Carbon Pneumoconiosis in a Synthetic Graphite Worker

Abstract

. Carbon pneumoconiosis in a synthetic graphite worker. A case of carbon pneumoconiosis previously described in this journal in 1961 is followed up and the post-mortem findings show that the pneumoconiosis developed after prolonged exposure to synthetic graphite without any significant silica content.

Graphite pneumoconiosis. A review of etiologic and epidemiologic aspects.

“…Only 14 of these 39 cases were presented with relatively detailed documentation as to dust exposure [Engelmann (15) (40)l. Only one case suggests that nearly pure graphite may cause graphite pneumoconiosis (40).…”

“…In one report tuberculosis was mentioned as a partial cause of fibrosis (44). Only two reports presented any analysis of the dust in the workplace (17,40).…”

“…Eight authors consider graphite alone, or above all other agents, as the cause of graphite pneumoconiosis (3,18,29,33,37,39,40,48,68). Koopmann (37), Hollmann (29), Jaffe (33), and Town (68) did not present any analysis of the graphite dust in the workplace.…”

“…In only 39 cases was the diagnosis based on or supported by autopsy, or lung biopsy during life. In 14 of these cases (15,26,40) details were presented as to the type of graphite dust and content of silica. The 10 cases of Engelrnann (15) involved exposure to natural graphite with a free silica content of at least 2.7 %.…”

Carbon pneumoconiosis in a synthetic graphite worker

“…A case of carbon pneumoconiosis in a synthetic graphite worker was described by one of us (Lister, 1961). This man has now died and it seems appropriate to report on his clinical progress and the pathological findings as no further cases of pure synthetic graphite pneumoconiosis have appeared in the literature although animal experiments have been described (Nau, Neal, Stembridge, and Cooley, 1962).…”