The industrial health movement with special reference to dermatoses.

Abstract

A recent opportunity to study the cutaneous reactions occurring among a group of pharmaceutical workers 1 led me to become interested in the general medical and economic problems created by the industrial dermatoses. Since writings on the ramifications of this subject are found to a great extent in the developmental history of employer-employee relationships and in the general industrial health surveys, in order to set the stage for a later discussion of work-associated skin ailments it may be well to review the facts known and attitudes held regarding the whole group of disabilities which affect wage earners. HISTORY OF GROUPS CONCERNED IN INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE DEVELOPMENT The present state of our knowledge of and attitudes toward industrial health has evolved over the past century and a half. Many individuals and agencies assisted in the upbuilding of the industrial hygiene program, but for discussion purposes we will assemble these separate efforts under