The sun., 1912-07-14
WORKERS. PER|lS NO
LAW CAN PREVENT
Lead Poisoning a Disease Very
Common to Shelters. Paint
ers and Plumbers.
OFTEN 4 CAUSE OF PALSY
Foreign Laws Prohibiting Use
of Ingredients Harmful
to Health.

: Despite all the precautions and safe
guards that are employed to protect
workers, they are subject to many dam
gers and diseases which 1t is almost
( impossible to prevent. The following
are specific examples of Industrial
disease:
/ Lead poisoning recognized In It's
forms of lead collie. lead tremor ana
! lead palsy-is a disease common to all
workers dealing with lead. Such occu-
pations comprise the smelling OF lead
ore in the mines. the manufacture OK
red and white lead, china. carthenware,
glass. and the use of paints, as In car
rage making. shipbuilding ana houso
decorating Plumbers are very liable
to It's attack
These definite forms Of lead poison
ing last often for six months. SAYS the
Chicago Tribune. hut they are. II any
thing, less serious than the chronic
form, where the workers system be-
comes impregnated with the poison.
This brings on anmmia. diminution OF
physical and mental force. neuras-
thenia. the outward and visible signs
of which are chronic headaches, loss
of ambition and initiative. Alcohol and
tobacco are predisposng causes
It has been found that oxide OF zinc
may be substituted for white lead IN
paint. Franco was the first country. In
1909, to realize the necessity of enforc-
! ing the use of this innocuous SUBJ
stitutc The law then passed states
that after 1914 the use of white lead
in all paints shall be abandoned. The
last two years have seen the passing
of similar bills in Italy. Germany and
Belgium. Statistics as to the percentage
of lead workers who have In the past
been victims to the poison are to hand.
. but space will not permit setting them
down Suffice II that the percentages.
without precautionary methods OF treat
ment. are terribly high.
Many of the symptoms OF arsenical
poisoning are identical with those OK
lead. but the poison Itself is even more
insdious than lead inducing temporary
paralysis for months. The arsenic
poison Is given off In fumes or exists
in fine dust. and Is always present
among workers in arsenic mines or
those are engaged in preparing arsenic
for use in the arts. for the dyeing OF
wall papers and fabrics and for the
curing OF furs.
DR.. Allan Stan. who has written on
this subject. states that he is person.
ally acquainted with one case Of arseni-
cal poisoning not among the workers.
but among the outside public. which
was directly traccable to wall paper.
In 1899 a widespread epidemic OF
arsenical poisoning occurred in Eng
land. which was traced to the beer
manufactured in Stafford and Man
chester.
This beer was brewed by the aid of
Universe sugar or glucose. substance
iE the preparation NJ which sulphur'c
acid is used. This acid was the source
Of the arsenic. II having been made
from arsenical pyrites instead of from
iron pyrites. Examination showed that
the glucose contained four parts Of ar
scnic to 10000 parts. and that the beer
contained from Ola 10 0.2S grains OF
arsenious acid to the gallon.
Hundreds of persons were affected.
. many being paraly2ed for months. The
. use Of glucose in which arsenic can he
found should he prevented by law.
There Is even danger to the wearers
Of furs. researches having shown that
there are sometimes rs many rs 10
grains of arsenic to the square yard
, to he found in such materials
. Mercurial poisoning is rampant
among those employed in the manufac-
ture Of baromctcrs and thermon,et ers.
in the separation Of gold and silver from
Various ores by means of an arialcam in
which mercury Is used. In the nanufac-
ture of incaNdesCcnt lamDs. where mer-
, Curial pumps are used to cause q
vacuum: In processes OF gliding and
hronzinv and in the silN Nerlrg Of mirrors.
PHOSPHORUS poisoning among the
| makers Of matches has been more often
alluded to than the Others; II even re-
ioces In n vcrnacular name Of it's own
, --phossy Jaw. This is II disgusting dis
, ease In which the jaw eventually be-
comes by the rnt;inr of the Jaw bones
a pulpy, imn,obile mass. Another efr"ot
IL n fragility If the long bones throu u
which spontaneous fractures may oc-
cur from muscular effort only.