The 1916 painters and the 1948 electricians who resided in the Canton of Geneva at the time of the 1970 census were identified and followed up to 1984. During the study period 121 disability pensions were awarded to painters and 59 to electricians. Age standardised incidence of disability per 1000 man-years at risk was higher among painters than among electricians for all neuropsychiatric causes (1.23/1000 and 0.68/1000, respectively) and for all other causes (5.50/1000 and 3.41/1000, respectively). No case of presenile dementia was diagnosed among painters. There was inadequate evidence to indicate that the higher risk of neuropsychiatric disability for painters might have been due to their occupational exposure to organic solvents. A possible toxic effect of these substances on the central nervous system was confounded with alcoholism which was associated with disability from neuropsychiatric disease in 12 of 20 painters and in only one of 10 electricians. Mortality and incidence of cancer were assessed among both cohorts and compared with the expected figures calculated from Geneva rates. Among painters there was a significant increase in overall mortality (O = 254, E = 218.5), in mortality from all cancers (O = 96, E = 75.4), and in incidence from all cancers (O = 159, E = 132.0). For the specific cancer sites, there was a significant excess risk for lung cancer (mortality: O = 40, E = 23.0), which was possibly related to occupational exposure to asbestos and to zinc chromate, although cigarette smoking was not controlled. The significant excesses of biliary tract cancer and of bladder cancer were in accordance with previous observations among painters from other countries. There was also a significant increase in incidence from testicular cancer (O=5, E=1.6), which has not been reported before. For causes of death other than cancer the excesses for alcoholism (O=5, E=0.8). for liver cirrhosis (O=14, E=8.8), for motor vehicle accidents (O=12, E=5.9), and for cerebrovascular disease when allowing for ten years of latency (O=8, E=4.0), were consistent with a probable increased risk of alcohol abuse. Among electricians overall mortality was similar to that expected (O=137, E=139.0). No significant excess risk was found for all cancers or for any specific cancer site. Because of the small number of expected deaths the statistical power was low for the assessment of a possible risk for leukaemia or for brain tumour.

A historical prospective cohort study of 6630 drivers from the Canton ofGeneva was carried out to evaluate mortality and incidence of cancer in this occupation. The study population was all men (of all vocations) who held in 1949 a special licence for driving lorries, taxis, buses, or coaches and all new licence holders in the period 1949-61. Men born before 1900 and those with only an ordinary driving licence were excluded. According to the occupation registered on their licence, the 6630 drivers were distributed into three groups: (1) professional drivers (n= 1726), (2) non-professional drivers "more exposed" to exhaust gas and fumes (this group included occupations such as vehicle mechanic, policeman, road sweeper; n=-712), and (3) non-professional drivers-"less exposed," composed of all other occupations (n= 4192). The cohort was followed up from 1949 to December 1986 and the trace of 197 men

To investigate whether specific cancers are associated with the occupation of butcher, as has been reported from other countries, a historical prospective cohort study was undertaken. The cohort consisted of all self employed butchers (n = 552) and pork butchers (n = 310)

M. (1969). Brit. J. industr. Med., 26,[121][122][123][124][125]. Circadian variation of F.E.V. in shift workers. The one-second forced expiratory volume (F.E.V.1.0), the forced vital capacity, and the oral temperature were measured in a group of men working a rotating three-shift system-2 to 10 p.m. one week, 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. the next week, and 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. the third week. The outside air temperature at the London Weather Centre was also obtained. Measurements were made on Mondays and Fridays at the beginning, middle, and end of the shift.The mean F.E.V.L.O of 19 normal men showed an increase of 0 15 litre (4-1 %) between the beginning and end of both the morning shifts, a mean decrease of some 0 05 litre (1I5 %) between the beginning and end of the afternoon shifts, and little change during the night shifts. This circadian variation could not be attributed to industrial fume, smoking or a learning effect.The findings will be of practical importance when F.E.V. is measured in shift workers to determine the effects of toxic substances on ventilatory capacity.Previous studies indicate that there is a circadian variation of ventilatory capacity (Lewinsohn, Capel, and Smart, 1960;McDermott, 1966; McKerrow, McDermott, Gilson, and Schilling, 1958;Bouhuys, Hartogensis, and Korfage, 1963; Walford, Lammers, Schilling, van den Hoven van Genderen, and van der Veen, 1966). A survey of the forced expiratory volume of a group of men working a rotating three-shift system has been made in order to obtain more precise information. Oral temperature was also measured to determine whether there is an association between the circadian variation of oral temperature (e.g., Kleitman, 1963) (174 cm.), with a range of 5 ft. 3 in. (160 cm.) to 6 ft. 5 in. (196 cm.). All the men were Caucasians.