Stručni rad
Our observations on occupational mercury poisoning in the mines of Idria (1946-50)
Ivan Hribernik
Sažetak
1. A brief outline ds given of the processes of mining and smelting of mercury ore (found in Idria as cinabar in dolomite or as metallic mercury in bituminous shale). The author points out that the most dangerous working places with regard to poisoning are the digging fields in bituminous shale, the smelting furnaces, the pressing .at »soot« (mixture of mercury droplets and fuel remnants), and especially the condensation plant during cleaning which is performed once a month, and also the chimneys and condensators during cleaning which is performed once a year.
2. The mercury enters our organism through the respiratory tract as vapour or mineral dust contaminated with metallic·mercury, through the gastrointestinal tract or through skin. The author has found in Idria no cases of acute poisoning but only of the subacute, chronic or chronic stationary poisonings. These stages cannot be precisely differentiated. Furthermore is a detailed description of clinical pictures of each of the afore mentioned stages of poisoning. The characteristic symptoms of a subacute poisoning are; stomatitis, gingivitis, salivatio combined with erethismus mercurialia, and tremor.
3. The records show that in 1946 there were 81 cases of poisoning (7 of which were severe); in 1947 the number of poisonings stopped to 27; in 1948 it rose to 51, and in 1949 to 91. The first half of 1950 shows 59 cases. Next the causes of these variations in number of poisonings are treated by the author.
4. Following preventive measures are forseen at present: an increased general ventilation and a permanent change of workers at dangerous places. The working time for each man at such dangerous places is Iimited to three days a week with 6 hours a day. Such safety measures are not satisfactory, and we hope to solve the problem of getting respirators against mercury vapour, and introduce wet methods of drilling very soon.
Ključne riječi
Hrčak ID:
189416
URI
Datum izdavanja:
26.9.1950.
Posjeta: 888 *