Munitions Workers Research Articles

Sick Absence in Munition Workers

Sick Absence in Munition Workers

PRODUCTION AND HOURS OF WORK

IN 1915 the Health of Munition Workers' Committee was appointed “to consider and advise on questions of industrial fatigue, hours of labour and other matters affecting the personal health and efficiency of workers in munition factories and workshops”, and in 1918 the final report was published.

Untersuchungen über die Trotyl-, Tetryl- und Knallquecksilber-vergiftungen bei den Arbeitern der Munitionsfabriken Finlands

Five years ago any publication from Finland on the toxic properties of then little known complex munition chemicals would have commanded scant attention. Today, contrariwise, this publication is of immediate significance for all physicians, chemists and engineers concerned with munitions. With arsenals springing up all over the country it becomes conceivable that "tetryl poisoning" may become as close to all physicians as the omnipresent carbon monoxide poisoning. Written in the summer and fall of 1940 by a battalion physician just after the Finnish-Soviet war, this small publication (in German) presents his observations of the damaging effect on munition workers of numerous aromatic nitro compounds, chiefly trotyl and tetryl, and the substance better known in this country as mercury fulminate. In addition to his own observations from laboratory, clinical and necropsy material, the author furnishes critical literature appraisals and an extensive literature compilation. Noro's results are not in keeping with the

The Health and Efficiency of Munition Workers

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MEDICAL CERTIFICATION FOR MUNITIONS WORKERS

Medical Journal of AustraliaVolume 2, Issue 1 p. 20-20 Correspondence MEDICAL CERTIFICATION FOR MUNITIONS WORKERS First published: 01 July 1941 https://doi.org/10.5694/j.1326-5377.1941.tb46547.xAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. Volume2, Issue1July 1941Pages 20-20 RelatedInformation

Health of Munition Workers

Health of Munition Workers

The Health and Efficiency of Munition Workers

THE Oxford School of Physiology, founded by Burdon Sanderson, and adorned by his successors, Gotch, Sherrington, and John Mellanby, has produced many eminent men of science whose researches have benefited mankind. To industrial hygiene the contributions of the late J. S. Haldane have been important, while for many years Dr. H. M. Vernon has brought physiological knowledge and experience to bear upon the health problems of the industrial worker. The Health and Efficiency of Munition Workers By Dr. H. M. Vernon. (Oxford Medical Publications.) Pp. vii + 128. (London: Oxford University Press, 1940.) 8s. 6d. net.

CATARACT FOLLOWING DI-NITROPHENOL TREATMENT FOR OBESITY

An excellent review of the subject of di-nitrophenol in general was given in a report by the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry of the American Medical Association,1from which I shall quote freely. The actions of certain nitro derivatives of phenol and naphthol as accelerators of metabolism have been studied for the past fifty years. Cazeneuve and Lepine2in 1885 described the increase in the metabolism of dogs given di-nitronaphthol. A few years later Gibbs and Reichert3reported similar observations with the use of di-nitrophenol. During the war many cases of di-nitrophenol poisoning were observed among French munition workers. The poisoning, which was often severe and sometimes fatal, occurred so frequently that special pharmacologic study was instituted. The findings were reported on by Magne, Mayer and Plantefol4in France and by Perkins5in America. In 1933 Tainter and Cutting1and their coinvestigators, proceeding independently,

LATE TOXIC RESULTS, INCLUDING DERMATITIS EXFOLIATIVA, FROM "SLIM" (DINITROPHENOL)

The pharmacologic actions of the nitrophenols1have been known since 1885, when it was found that these compounds possess the property of elevating the metabolic rate in animals. However, the effect of this chemical group on human beings was not generally recognized until the late war. At this time Perkins'2investigations on munitions workers in France focused attention on its many toxic reactions. The therapeutic possibilities of these chemicals apparently were not utilized until 1933, when Cutting, Mehrtens and Tainter3introduced dinitrophenol as a treatment for some forms of obesity. They were fully aware of the many potential dangers of this drug and in their original series of cases encountered only mild and transient reactions, perhaps because of the conservative dosage and stringent observation. From the available reports of toxic manifestations to Jan. 1, 1936, it appears that the early reactions, except in the occasional hypersensitive individual,

Industrial Efficiency and Fatigue

The problems of industrial efficiency and fatigue offer increasing scope for the use of that special knowledge of human life with which medical men are equipped by their training. Success and prosperity of industry depend as much on health and efficiency of workers as on the efficiency of machines. Impetus given by European War to study of this human factor; national necessity led to establishment of Health of Munition Workers Committee which later developed into the Industrial Fatigue Research-now the Industrial Health Research-Board of the Medical Research Council. In Germany extensive investigations are now pursued at the Kaiser-Wilhelm Institut für Arbeitsphysiologie, at Dortmund, into such problems as relationship of age to capacity for heavy muscular work, influence of diet and nutrition on human efficiency, and optimum height of stairs up which loads have to be carried; new system of training apprentices developed in Germany since the war.Factors influencing efficiency and capacity for work of employees may be placed in two general groups, intra-factory conditions, and extra-factory conditions. Many of these factors have been investigated in this country and in America. In particular, the effect of the environmental conditions of temperature, humidity and air-movement on human efficiency has been studied: but much remains to be done.

The Health of the Industrial Worker

MANY books have been written on the diseases of occupations, but this is the first adequate modern treatise upon the hygiene of industry in general. A more ideal combina tion of authors for the purpose it would be diffi cult to find. Prof. Collis, professor of preventive medicine in the Welsh National School of Medi cine, was formerly one of H.M. Inspectors of Factories; during the war he served as Director of Welfare and Health in the Ministry of Muni tions and was an active member of the Health of Munition Workers Committee. Dr. Greenwood, who is reader in medical statistics in the Uni versity of London, was in charge of the Medical Research Branch of the Ministry of Munitions during the war. By his refinements and judi cious application of statistical methods he has done more than anyone else in this country to dis courage the issue of statistically worthless medi cal and physiological data. Both authors are members of the Industrial Fatigue Research Board, and they have made full use in their book of the valuable reports published by the Board. The Health of the Industrial Worker. By Prof. E. L. Collis Dr. Major Greenwood. Containing a chapter on Reclamation of the Disabled, by Dr. A. J. Collis. With an Introuction by Sir George Newman. Pp. xix + 450. (London: J. and A. Churchill, 1921.) 30s. net.

Report on the metabolism of female munition workers

The research described in this report was planned on the following lines:— In October, 1918, portable Haldane analysers and other apparatus were installed in the Research Sub-section of the Welfare and Health Section of the Ministry of Munitions, and the three authors carried out a considerable number of determinations upon themselves, both with the object of acquiring or regaining familiarity with the experimental technic and in order to determine what form of respiratory apparatus would be most suitable for use in the study of factory conditions. Ultimately, a system was evolved which conforms to the rules afterwards laid down for the guidance of investigators by the Metabolism Research Sub-Committee of the Royal Society Food (War) Committee. Having acquired the necessary experience, it was decided to proceed on the following general lines:—Permission having been granted to make observations in a national projectile factory in the north-east of London, we arranged to make measurements upon women engaged on the various operations of the factory, while attention was coincidently directed to the cooling power of the air in the workrooms; or, more exactly, in each experiment on a worker, the cooling power of the air was ascertained in a position as near as possible to the worker during the experiment, that is to say, for the purpose in view, practically in an identical position. The respiration apparatus used was a modification of the Douglas bag combined with a face mask (approved by the Metabolism Research Sub-Committee) and needs no special description.

School for Optical Munition Workers

School for Optical Munition Workers

Experimental tri-nitro-toluene poisoning

In an attempt to produce experimentally in dogs a state of poisoning by tri-nitro-toluene analogous to the condition recently observed among munition workers in England and America, the following methods of administering the poison have been employed: (1) Feeding by mouth (TNT in butter); (2) skin inunction (TNT in lard); (3) subcutaneous injections (TNT in olive oil); (4) intravenous injections (TNT in acetone); (5) intraperitoneal injections (TNT in albolene). Only the first three methods have proven satisfactory. Intravenous injection of any considerable quantity of an acetone solution causes immediate death, probably from a precipitation of the TNT in the blood stream, and consequent pulmonary embolism. The toxic action of the acetone, too, may be a factor. Negative results with intraperitoneal injections of an albolene solution were probably due to faulty absorption.Feeding, inunction, and subcutaneous injections have resulted regularly in a more or less chronic state of poisoning ending in death. Th...

Women as Munition Makers: A Study of Conditions in Bridgeport, Connecticut.Amy HewesMunition Workers in England and France: A Summary of Reports Issued by the British Ministry of Munitions.Henrietta R. WalterA Seasonal Industry: A Study of the Millinery Trade in New York.Mary Van Kleeck

<i>Women as Munition Makers: A Study of Conditions in Bridgeport, Connecticut.</i>Amy Hewes<i>Munition Workers in England and France: A Summary of Reports Issued by the British Ministry of Munitions.</i>Henrietta R. Walter<i>A Seasonal Industry: A Study of the Millinery Trade in New York.</i>Mary Van Kleeck

High explosives, T.N.T: Its toxic action in munition workers. Detection of T. N. T. in urine. With experiments

High explosives, T.N.T: Its toxic action in munition workers. Detection of T. N. T. in urine. With experiments

The Health of Munition Workers in England

The Health of Munition Workers in England

Toxic Jaundice among Munition Workers

Toxic Jaundice among Munition Workers

High explosives. T. N. T.: Its toxic action in munition workers. Detection of T. N. T. in urine. With experiments

High explosives. T. N. T.: Its toxic action in munition workers. Detection of T. N. T. in urine. With experiments

The Health of Munition Workers.

The Health of Munition Workers.