40 years led ed to a demand for remedial mea mea- It resulted in an Intensive intensive intensive sive survey of the incidence and cause of miners consumption As a consequence of this study it t is now accepted that all dusts are not equally dangerous that free Tee silica usually lly as quartz or flint is the preeminent cause of disease that while free silica produces severe severe reactions inthe in inthe the he lungs silicosis itself does not kill cill its may not even disable them and finally that silicosis silicosis sil- sil is particularly arly dangerous because because because be be- cause It predisposes its victims to tuberculosis infection Dr Gardner noted steps forward forward forward for for- ward in handling of silicosis and ana described the various arious patterns of the he disease Fundamental findings find find- ings he said sald shave have made it possible possible ble le to interpret X-ray X pictures Fret Prevention A cure for established silicosis silicosis silicosis sili sili- is hardly within the realm of possibility for the disease when recognized clinically consists of Innumerable nodules of scar tissue tissue tissue sue sea scattered t t ere d throughout the lun lungs lunes s. s he said These scars pro pro- lun lungs lunes s. s he said These scars pro pro- produced produced by the action of silica are composed of like leatherlike fibrous tissue issue which is much more dense than han scars of ot any other origin No drug or other form of treatment treatment treatment treat treat- ment now known could dissolve them Dr Gardner held that prevention prevention tion is the only reliable means of Others tin I this audience he told told told-Ms his listeners are experts Inthe in inthe inthe the use o of waters lei ventilation and respirators toT prevent dust from forming the lungs of miners fw Quest Continues The physicians physician's part spart in prevention prevention prevention tion Is equally Important His ills findings in the lungs of exposed workmen are proof of a hazard He must detect evidence of complicating complicating complicating com com- infection and determine whether disability exists He must decide decade whether men with different different different differ differ- ent degrees of pulmonary involvement Involvement involvement involve Involve- ment should work His is Ls the re responsibility responsibility responsibility re- re of controlling the spread of Infection which means supervision not only of the work work- men but of the entire community in which they live New methods of control Dr Gardner said are under investigation tion but still stUl are in experimental stages While enough knowledge has accumulated to control silicosis inmany Inmany in inmany many industries there are still essential essential essential es es- es- es details that are lacking he asserted The question of Individual individual individual ual susceptibility remains an enigma enigma enigma enig enig- ma although its solution is of utmost utmost utmost ut ut- ut- ut most practical significance Legislation Reviewed Mr Waters in his review of occupational occupational occupational oc oc- oc- oc disease legislation said that many such laws recently passed have developed defects necessitating necessitating necessitating ne ne- ne- ne amendments State laws are not now uniform uniform uniform uni uni- form but basic principles them he said Each of two systems of occupational occupational occupational disease compensation has its advantages he reported referring to the schedule system setting getting up up compensation rates rates rates' for specified diseases and the general coverage coverage coverage cover cover- age plan The former he said has the effect of reducing the cost of Insurance Insurance in insurance In- In while the latter makes all occupational diseases For Administration Discussing best methods of administering administering administering ad ad- ministering such legislation he said that no better agency could be had than a trained medical board able to pass upon medical questions He proposed that at present occupational occupational occupational oc oc- oc- oc d disease I 1 s eo e a s e legislation should not include compensation for partial disability for silicosis This he said should be delayed until until until un un- un- un til a means Is found for successfully successfully successfully success success- fully evaluating effects of this malady The convention hall at the minerals minerals minerals min min- building was again filled for forthe forthe forthe the session while downstairs on the ground floor the metal mining exposition continued to attract hundreds of visitors F. F S. S vice president and general manager of western operations operations operations opera opera- United States Smelting Refining Refining Refining Re Re- fining and Mining company presIded presided presided pre pre- sided at the session |
