The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1921-01-28
DUSTY OCCUPATIONS.
U. S. Public Health Service Is Con-
Quoting Investigations.

All industrial plants are dusty. Blu
how dusty is the air in any particula
plantH knowledge as to the degree snt
composition of such dust is important
for certain amounts and sorts Of ali
dust seriously affect the lungs anC
predispose those who breathe them u
tuberculosis and other diseases.
DIR. o. NJ Spencer of the United
States public health service, discusses
the matter in recent report of the
service. He shows that neither the fact
that the exhaust pipes. etc, required by
law appear to be properly functioning
nor the use Of wet instead of dry proc
esses in grinding, polishing and the like
make it at all certain that the dusti-
ness in given plant is what il should
! theoretically be. He finds that any ex-
haut pipes do not in fact exhaust as
they are supposed to do; and that un.
| der certain conditions some wet proc
esses create much more dust than dry
ones. Only actual dust counts" at
the plane of the work show the real
must breathe; and such counts should
be made periodically to check the theo-
retical conditions.
To determine how unhealthful the
dustiness of any particular plant proc
ess may be, the composition of its dust
should be ascertained and its effects in
terpreted by standard tables, which Mr..
Spencer urges should be worked out for
the various industries. Different indus
trial r,raongoap ,raI,,oa J,,a+p ,xhiob Az
fer greatly in injurious properties.
Health Hazards in LAUNDERING Regions.
Health problems in numbering regions
are being investigated by the United
States public health service as part of
n general study into occupational dis
eases and industrial hygiene undertake
Ell in Florida at the request of the state
board Of health. The work has not yet
gone far enough 20 permit important
deductions to be drawn; but it seems TO
show that the problems are not essen
italy different from those obtaining in
other numbering districts Of the south
and, indeed, in other parts of the coun
try, except in that they show a high
incidence Of malaria and hool<worm dis
eases. The results should be generally
DR.. J. A. Turner Of the public health
service, who was sent to Florida with
TO ascertain the special
needs of the workers and to make rec
10 the state board Of
health as to the best ways of meeting
them, has first taken up the numbering
industry and has found that this in
wolves two sorts of problems, the first
to the actual working eondi |
tions. and the second to the reactions of
the more OF less transitory numbering |
population and of the permanent resi-
dents on each other.
Study OF working conditions involves |
of processes of produc
tion, medical and surgical care. santa
lion of camps and food supply; and |
study Of reactions includes investiga ,
ions into the economic condition OF the
residents, prevalence Of transmissible
diseases. malaria and venereal nfec-
ion and possibilities of soil pollution
The object OF the work is, Of course.
70 reduce sickness, accidents, absentee
SIN and labor turnover; and thereby A
% obtain increase efficiency and great
r economic prosperity for both work
RS and employers.