Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-06-23
PO|SONS ARE LISTED
Commerce and Labor Bureau
Prints Exhaustive Report.
WORKERS. DISEASES GIVEN
Illnesses Due to Occupations Forms
Sentiment in u. s. for Remedial
Legislation.

| The Department Of Commerce and La
Dor is distributing a bulletin giving Tor
the first time the English translation OF
the list Of industrial poisonings which
the International Association for Labor
Legislation, through It's various national
organizations, has been revising and COM
pleting since 1908 Prof Samuel McCune
Lindsay. president Of the New York AS
ISOLATION for Labor Legislation. says that
the list will be guide to the better rec
ognition of obscure occupational diseases
and a help to the prevention Of the more
obvious risks to health to which many
workers are now exposed.
In four parallel columns the Industrial
poisons and other harmful substances
found In industrial processes are set
which poisoning occurs. the mode of en-
trance of the poison into the body, and
the symptoms Of poisoning. So far as
possible measures of relief to be employed
at the first manifestation Of poisoning
are indicated.
Commissioner Charles P. Neill. com.
menting upon the need for the work
which his department has just completed
writes:
I'm 1910. at the time OF the publication
by the bureau Of labor Of the earlier list
of industrial poiSons, little accurate In
formation was available concerning the
prevalence OF cases of Industrial poison
ing In American factories No state had
made any legal requirement for the re-
porting Of cases of industrial poisoning
and in the absence of such definite basis
for statistical information a general i'm.
preston had prevailed that American en-
ployes were largely exempt from the dan
gers from which industrial workers In
other countries suffered"
Laws Enacted in Eight States.
Special investigation in the white phos-
porus match industry. the inquiries Of the
| Illinois state commission on occupational
diseases. and study of the white lead
and lead oxide industries DISCLOSING
1888 specific cases Of lead poisoning in
sixteen months, and an investigation OF
sixty deaths from lead poisoning oc-
curing in New York in 1909 and
1910. all served to direct public
lation. In consequence of disclosures OF
these invesiga tons. and because of a
realization of the Importance of full and
accurate knowledge concerning the exist
ence Of dangers from industrial poisons.
| laws were enacted during 1911 and 1912
in eight states California, Connecticut
Illinois. Michigan. New York, Wisconsin.
Maryland. and New jersey requiring re-
ports by physicians of all cases Of certain
occupational diseases occurring in their
practice.
Evidence Of the interest which Is being
shown in America in this field. which in
Europe has been carefully investigated
and often regulated. was shown by the
recent national conference on industrial
diseases held at Atlantic City. 1t is ex-
pected that as q direct outcome of this
conference the American Medical Asso-
citation. working in conjunction with the
association for labor legislation. will be-
gin nationwide effort to stamp out the
use Of processes which foreign ex-
perience has shown to be so dangerous.