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(1971). Brit. J. industr. Med., 28,[143][144][145][146][147][148][149][150][151]. Studies on the aetiology of byssinosis. A condensed polyphenol based on leucocyanidin has been extracted from the cotton plant. The reaction between this material and human serum has been demonstrated using both a precipitin and a passive agglutination technique. Sera from 196 cardroom workers not suffering from byssinosis, 177 byssinotic cardroom workers, and 203 controls were tested for reactivity with the condensed polyphenol using the passive agglutination technique. Significant differences in mean titres were obtained between cardroom workers and controls and between byssinotic and non-byssinotic cardroom workers. It was shown that while the mean titre in non-byssinotic cardroom workers remains relatively constant with respect to duration of employment, the titre in those cardroom workers suffering from byssinosis shows a progressive rise with duration of cardroom exposure.Inhalation of solutions of the condensed polyphenol by normal control subjects and by non-byssinotic cardroom workers produced neither symptoms nor changes in FEV1.0 or FVC. On the other hand, inhalation of the material by byssinotic cardroom workers induced symptoms identical with those experienced on exposure in the cardroom on Mondays. Because of the subjective nature of byssinosis, this inhalational study was repeated as a double-blind trial which completely confirmed the above observations.The object of this investigation was to follow up the observations of Massoud and Taylor (1964) that cardroom workers suffering from byssinosis have higher titres of antibody directed against an antigen present in the cotton plant than non-byssinotic cardroom workers who in turn have higher titres than the general population. Massoud and Taylor presented an hypothesis which attempts to explain these findings, and which suggests that the symptoms of byssinosis are produced by an intrapulmonary antigen-antibody reaction involving this antigen-antibody system. In order to explain the findings of antibody in normal

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A systematic random sample of 405 workers from metal, asbestos cement pipes, textile, and viscose rayon industries were interviewed using a prepared and tested questionnaire. Personal Protective Devices (PPDs), namely goggles, gloves, respirators, and ear defenders, had been distributed to all workers on the payroll and were used by 31.4%. Usage of PPDs was associated with the educational level, duration of occupation, awareness of the work hazards, and knowledge about the purpose of PPDs. Marked association was found between nonusage of PPDs and discomfort, interference with job performance, and the psychological feeling of lowering the person's prestige by the wearing of PPDs. Nonusage was also associated with lack of maintenance of the device and absence of supervision of its usage. Users were more numerous among married workers and workers with urban residence than among unmarried workers and those with rural residence, respectively. No association could be found between the rate of usage and the worker's age except for ear plugs, for which nonusage was proportional to the worker's age. The most important factors were those related to the role of the safety staff and the discomfort of the devices. Recommendations for occupational health authorities on the basis of the above evaluation are suggested.

Pubertal stage was assessed in 453 Egyptian boys aged from nine to 17 years. Weights and albumin concentrations were measured and parasites identified from stool samples. The mean age to reach each stage of puberty was significantly delayed in the presence of low albumin levels and parasites. The magnitude of the delay was greater for genital stage 2 than for later stages. Weight was also lower in children with reduced albumin concentration or parasites. Among children of the same age, weight and albumin were positively correlated (P less than 0.001), suggesting that albumin status is involved in the timing of puberty.