窯業のじん肺およびじん肺結核

Abstract

Most of pottery manufacture is done on a small scale. And men are working in dusty environment of which the concentration of quartz reaches 20∼50%, resulting in high morbidity of silicosis. Except fire-proof pottery making, potter's silicosis is, in general, caused by long exposure to low concentrations of silica dusts. It shows mainly granular shadows of the size less than 1.5mm in diameter without complication of tuberculosis. We observed 238 cases of in-patients of simple silicosis as well as of silico-tuberculosis with treatment extending for several years. In cases of simple silicosis, as for subjective symptoms and cardio-pulmonary functions, we found 14% improved, 63% unchanged, and 23% becoming worse. As silicotic granular shadows developed, proportion of worse cases increased. As for treatments, aerosol inhalation with IPPB, and administration of steroid hormones and cardio-tonics were tried. The aerosol inhalation with IPPB seemed to be especially effective in cases of silicosis which were liable to be complicated with bronchial asthma or emphysema. Against silico-tuberculosis, antituberculotic chemicals were used in necessary and sufficient doses case by case. Discharge of tubercular bacilli was found to become more negative and X-ray findings improved. Surgical operations brought about the following results: improved 59%, unchanged 30%, and becoming worse 11%. However, indication of the surgical operations must be decided very carefully.