The Washington times., 1910-05-16
POISONOUS GASES
TO BE COHBATED
Bureau of Labor Issues Bull
letin on Industrial
Dangers.
PHOSPHORUS FUMES
ATTACK JAW BONES
Employers and Employees Often
Ignorant of Deleterious
Effects On Body.

The grave danger 70 the health OF In
dustrisl workers In this and other coun-
tries arising from the presence Of indus
trial poisoos Is discussed at length IN the
latest bulletin OF he Bureau OF Labor
Of the Department Of Commerce and
Labor.
From the bulletin In question, however,
Il appears that IL has become recognized
as a question Of the utmost importance
with respect to the welfare Of the men
and women employed IN many lines OF
industry.
Destroys System.
Those substances designated as indus
trial poisons are products that encanEsr
By chemical processes the working ca
pacItv of the laborer. through their use
{n auv line Of industry. This deletertOus
chemical effect ARIES from the fact that
certain gaseous fluids or solids which Sc
cure entrance TO the body. regardless OF
the manner Of their entry. cause chcT1i-
cal reactions with TIE compounds OF els-
nents of the body, thus lessen!ng OF &c
stroying the efficiency OF the DOclly sl7-
Pecog1ition Is difficult for all mater
fals which after q long period OF con
..nuous entry into the system, graolsily
develop their effects In the rSc9 snllse4
aCuitv frfses that not all persons react
in the same name when polsons are
absorbed, so that one person MAJ. apps
entity remain perfectly vel. anotneF nay
be slightly gu, while q tnlro may PI77'7-'
the severest symptoms
II IS suggested that compulsory re
ports should be made on slscn polsollS
whose effects are more or less s14LLls
defned. such poisoEs include lead, phos-
phorus. quicksilver arsenic, cIFc-ill0ll;
the carbonic oxides. anilines. ana severa1
others. That tn employer shoulo . r.
ouired 70 report the manufacture OF use
OF industrial poisCns IS one suggestion
made for helping to combat lnouSIri=l
diseases. II is pointed out tie chlsL
share In the prevention Of Industrial pol
sons falls to factory owners and man
ayers Of Industries The Bureau OF La
Dor holds r. 10 be 70 the interest OF the
eu1ulCver TO see that industrial poison
ing is avoided and his employees kept IL
good health. Much responsibility also,
{ according TO the bureau. rests On TIE
( Government fectOry inspectors some
other Governments have gone Tar n TIE
direction % protecting the workers For
instance. for q number OF industries the
appointment Of factory physicians 3 pre-
scrfbed by law IN Germany Il IS Their
DUTY 70 make a physical examination Of
each new worker and watch over the
health OF those exposed TO danger BY the
I industry,
Phosphorus Poisoning
Illustrating the importance Of this
question OF industrial poisoning is
report on phosphorus poisoning IN the
match industry Of the United States
/ The results OF an investigation recently
made by Dr.. John B Andrews, secretary
Of the American association FOR Labor
/ LEGISLATION. IL cooperation with the Bu-
reau Of Labor. are published It appears
the Manufacture OF matches where white
/ phosphorus is used, as IN AL American
/ factories. exposes all employees who
come IN contact with the phosphorus OF
1 its fumes TO the dangers OF phosphorus
/ necrosis
/ The phosphorus most frequently al
lacks the iawbones and not tnfreq1ently
/ necessitates removal Of an entire Jaw b.
/ q surgical operation The Investigation
| Of fifteen American match factories In
/ 1S9. proved that in spite OF modern
methods and precautions. phosphorus
/ poisoning in the most serious form oc-
! ours IN this country and s. per cent Of
/ the workers are employed under condi-
/ tons exposing them to the fumes am
I the dangers Of phosphorus poisoning
1 Women and children are much more eX-
posed to the dangers than the men IN
some instances. employees have been iE-
+ norant OF the dangers Even employers
| IN some cases have been ignorant OF the
1 dangers involved