Dermatitis caused by a copying paper.

Abstract

Between October, 1956, and February, 1957, six male office workers, employed in the billing department of a large corporation, were seen, suffering from a rather severe dermatitis which was proven to be caused by Thermo-Fax paper, used in a Thermo-Fax Copying Machine. There was nothing remarkable about the dermatitis. There were eczematous vesicular and crusting patches on the dorsa of the hands and forearms in all patients, dermatitis of a contact type on the face and neck in the case of two of the patients, and a generalized toxic type of dermatitis in one of the patients. Patch tests were done with the usual office contactants, such as carbon paper, cleansers, and typewriter ribbon, and were also done with dry Thermo-Fax Copying Paper. All 48-hour tests were negative save that done with Thermo-Fax Copying Paper, and to this a vesiculation of the test site developed in from 6