Data from the analysis of lung dust in 16 metal grinders who had been exposed to hard metals between five and 44 years is reported. The mean latent time between the first exposure and analysis in biopsy or necropsy specimens was 33-6 years. Mineralogical and elementary analysis by a variety of techniques showed small or trace amounts of hard metal in all lungs. Many specimens, however, did not contain all hard metal components, cobalt, for example, being detected in four cases only. All the lungs contained quartz and silicates and in most of the necropsy cases carborundum and corundum could also be shown. Histologically no specific pattern was found. The appearances included mixed dust nodular pneumoconiosis, diffuse interstitial lung fibrosis, and foreign body and sarcoid like granulomatous changes. In view of the mixed dust exposure of the hard metal grinders and the variable histological appearance we think that the term "mixed dust pneumoconiosis in hard metal grinders" is more appropriate than "hard metal lung" to describe this condition.The mineralogical and chemical analysis of lung tissue has proved successful in detecting aetiological particulates in the pneumoconioses. This is particularly true for the uncommon pneumoconioses, to which group belong the rare cases of Cerpneumoconiosis" and the so called hard metal disease that has attracted considerable attention since it was first described by Jobs and Ballhausen in Germany in 1940.3 Hard metals are metallurgical materials characterised by their extreme physical hardness and resistance to corrosion and heat, and they have found wide application in industries such as toolmaking, instrument production, and the manufacture of drills.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.