Pneumoconiosis of Farmers Engaged in Rush (igusa) Harvesting and Weaving Process
10.2185/jjrm.25.586
- VernacularTitle:い草労働従事者の呼吸器障害に関する調査研究
- Author:
Atsushi Ueda
;
Shigeru Nomura
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- From:Journal of the Japanese Association of Rural Medicine
1976;25(4):586-593
- CountryJapan
- Language:Japanese
-
Abstract:
At the process of rush harvesting farmers are exposed to high concentratedusts of “sendo” for short times a day during 3 weeks in summer, and in continuously for all seasons low density of chronic long-term exposure of dusts are observed in the process of weaving.
We examined 320 rush farmers in Yatsushiro district in 1970 and found pneumoconiosis as1p in their direct chest x ray films, 32 men (18%) and 12 women (9%).
In 1975, 36 men and 34 women amang them were reexamined, contrasting their respiratory findings with that of the former examination. The chest x ray film of each subject was classified according to the ILO U/C International Classification of Pneumoconiosis 1971 (ILO).
In this definition, 15men (42%) and6women (18%) of the subjects were classified as pneumoconiosis (1/0, 1/1, 1/2) of the p type of rounded small opacities except one case of irregular type (s): on the contorary, 9men (25%) and 2 women (6%) in the formers. Thirteen cases of men (36%) and11cases of women (32%) showed increasing numbers of opacities and/or extention of disorder zones. It sugests that the intensity of lung disorders in rush farmers have been becomming slowly into more serioustages. Small opacities were seen in the middle and lower, especially lower (47%), zones of the lung. Adding, 3 men and 2 women were tuberculosis (activity uncertain) cases.
Twenty men (58%) and 15 women (42%) have complaints of respiratory symptoms, such as cough (17%), phlegm (34%), short breath (17%), wheezing (16%), and nasal catarrh (22%). Four men (14%) and5women (15%) showed slightly impairment of lung functions.
These findings shown in chest x ray films or respiratory symptoms were related significantly to the amount of cigarett smoking.
Increasing intensity of their respiratory disorders, we may consider, due to increasing dust exposure of “sendo” according to expantion of rush management. Then we must accomplish an improvement of working environment and hygienic control for dusts. In addition, we must exploit a new “sendo” containing less amount of free silica and technical improvements of working process.
