Blood examinations in pulmonary fibrosis of haematite iron ore miners

Abstract

Summaryo1.A haematological study has been made in 50 haematite iron ore miners.2.Twenty normal miners had no complaint of breathlessness, and no X-ray or physical signs of pulmonary fibrosis.3.Thirty miners complained of pulmonary disability in varying degrees, and with positive X-ray findings.4.The average percentage of leucocytes in normal miners conforms to the normal standard.5.Many miners develop a pure pulmonary siderosis without an accompanying fibrosis. This is the normal miner of over 15 working years. His blood picture is normal.6.Sidero-silicosis of uncomplicated type shows a definite increase in the percentage of lymphocytes. In well formed cases polymorph lymphocyte ratio is unity or less. Sedimentation rate and nuclear count are normal.7.When an infective element supervenes sedimentation rate increases, nuclear count shows a shift to the left, and there is a leucocytosis which may approach a septic count. A haematological study has been made in 50 haematite iron ore miners. Twenty normal miners had no complaint of breathlessness, and no X-ray or physical signs of pulmonary fibrosis. Thirty miners complained of pulmonary disability in varying degrees, and with positive X-ray findings. The average percentage of leucocytes in normal miners conforms to the normal standard. Many miners develop a pure pulmonary siderosis without an accompanying fibrosis. This is the normal miner of over 15 working years. His blood picture is normal. Sidero-silicosis of uncomplicated type shows a definite increase in the percentage of lymphocytes. In well formed cases polymorph lymphocyte ratio is unity or less. Sedimentation rate and nuclear count are normal. When an infective element supervenes sedimentation rate increases, nuclear count shows a shift to the left, and there is a leucocytosis which may approach a septic count.