An epidemiological study of respiratory symptoms in Lancashire mills, 1963-66

Abstract

study of card and blowroom workers in 14 cotton spinning and two man-made fibre spinning mills in Lancashire has been carried out on a prospective basis of six-monthly examinations over three years. The number of operatives to be included was decided so as to give a sufficient sample for the statistical assessment of fall in FEV, at the same time allowing for population movement. The examination ofeach worker included a history, a questionnaire of respiratory symptoms, and a measurement of forced expiratory volume in one second. The results in this paper, which will be followed by others on other aspects of the survey, give the prevalence of both byssinosis and bronchitis, according to the definition given, in the 1 359 cotton workers and 227 man-made fibre workers, seen at least once, and also the dust levels in the mills. Eight of the mills processed coarse and six medium cotton.The total prevalence of byssinosis, as defined, is 26-9 %, being higher in coarse than in medium cotton mills, and the occupational groups most affected are strippers and grinders, carders and undercarders, and draw frame tenters. In coarse mills symptoms develop in some men and women within the first four years of exposure, and in medium mills between five and ten years' exposure. Repeat questionnaires in about half the population, two years after the first questionnaire, showed the development of symptoms of chest tightness in an appreciable number not previously affected. The incidence of bronchitis is increased in operatives with symptoms of byssinosis, but is influenced by age and smoking.Total dust levels averaged 3-1 mg/m3 in coarse mills and 1-2 mg/m3 in medium mills. The findings indicate that dust control measures, though they have produced considerable improvement, are not now fully effective with present methods of production.The results of previous population studies in the cotton spinning industry have shown that the occurrence of the symptom of chest tightness on Mondays depends upon occupation, length of exposure, and the quality of the raw cotton being processed. The symptom may be accompanied by detectable loss of ventilatory capacity and increased breathlessness

Respiratory findings in synthetic textile workers

“…This is in contrast to many previous epidemiological studies in which synthetic fiber workers were significantly exposed to cotton [Molyneux and Tombleson, 1970;Berry et al, 1973Berry et al, , 1974Merchant et al, 1972]. Berry et al [1974] studied two man-made fiber spinning mills and found an increased prevalence of bronchitis among the workers of cotton mills when compared with man-made fiber mill workers.…”

Additive Effect of Smoking and Cotton Dust Exposure on Respiratory Symptoms and Pulmonary Function of Cotton Textile Workers

“…During the subsequent years, installation of local ventilation led to a reduction of the airborne dusts and declinement of the prevalence of byssinosis among cotton spinners. In 1970, Molyneux et al found that 202 of 514 (39%) workers employed in the cardroom with mean dust concentrations ranged from 0.94 mg/m 3 to 5.33 mg/m 3 suffered from different grade of byssinosis 15) . In the mid-1980, Cinkotai and Whitaker conducted a study in nine of 21 cardrooms with dust concentrations exceeded 1 mg/m 3 but less than 4 mg/m 3 , 85 of 496 (18%) workers in these workrooms suffered from byssinotic symptoms 16) .…”

Une étude épidémiologique de la bronchite chronique à Genève

“…Chez ces sujets, la prévalence de la bronchite chronique est considérable (environ 50%) même s'ils ne fument pas. De même, un syndrome respiratoire obstructif avec toux et expectorations se développe chez beaucoup de travailleurs du coton, qu'ils fument ou non [52], Bouhuys et al [8] pensent qu'il vaudrait mieux parler dans ce cas-là de byssinose degré 3 plutôt que de bronchite chronique puisque la maladie a une étiologie bien définie.…”