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SUMMARY OF STATE REPORTS
OF OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES WITH · A
SURVEY OF PREVENTIVE LEGISLATION
1932 TO 1934
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U ITED STATES DEPARTME T OF LABOR
FRANCES PERKINS, Secretary
WOMEN'S BUREAU
MARY ANDERSON, Director
+
SUMMARY OF STATE REPORTS
OF OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES WITH A
SURVEY OF PREVENTIVE LEGISLATION
1932 TO 1934
By
MARGARETT. METTERT
BuLLETIN oF THE WoMEN's B u REAu, No.
147
!TED STATES
GOVER MENT PRINTING OFFICE
WASHINGTO
: 1936
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CONTENTS
Letter of transmittaL________________________________________________
Introduction__ ___ __ ___________________ _______________________________
Scope____________________________________________________________
Summary_______________________________________________________
Summary of data reported 1932 to 1934________________________
Legislation___________________________________________________
The occurrence of occupational diseases among women, 1932 to 1934_____
Character and scope of data__________ _____________ __ ___ __ _______ _
Special studies_______________________________________________
Occupational diseases in relation to all injuries--------------------Occupational diseases by sex_____________________________________
Number of cases by sex______________________________________
Age distribution by sex___ ___________ _________________________
Distribution of cases by industry__ ___________________________
Type of disease---------------------------------------------Dermatitis-------------------------------------------- Synovitis and bursitis___________________ _________________
Lead poisoning___________________________________________
Disease resulting from toxic solvents _____________________
Other industrial poisons_________________________________
Respiratory infections______________ ________ ______________
Other afflictions__________________________________________
Sickness frequency of industrial employees according to sex____
Schedule vs. list system of compensation from the point of view of women
workers______________________________ ______________________________
Legislation and commissions of investigation relating to occupationaldisease prevention, 1932, 1933, 1934__________________________________
Changes in the United States_____ ___ ______________________________
Legislation passed and proposed_______________________________
Commissions of investigation and resulting legislation__________
Other preventive programs_________ ___________ ______________
Changes in other countries________________________________________
Appendix-References to the occurrence of occupational diseases among
women____________________________________________________________
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TEXT TABLES
1. Number and proportion of cases of occupational disease among all injuries tabulated, in States where occupational disease is compensated
and statistics are obtainable from department connected with
enforcement, 1931 to 1934_________________________________________
2. Number of occupational-disease cases in States that tabulate data by
sex, 1931 to 1934________________________________________________
3. Sex and age of persons reported having occupational diseases, by
State, 1932 to 1934______________________________________________
4. Distribution of occupational-disease cases by industry and sex, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Ohio, 1932 to 1034---.----------------5. Cases of dermatitis among men and women in the most recent periods
reported, by State, 1932 to 1934__________________________________
6. Analysis of 474 cases of dermatitis reported occurring to women in
Ohio, 1932 to 1934---------------------------------------7. Industry and occupation of women having tenosynovitis and prepatellar
bursitis, Ohio, 1932 to 1934______________________________________
8. Frequency of specified causes of disability according to sex, 1930
to 1934---------------------------------------------------------
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LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL
u NITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR.
w OMEN'S Bu:REAu'
Washington, August 126, 1936.
MADAM: In accordance with the legal mandate to the Women's
Bureau to "report upon matters pertaining to the welfare of women
in industry", I have the honor to submit to you a report upon the
occupational diseases with which women are known to have been
affected in the years 1932 to 1934, inclusive.
This follows Bulletin 114 of this Bureau as one of a regular series
of reports on a subject of great importance in woman employment.
It is hoped that continuation of these studies will assist in stimulating additional States to make their figures · available by sex and to
increase the coverage of their laws.
I wish to take this opportunity to express gratitude to the various
States for assistance in obtaining their material, some of which they
furnish in unpublished form especially for this series of bulletins.
Their aid in this compilation has helped to make it more valuable to
other States.
The material has been analyzed and the report written by Margaret T. Mettert, research assistant in the "'Vomen's Bureau.
Respectfully submitted.
MARY ANDERSON, Director.
Hon. FRANCES PERKINS,
Secretary of Labor.
V
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SUMMARY OF STATE REPORTS OF OCCUPATIONAL
DISEASES WITH A.SURVEY OF PREVENTIVE LEGISLATION, 1932 TO 1934
INTRODUCTION
Following its earlier study 1 of the occurrence of occupational diseases to women as reported by several States, the Women's Bureau
has analyzed in the present bulletin the situation as to such disea~es
to women as shown by later material available, both from official
State sources and from such official and private surveys as have been
made.
Since this phase of the industrial problem is in a state of change
and · progress. such periodic summaries of the situation regarding
occupational 'diseases to women, the changing dangers of exposure
presented by industry, and the legislative methods m force for prevention are of real value. It is with this purpose in view that the
Women's Bureau has prepared this supplement to present especially
the dangers of industry and preventive methods of importance to
women workers in 1932, 1933, and 1934.
These years have been outstanding for the world-wide interest
evinced in occupational disease by both official and private organizations. Though the period of depression has caused great suffering,
nevertheless it has made Government and industry more conscious of
the needs of workers. This consciousness is making itself :felt in the
work for the prevention o:f occupational injuries as well as in other
fields. Although progress in actual legislation and in report ing has
not been great during the years under consideration, it may be expected to be cumulative; and with an increasing realization of the
need, it is hoped that legislative coverage will be enlarged and that
reporting will become more complete, including break-downs by sex
as well as other important categories.
With improved business conditions, workers are returning to employment, frequently after long periods of enforced idleness, o:ftel'.!
suffering from lack of nourishment mentally less alert to danger,
and physically more susceptible t o the poisonous substances used in
various industrial processes. The need for adequate records of
the occurrence of occupational disease is especially to be emphasized
at this time. Only with full statistical analyses of the occurrence of
all occupational disease, including a separation of data by sex, will it
be possible for State and industry to work out complete programs for
prevention.
1
Women's Bureau Bull. 114, State Reporting of Occupational Disease, Including a Sur1934.
vey of Legislation Applying to Women.
1
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2
STATE REPORTS OF OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES
SCOPE
This report can present only such material as the various States
have available showing the occurrence of occupational disease to men
and women separately.
While in the years 1932 to 1934 only 12 States and the District o:f
Columbia compensated for occupational diseases 2 (in addition to two
groups compensated by the F ederal Government-Federal employees
and longshoremen), yet these include four of the five most important
industrial States, Judging by numbers gainfully occupied.
In all, five States report occupational disease cases by sex during
the years 1932 to 1934. Of these, New York and Illinois are the only
ones in which the compensation authority has these data available.
The three other States reporting by sex, Connecticut, Massachusetts,
and Ohio, have furnished data on the occupational diseases of women
from reports received by the special divisions for the study and prevention of occupational disease. In Connecticut and Ohio these
divisions are in the department of health, in Massachusetts in the
department of labor and industries. At this date, four additional
States have reported :for these years some figures on occupational disease not by sex.3
•
It is certainly to be regretted that so :few States have given this
serious industrial problem sufficient consideration to collect and tabulate reports of its occurrence by sex. At the same time :four of the
five States reporting are among the six most important industrial
States :from the standpoint of woman employment (the other ranks
twenty-second in woman employment) and a careful consideration
o:f their data has value in pointing to means of prevention.
Nine States report some occupational disease data. The five that
report by sex and the types of information available by sex are as
:follows:
I
State
Connecticut__________ ______ __ __________ ______ _
Illinois __ _______ ___ ________ __ ____ _______ ____ ___
Massachusetts_ ____ ___ ______ _______________ ___ _
New York ____ ___ _____ __ ____ ______ __________ ___
Ohio_------ --- -- -------- - --- -------------- - --1
Reports by
industry
Reports by
age
Reports by
type of
disease
Yes 1__ __ __ _ _
No ____ ____ __
Yes__ ______ _
No ____ ___ ___
Yes _________
Yes 1_ _ _ _ __ _ _
No ___ __ __ ___
Yes_____ ___ _
Yes __ ______ _
No______ __ __
Yes ______ __ _
No _____ ___ __
Yes ___ _____ _
Yes 2_·__ _ ___ _
Yes ____ _____
For women only.
Latest date
report
available
1934
1933
1934
1933
1934
2 Partial.
SUMMARY
Summary of data reported 1932 to 1934.
Although the proportion of occupational diseases is slight in the
total number of industrial injuries, yet 5 States in 1933 and 3
States in 1934 reported totals of respectively 380 and 340 cases of
occi1pational diseases occurring to women. Moreover, in two cases
where all injuries and all occupational-disease cases (not by sex) are
reported to compensation authorities a marked increase in number of
occupational diseases reported is noted, in one case due no_doubt to
the inclusion of dermatitis as a compensable disease.
2 Legal provisions for compensation of occupational diseases will be found in Women's
Bureau Bull. 114, p . 79tr. See ali>o p. 36 of this report.
8 California, Minnesota, New Jersey, and Wisconsin.
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INTRODUCTION
3
In the five States where this percent could be computed, women ls
cases constituted in 1932, 1933, and 1934 from 4 percent to about
19 percent of all occupational-disease cases; in three of these States
women's cases constituted more than one-tenth of the total. Three
of these showed considerable increases in the number of such dis~ases to women from 1932 to 1~33, though this may have been due
m part to more adequate reportmg. The proportion women formed
of the total was largest where reporting has been long established
and is most complete.
Distribution by age of those injured by occupational disease finds
a large proportion--especially of women-in the younger groups.
This 1s important in view of other indications that young persons
are especially susceptible to certain of these diseases. It is true also
that larger proportions of the women than of the men reported with
occupational disease were in the younger age groups.
Dermatoses form numerically the most important type of occupational disease. Their prevention requires continual check on the
irritants in use in industry, the occupations and industries exposed
to these irritants, as well as research into possible substitutions, into
methods of use without direct contact, and methods of preventing
infection where contact is unavoidable. Data from the four States
whose disease reports are analyzed show skin irritants to be in use
in very many types of industry. They also show the principal problem to be somewhat different m each State, as industries differ from
State to State. Tabulations from New York present the seriousness
of such disabilities in length of time lost from work.
Tenosynovitis and bursitis constitute a considerable part of
women's occupational diseases in Ohio and are reported as occurring
in other States.
Special studies by Federal and State agencies find women exposed
in very considerable numbers to benzol and other toxic solvent fumes.
They also find special susceptibility of women to benzol poisoning.
In many cases the dangers of the use of these toxic solvents and the
need for preventive methods is not recognized or appreciated by
employers, and in some instances the nature of the poison used is
not known, a trade name hiding the real identity. The fact that
few cases of poisoning are reported to State authorities may be due,
in large part, to the chronic nature of the disease. While there 1s
real disability and decreased vitality, without examination by physicians familiar with the hazard and resulting symptoms, the real
cause of disability may never be known.
Cases of lead poisoning to women were reported during the period
covered by this report, even though there is evidence that this disease
is of decreasing importance numerically in the most hazardous industries and that serious and acute cases especially have declined. Continual precautions on the part of industry, continual research and
supervision on the part of State labor officers, contribute largely to the
decrease noted, but lead is extensively used in industry and such
supervi ·on continues to be necessary. Without doubt periodic examination of exposed workers, such as that enforced in six important
industrial States, is one of the best methods of controlling the occurrence of lead poisoning. In the four States discussed, storage-battery
manufacture and painting ranked high among industries reporting
cases of lead poisoning.
95573°-36--2
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STATE REPORTS OF OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES
Other industrial poisons affecting women in the three States reporting were zinc, petroleum and petroleum products, carbon tetrachloride, carbon monoxide, gas and fumes (not otherwise stated),
cyanide, and arsenic.
While no cases of radium poisoning were reported in the years
discussed here, the survey by the United States Public Health Service
shows that in spite o:f the utmost care and precautions against exposure, girls employed to apply luminous paint in the watch-dial
mdustry ar e almost certain to be affected.
Respirator.y infections are rapidly becoming recognized as among
the most important groups of occupational diseases. Cases of silicosis
and asbestosis occurring to women have been reported in the medical
literature of 1932 and 1933, although by far the greatest sources of
exposure are to men. Without doubt occupation has an effect on the
incidence of tuberculosis among young women. Nurses, especially,
have a definite occupational hazard in tuberculosis, as in other
infectious diseases.
In addition to tuberculosis, three States listed as occupational
afflictions affecting worrien such troubles as respiratory irritations,
arthritis, conjunctivitis, felon, scarlet :fever, anthrax, neuritis, hea,t
exhaustion, diphtheria, typhoid fever, and rhinitis.
Legislation.
In the United States in 1932--34 a number of State legislatures considered laws to add occupational diseases to workmen's compensation
laws. The Massachusetts Legislature passed a law of special importance to women exposed to benzol fumes in industry, specifying a
required labeling for all substances containing benzol. Kentucky, New
York, and Wisconsin have put into force certain changes b:-oadening
or clarifying their laws relating to occupational-disease compensation,
Important official investigations of some occupational diseases have
been~made in several States, including Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and
Massachusetts, sometimes leading to recommendations of changes or
additions to the compensation law. In Massachusetts a division of
occupational hygiene has been made part of the department of labor
and industries.
Internationally important is the affiliation of the United States with
the International Labor Office in 1934, and the addition of several
diseases to the International Labor Office Convention covering workmen's compensation of occupational disease. Nations throughout the
world have made advances in occupational-disease prevention through
investigations, additions to compensation laws, and regulation o:f
working conditions.
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THE OCCURRENCE OF OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES
AMONG WOMEN, 1932 TO 1934
CHARACTER AND SCOPE OF DATA
Variations in reporting requirements, sources, and scope of available data are of such great importance in a consideration of statistics
showing the occurrence of occupational disease that it will be necessary to reiterate these variations briefly. For example, the reports
used from some States include all diseases reported by physicians
under legal requirements; others include only compensable cases
closed within the year. Naturally the data cannot be compared from
State to State, but they can be analyzed for any State to show trends
from year to year on the same basis of reporting. The type of data
available for each of the five States whose figures are available for
men and women separately are summarized below.4'
Connecticut.
A general law of Connecticut requires any physician knowing of a case of
disease which he believes to have been contracted as a result of the nature of
the employment of the ill person to report it to the department of h ealth. All
such cases reported by physicians are tabulated by the bureau of occupational
diseases. Annual reports of the department of health carry a tabulation for
all employees.
Data for women have been made available to the Women's Bureau in unpublished tables showing diseases of the injured women, their age, occupation,
and industry.
While this information does not pretend to give a complete picture of the
occupational-disease situation in Connecticut, it does point to certain hazardous
situations and the methods for their prevention. ( Comparison with superior
court :figures in 1933- 34 shows that 335 cases were compensated but not reported
by physicians, while less than half that number were reported by physicians.)
Illinois.
Illinois tabulates by sex only the number of cases of occupational disease and
whether or not they were fatal. All cases occurring and reportable under the
very limited list of occupational diseases 5 are included.
Massachusetts.
Reports of occupational-disease occurrence showing data by se:x: are published
in the annual reports of the Massachusetts Department of Labor and Industries.
These are cases reported to and investigated by the department in accordance
with the law requiring reporting by physicians of all ailments contracted as a
result of the patient's emoloyment.
The published reports include analyses by sex of type of illness, age of the
injured, industry, and partial summaries by occupation, and details as to exposure hazards. As in Connecticut, underreporting of actual cases is obvious
when comparison is made with the number of cases compensated; but the value
of even incomplete reports is made evident by the results of the investigation
of each case by the department. Each report of an occupational disease
pointed definitely to the hazard causing it and made possible industrial orders
to prevent a recurrence.
New York.
The New York reports on occupational disease cover only compensable cases
closed in the year. This is unfortunate since the figures do not represent the
cases actually occurring in the year. In addition it makes the problem seem
slighter than it actually is because noncompensable cases are not tabulated.
'See also Women's Bureau Bull. 114, chart 2, p. 47.
11 See appendix I, p. 79, Women's Bureau Bull. 114, for list of compensable and reportable diseases.
5
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6
STATE REPORTS OF OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES
Whether the disease is compensable or not, if its origin is industrial, publication may lead to eventual inclusion in the compensation law and point to
methods of control. Unpublished data have been made available to the
Women's Bureau showing by sex the age, extent of disability, and cost of
compensation of occupational-disease cases and the number of cases resulting
from lead poisoning, occupational activity, and other causes. Published reports
furnish data as to occupational-disease cases but these are not tabulated by sex.
Ohio.
Reports from the Ohio Department of Health furnish the most complete data
from any State on the actual number of cases of occupational disease among
men and among women. All cases are tabulated whether compensable or not,
and these tabulations were made available to the Women's Bureau in tJ1ped
form, classified separately for men and women by occupation, industry, hazard,
and disease. From time to time some of these data are published in the Ohio
Health News O a s to women as well as total cases, but these are not so complete
as the typed monthly reports furnish_ed the ·women's Bureau.
Data from these five important industrial States have value as indicators o:f the types o:f disease hazards presented by industry in each
State although they may show very incompletely the actual extent
of diseases resulting from such hazards. They also have value as
jndicating the need for and practical uses o:f adequate reports, reports that will :furnish material for analyses of age, occupation, industry, specific hazard, and disease resulting, for men and women
s.eparately.
Special studies.
In order to give a more adequate sketch o:f the occupational-disease
problem as it affects women and to supplement these regular State
reports, since they are so :few and their data are so varied, use has
been made in this chapter o:f recent special studies by Federal, State,
and private agencies showing hazardous conditions o:f work for
women in certain industries.
OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES IN RELATION TO ALL
INJURIES
The total number of occupational-disease cases and the total number of injuries, both accidents and diseases, are available from workmen's compensation divisions o:f eight States for two or more of the
years 1931 to 1934. Table 1 shows these data, though as noted on the
table the type o:f case tabulated differs among the various States.
Perhaps caused by a lessening o:f employment in the beginning of
this period, the total number o:f injuries declined quite generally
in 1932 and 1933. In most cases there was a similar decline in occupational-disease cases, but in two States a marked increase was noted.
In New York dermatitis resulting :from certain contacts was added to
the schedule o:f compensable diseases in 1931, and this addition prevented a decrease in the total number o:f cases compensated. In Minnesota the number o:f cases almost doubled. Each o:f the :four States
reporting in 1934 shows an increase in total number o:f injuries, accompanied by a corresponding increase in occupational-disease cases in
two States. Only New Jersey reported :fewer occupational-disease
cases.
,vhile occupational-disease cases form a very small percentage o:f
all injuries in each State, this small proportion is caused partly by
the incompleteness o:f reporting. Occupational diseases form a much
6
Ohio Health Jews, May 1, 1934, and Jan. 15, 1935.
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7
OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES AMONG WOMEN
greater proportion of all industrial injuries in California, Massachusetts, and Wisconsin, where all such diseases are compensable and the
waiting period is short. The number known is lessened by the difficulties connected with recognizing such diseases and proving their
occupational origin, by their frequently chronic and nondisabling
character, and by the limitation in five States to a specified list of
diseases. Taking all these points into consideration, it will appear
that the proport10ns actually are much greater than the reports can
reveal. Estimates by experts in this field would indicate that the
actual problem is not so slight. Dr. C. 0. Sappington, director of the
industrial health division of the National Safety Council, Chicago,
Ill., estimates that 10 percent of all industrial absenteeism is caused
by occupational injury- 7 percent by accidents, and 3 percent by
disease. 7
1.- Number and woportion of cases of occup ati onal disease among, ali
injuries tabulated, in States w here occupational disease is cornpensat ed and
sta tistics are obtainable from department connect ed wit h enforcement, 1931
to 1934
T ABLE
State
Type of case
tabulated
Year
Allin•
juries
Occupa•
tional•
disease
cases
Peroont
occupational•
disease
cases
form of
all
injuries
Source
- - ----,-- - - -- , - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1931
1932
1933
1934
Compensable 1931
cases oc- 1932
1933
curring.
1934
Disability for 1931 3
more than 1 1932 3
day or shift. 1933 3
1934 a
Cases closed•- 1931 a
1932 a
1933 6
1934 o
Closed com- 1931
pensable 1932
1933
cases.
1934
Closed com- 1931
pensable 1932
1933
cases.
1934
Claims fl.led __ _ 1931 7
1932 7
1933 7
1934 7
California...... Tabulatable
injuries.I
Illinois ........ _
Massachusetts.
Minnesota .. . ..
New Jersey ____
New York _____
Ohio.- -·----- --
Wisconsin.... .. Closed comp ens able
cases.
1 Extending beyond
2 Not available.
1931
1932
1933
1934
70,076
56,634
56,887
67,008
(2)
25,462
27,207
(2)
50,006
42,067
31,769
35,217
29,825
29,825
24, 173
24,173
23,208
20,198
17,559
18,537
98,424
82,433
74, 487
(2)
1,860
1, 657
1,528
1,875
(2)
169
180
(2)
1,038
948
698
699
170
170
364
365
298
303
191
137
306
361
433
(2)
2. 7
2. 9
2. 7
2. 8
California Safety News, June
1934 and September 1935; and
unpublished data from indus•
trial accident commission.
Mimeogrnphed report on cost of
.7
industrial accidents in Illinois
.7
for 1932 and 1933, department
.... •.. . . .
of labor.
2. 1 Annual reports of department of
2. 3
industrial accidents, 1931 to
1934.
2. 2
2.0
.6 Biennial reports of the industrial
commission, 1932 and 1934.
.6
1. 5
1. 5
1. 3
1. 5
1.1
.7
.3
.4
.6
-· -·------
185,075
152,954
121, 010
159,597
1,251
1,111
959
1,221
16,943
16,195
14,562
(1)
(1)
441
2. 7
415
2.8
(1)
.7
.7
.8
.8
Mimeographed industrial acci•
dent reports, 1931 to 1934, depar tmen t of labor.
Special bulletins of department of
labor nos. 182 and 183, and un•
published data from the same
depar tment.
Annual reports of industrial commission 1932 and 1933; and mirneographed monthly analysis of
accidents reported t o industrial
commission, January to December 1934.
Labor St atistics, May 12, 1932;
mimeographed reports on compensable disease and unpublished data from indu strial
commission.
day of injury.
a Year ended Nov. 30.
t Includes noncompensable cases involving medical care and wage loss but resulting in disability of less
than 1 week.
IA verage of the 2-year period ended June 30, 1930.
tAverage of the 2-year period ended June 30, 1932.
1 Year ended June 30, except 1934 whfoh is calendar year.
' Safety Engineering, March 1935, p. 133.
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STATE REPORTS OF OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES
Until State departments require and tabulate reports on all occupational diseases without regard to compensability and until all possible
occupational sources of disease are clearly outlined there can be no
accurate knowledge of their actual importance.
OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES BY SEX
N um her of cases by sex.
Table 2 summarizes the number of cases of industrial disease reported for men and women in the period 1931-34 by the five States
where this information is available.
Of all occupational-disease cases those to women ranged from
32.6 percent to 4.1 percent, in Connecticut in 1931 and 1934, respectively. The proportion varied comparatively little from 1931 to 1934
in Massachusetts and in Ohio. While the proportion of women
affected remained about the same in Ohio during the 4 years the total
number of women and men reported increased notably. Causes for
the increase have not been investigated, but probably are various.
The increase was not due to the addition of any disease to the compensable list. Increased publicity about occupational diseases as well
as increasing employment probably were operative factors. In New
York the increasing proportion of such injuries occurring to women
probably is the result of including dermatitis among compensable
diseases. Women as compared with men suffer a greater proportion
of the dermatoses than they do of other occupational diseases. 8
TABLE
2.-Number of occupational-disease cases in States that tabulate data by
sex, 1931 to 1934
Occupational:disease cases
reported
State
Type of case
tabulated
Year
Women
Total
Connecticut. - - Cases reported by
physicians.
19311
1932 1
1933 1
1934 3
Illinois. ______ . Compensable cases
occurring.
Men
Num- Perber cent
---- -141
95
(2)
(2)
299
147
281
141
1932
1933
169
180
157
165
Massachusetts. Cases investigated
following report
by physicians
treating cases.
New York ___ __ Closed compensable
cases.
1931 •
1932 •
1933 •
1934 •
19311
1932
1933
447
345
352
265
365
361
433
375
286
298
231
342
331
375
Ohio _________ _ Cases reported by
physicians.
1931
1932
1933
1,309
1, 159
1,258
1,556
1,070
971
1,023
1,254
1934
Source
46 32. 6 Annual reports of depart44 ----mentofhealth , 1931 to 1934;
18
6. 0
also unpublished statistics
6
4. 1
from same d~partment
(bureau of occupational
diseases).
12
7. 1 Mimeographed reports from
15
8. 3
department of labor (division of statistics and research).
72 16. 1 Annual reports of depart59 17. 1
ment of labor and indus54 15. 3
tries (division of industrial
34 12. 8
safety), 1931 to 1934.
23
6. 3 Unpublished statistics from
30
8. 3
department of labor (divi58 13. 4
sion of statistics and information).
239 18. 3 Unpublished statistics from
188 16. 2
department of health (di235 18. 7
vision of hygiene).
302 19. 4
1 Year ended June 30.
2 Total cases published include cases compensated as well as those reported by physicians and are not
comparable with women's cases, which include only those reported by physicians.
a Year ended June 30. Cases reported by physicians plus cases compensated, which were reported for
the first time for women in 1934, were as follows: Total, 482; men, 443; women-number 39, percent of total
8.1.
• Year ended Nov. 30.
8
See tables 2 and 5. and also Women's Bureau Bull. 114, p. 58.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
9
OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES AMONG WOMEN
Age distribution by sex.
Reports on age of persons suffering from occupational disease furnished by these four States for 1932 to 1934 are shown in table 3. As
in earlier years, a strikingly larger proportion of women than men
are in the younger age groups. For example, in the period 1932-34
men and women in the following percentages were less than 20 years
old: 0
M en
Massa chusetts (1932 to 1934) ______________ __ __ ___ __ ___
New York (1932 and 19'33) - ------------------ ----- - - Ohio (lf,·3 2) _________ ___ _____ __ _______ _____ ___________
W omen
5
4
3
22
19
11
In New York t wo-thirds of the women tabulated, but only about
one-third of the men, were under 30. Age dat a are available only for
1932 in Ohio. In this year about 16 percent of the men so disabled
and over 37 percent of the women were under 25. Almost 60 percent of the women and 32 percent of the men were under 30. Statistics by age are available for women but not for men in Connecticut. One-third of the women reporting age were less than 20 years
old. Almost three-fifths were under 25. The preponderance o:f
young women among those suering from occupational diseases indicates the seriousness of the situat10n, especially when the particular susceptibility of young women to certain of these maladies is
considered. 10
TABL E
3.-Sex an d age of persons rep or t ed having accupat'iona. l d fs eases, by
State, .193~ to .1934
Men
Age group (years)
Number
CONNECTICUT-3 Y E A RS E NDED J UNE
Women
I Percent
N umber
I Percent
30, 1934
¥it.i;,;;;ffu,_ . ........ ........................................(•)···· ------...-□--(!-)
-
Under 2() _____ ______ __ ______________ __ ___ __ ______ --- ------ ·· ------ _ ___ _ ____ _ __________
20 to 24 ______ _________ . ___ _______ _______ . _____________ ·------- _____ ____ _________ ·- _
25 to 29 ____ _______ _______ __ ·----------------------------------- ___ ______ _ __________
30 to 34________________ _____ _______ __ _______ _ _______________ ____ __________ __________
35 to 39 _ _ ______ __ __ __ ___ _____ ____ __ __ __ ____ ______ __ ___ _____ ___ ___ ____ _____ _ __ ___ ____ _
-iO to 44 _______ · ---- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- __ -- --- ____ ------- -- - ------- __------- __ -- ------45 to 49 ____ _______ __ ___ ---··--- __________________________________ ____________ _______ _
liO to 54 __ ___________________________________________________ ________ ________ __ __ __ _
MASSACHUSETTS- 3 YF.ARS ENDE D
Total _______________________ ________ ____ _____ _______ ____ _
Nov. 30,
Data not available.
1
8
7
2
2
2
1934
815 ----------
2
Not reporting_ . -- -------------- ------------------------- ___ ___ _
Total reporting .. ______ . ____ ___ ____ . ___ ···-- ---- ________________ _
813
Under 18_____________ __________ __ ______ ____ ________ _____ ______ _1- - -8
18 to 20 ___ ______________ ________ --- - --- -- -------- --- --------- - -- 35
21 to 30 ___ __ __ ___ ________ ------- --- ------- __ ___ .. -- -- - - - -- -- -- - -218
31 to 40. __ _____ _ -------------- - --- - - ---------------- ___ __ ______ _
213
202
• 1 to 50 __ __ ____ -- ------ ------------- · -- -- - --- - ·· - - -- - -- ---- - - - - 99
Ill to 6J. - --- -- -- -------- ---- ---- - --- ---- -- - - ------------- - - - ---38
61 and over_ ----- ------ ---- -- ---------- ------------- --- - ------1
11
147 - - --------
-------------------··-------100. 0
147
100. 0
=
1.0
4. 3
26. 8
26. 2
24.8
12. 2
4. 7
- -- -- 13
19
62
27
23
2
1
-8.8
12. 9
42. 2
18. 4
15. 6
1.4
.7
Not computed; base less than 50.
• Inclrdes 20 years in Massachusetts.
1°For fuller discussion of this phase of the subject, with cit ation of medical testimony,
see Women's Bureau Bull. 114, p. 12tr. See a lso cases cited on p. - of the pr esent study.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
10
STATE RE PORTS OF OCCUP ATIO N AL DISEASES
TABLE
3.-Sex and age of persons reported having occupational diseases, by
State, 1932 to 1934- Continued
Men
Age group (yearsJ
Number
Women
I Percent
Number
I Percent
NEW YORK-CALENDAR YE ARS 1932 AND 1933
T otal _---- --- - ---------------- ------- ----------- --- -- . __
706 - ----- --- -
88 - - - - --- - --
N ot reporting
___ _____
__ ----------------------__------------------___
- ___
Total
reporting
__________ ______
_____
______ ___________
41 ------ - -- 100. 0
605
84
100. 0
l(j
19. 0
47. 6
20. 2
9. 5
3. 6
Under 2() ___ ____ _ _____ ____ _ __ _- - - - --- - - -- - -- ---- __ ___ ____ _ ____ _
20 to 29 . _ _______ ---- -- --- --·- ---··- - -- - - -- - - - ---- ___ . _________ __
30 to 39 __ ______ _. ______ _____ ____ ___ ______ ___ _____ ____________ _
40 to 49 ___ __ ______ ___ __ ______ _______ ___ ___. _____ _____ _________ _
50 to 59 . ___ __ __ ____ ___ ____ _____ _____ ____ __ __ _____ _____ ____ ___
60 to 69 ____ __ ____ __ __ ___ _____ ____ __ __ ___ __ ____ __ ___ __ ___ ___ ____ _
70 to 79 ____ __ _____ __ ___ ____ _--- --- -- - ---- ·- ·· ------ ______ ______ _
Omo- CALENDA R YE AR 1932
Total. _____ ___ __ _-------- - ---- --- -- --- - -___ __________ ___
Not reporting___ _______ _______ ____ __________ ___ ________ ________ _
T otal reporting _______ ___ ________ ___ ___ ____ _________ _________ _
Under
2Q ___ . ___ ___ __ _ ____ ___ _ __ _____ ___ _______ ___ _ ___ ____ __ _ _
20 to 24 ____ _____ __ _____ ___ ··- ____ ____ ___ ________ ____ _____ ________ _
25 to 29 __ __ · ______ __ __ _____ ______ ___ __ ______ _________ ___ ___ _____ _
30 to 34 . ___ _____ ___ _____ __ __ _____ _________ ____ __ _____ ___ ___ __ _
35 t o 39 . _____ ____ _________ ________ _____ ________ __ _______ ___ ___
40
45
50
55
60
to « ___ ----_------------------------------------ -----------
to 49 . __ -- - -- --- - - -- ---- - - - - --- - - - ------------- - - --- --- ----to 54 ___ -- - - - - ---- - - - - - - -- - - - _-- - - .. . - - - - - - --- -- - - - ---- - - - - - _
to 59 ___ _____ ___ ---- - ----------- --- -- ---- _____ ___ -- ------ - -and over __ _-- -- -- --- -------- ---- -- ----- - ___ ____ ___ ____ _____
a From
27
200
4. 1
30. 1
182
167
68
19
27. 4
25. 1
10. 2
2
•3
4 ------ --- -
40
17
8
3
2. 9
3
971
188 - - - - --- -- -
23 ---- _ -- --948
100. 0
9 -- -- - - - - -179
100. 0
25
129
150
168
142
116
77
68
31
42
2. 6
13. 6
15. 8
17. 7
15. 0
12. 2
8. l
7. 2
3. 3
4. 4
19
48
39
33
18
11
9
2
10. 6
20.8
21.8
18. 4
10.1
6. 1
5. 0
1. 1
--- ·------ - --- --------------- ----------
unpublished data secured for this 1 year.
Distribution of cases by industry.
Connecticut, Massachuset ts, and Ohio dat a are available by industry. (See table 4.) Industry of injured persons is considered in
some detail in the discussion by type of disease, but a brief summary
is of interest since the differences between States are marked. The
manufacture of textiles and of ammunition ranked high among the
disease-hazardous industries employing women in Connecticut. I n
Massachusetts the manufacture of shoes and other leather manufacturing account ed for the greatest proportion of occupational diseases, both for men and for women, but for a much greater pei·centage o:f the women than of the men. On the other hand, a considerably higher proportion of the men than of the women affected
were engaged in the manufacture of textiles and clothing. In Ohio
metals and machinery manufacture is outstanding in the proportion
o:f injured men employed. Rubber manufacture, metals and machinery, textiles and clothing, and service industries combined each
r anked high in number of women's cases reported in Ohio.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
TABLE
4. -Distribution of occupational-disease cases by industry and sex, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Ohio, 1932 to 1934
Connecticut
(1932- 34), women
co
01
1
Ohio
Massachusetts (1932-34)
1934
Ot
-;i
Men
Industry
~
I°
Number
1933, women
Women
1
Women
Men
Percent
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
f - - - - 1 - - - - - ---- ----1----11---- ---- - --- ---- - - - ---- ---~
'I'otal ___ ------------------ - -----------------Manufacturing and mechanical_ ___ __ _________ ____ _
68
100. 0
815
100. 0
147
100.0
231
100.0
1,254
100.0
302
100. 0
76. 6
177
1,037
73.8
95. 5
143
97. 3
82. 7
223
82.4
778
56
Ammunition.._____ _____________________________
14
20. 6 _________________ ____________ ______________ _______ ---------- _______________________________________ _
Chemicals___________ ___ ______________________
1
L5
18
2. 2
3
2. 0
2. 2
71
5. 7
7
2. 3
Clay, glass, and stone ________________ __________ ____ ______ __________
36
4. 4 ____ _____ _ __________
4
1. 7
75
6. 0
7
2. 3
Construction___ ________ _____ ____ ______________ _ _______ __ ____ __ _________________________________________________________________
29
2. 3 __________ ___ ______ _
Electrical apparatus and supplies ____ __ ________
3
4. 4
16
2. 0
9
6. 1
6
2. 6
132
10. 5
7
2. 3
Food, beverages, and tobacco_______________ ___
3
4. 4
18
2. 2
10
6. 8
15
6. 5
50
4. 0
18
6. 0
Formica __ -------------------------------- ----- __ _______ _ ____ __.____ __________ __________ __________ __ __ __ __ __ __________ __________ _____ _____ _______ ___
8
2. 6
Metals and machinery____ _____ ______ ____ ___ ___ _____ _____ __ ________
87
10. 7
14
9. 5
16
6. 9
289
23. 0
42
13. 9
Painting_--- ------- --------------- ____ ___ __ ___ __ __ __ ____ _ ______________ __________________________ __ __ ______ __________ ---------30
2. 4 __________ ___ _____ __
Paint manufacturing___ _____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ___ __________ _____ _____
16
2. 0
1
. 7 ________ ______________ _________ __ ___________ _______ ___ ___ _
Paper, printing and publishing__ ________ ____ ___ _____ _____ _____ ___ __
26
3. 2
3
2. 0
16
6. 9
32
2. 6
13
4. 3
5
2. 2
35
2. 8
10
3. 3
Plastics_______________ __ _____ ____ ____________ ____ ____ __ _______ ___ ___ _____ __ __ ____ ____ __________ _________ _
Rubber goods ______________ ____ ~-- --_ _____ ___
4
5. 9
21
2. 6
19
12. 9
39
16. 9
112
8. 9
43
14. 2
220
27. O
61
41. 5
10
4. 3
16
1. 3
21
7. 0
Shoes and other leather________________________ ____ __________ ______
Textiles and clothing______ ___ ______ ___ ___ ______
24
35. 3
147
18. 0
9
6.1
36
15. 6
30
2. 4
26
8. 6
Vehicle.s, parts, accessories, and service _______ __
2
2. 9
19
2. 3 _________ _ __ ___ _____
5
2. 2
73
5. 8
6
2. 0 .
5
7. 4
154
18. 9
14
9. 5
20
8. 7
63
5. 0
15
5. 0
Miscellaneous manufacturing____ __ __________ __
.4
.7
11.8
ervice industries_-------------- ------- ------- ___ __
Beauty parlors____ __ _____ ___ ____ ___ ____________
3
4. 4 ___________________ ________ ___ _______ __ _
Hospitals ___ -- ------------ --- --- -------- --- ---- ___ __ _________ ____________________ . ___________ ___ _________ _
Hotels and restauran ts_ _________ _____ ___ __ _____
1
1. 5 _____ _______________ ___ _____ __ ______ ___ _
Lanndries and dry cleaners ______ _____ ________ _
1
1. 5
3
.4
1
.7
Other domestic and personal service__________ __
3
4. 4 _________ _ ____ ____ ____ ___________ ______ _
26
11.3
51
4.1
37
12.3
5
1
18
3
10
1. 7
.3
6. 0
1. 0
3. 3
15
5.0
7
2. 3
6.3
- ----------~----1-----1--- -1----1----1-----1----1----+---3
2
8
5
8
1. 3 ------ - --- ------ ---.9
4
.3
3. 5
9
.7
2. 2
15
1. 2
3. 5
23
1. 8
.4
Agriculture__ ________ ________________ _____ _____ ____ __ ________ _______ ___ __________ ____ ______ _____ ___ __ _______ ___
1_ - --- - - 1. 5_ ---------- - --------- -.-- -- ----- ----·----- - - --- ---- 7_ ------ 3· 0_
Professional and semiprofessionaL _________ ________ __________ _____ ___ __ _____ _____ _____ ____ _ _________ _ _________ _
4
1. 7
Trade-------------------~------------------ - _____ __ ___ __________
12
1. 5
3
2. o
15
6. 5
Transportation_____ _______________ _ _________ ____ _ ___ ______ _ __ ___ _____
6
. 7 ______ _____ _____ ___ __ __________________ _
3
4.1
16
2. o __________ __________
.4
Miscellaneous________ _______ ___________ ______ __ __ __
~~~iancfquarrying _____________________________________
1
Data not avaifable for men.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
7
5
11
8
52
41
42
.6
.4
.9
.6
4.1
3. 3
3. 3
19
.3
I-'
I-'
12
STATE REPORTS OF OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES
Type of disease.
Type of disease is available for four of the States reporting by
sex, but only for lead poisoning and occupational activity for New
York. There is considerable variation in the classification of diseases from State to State as would be expected from differences in
reporting laws as well as from industrial differences.
Dermatitis.-Dermatitis continues to be the most common type of
industrial ailment reported affecting both women and men. Table 5
shows that dermatoses constituted 70, 63, and 64 percent of all
women's cases in Ohio, 1932, 1933, and 1934, respectively; and 93
and 94 percent of all women's cases in Massachusetts in 1932 and
1933. In Massachusetts such diseases were from well over half to
about two-thirds of male cases, and in Ohio 51 and 57 percent of
male industrial maladies were dermatoses. Similarly, such infections constituted a very large proportion of both women's and men's
cases in Connecticut.
TABLE
5.-0ases of dermatitis among men and w omen in the most recent periods
reported, by State, 1932 to 1934
Men
Women
Dermatitis cases
Dermatitis cases
State
Connecticut ____ ____ ___ ___
Massachusetts __ __ _______ _
Ohio ______ __ ________ ______
Year
Occupationaldisease ·
Numcases
ber
Percent
of all
occupationaldisease
cases
Occupationaldisease
cases
Number·
Percent
of all
occupationaldisease
cases
Percent
of all
dermatitis
cases
- - --- -- --- --(1)
44
40
---- -------------5.--1
(3)
18
13
86. 5
----- 1!)321
1!)33 I
193414
19321
1933 I
1934 6
1932
1933
1934
(2)
281
141
286
298
231
971
1,023
1,254
(1)
24S
98
157
198
150
494
583
719
69. 5
54. 9
66.4
64. 9
50. 9
57. 0
57. 3
6
59
54
34
188
231
302
6
55
51
32
131
149
194
(3)
93. 2
94. 4
(3)
69. 7
63.4
64. 2
5.8
25. 9
20. 5
17. 6
21.0
20.4
21. 2
Year ended June 30.
Data for men not comparable to those for women. See footnote 2, table 2.
• Not computed; base less than 50.
'33 women were compensated for occupational diseases in this year, including 11 cases of dermatitis.
• Year ended Nov. 30.
1
1
While New York 11 data as to dermatitis are not distributed by
sex, it is significant that 461 of the 692 claims made for compensation
for occupational disease in 1933 were claims for occupational skin
diseases.
Available statistics from New York not only show skin affections
to be the most common of the recognized occupational diseases but
they present the seriousness of such cases. Of the 461 cases, 434 had
rash on hands and arms, and in 55 of these cases the rash was not
limited to hands and arms. The fact that hands are so commonly
affected is of the greatest importance since their use in the regular
work is impossible until a cure is effected. Even aside from incapacity of the hands, success of the cure usually is dependent upon
removal from exposure to the irritating agent until healing is com11
New York, Industria l Bulletin, June 1934, p. 1 58 ff. and Augu st 1934, p. 212tr.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES AMONG WOMEN
13
plete. The fact that hands so commonly are affected also suggests
that certain methods of hygiene, such as the use of rubber gloves and
hand lotions, might be effective preventives.
Length of disability is reported for 349 of the 461 cases of dermatoses in New York. The largest group, almost one-third of the total,
were disabled for from 1 to 3 months. Over 18 percent were disabled for over 3 months.
It is suggested by the New York Department of Labor authorities
that length of disability could be controlled to some extent by employers if they would check on the appearance of rashes, require the
affected person to stop work, report to the insurance company at once,
and have immediate treatment. Workers should not be allowed to
return until the skin is entirely cleared up. Further check should be
made after return to work, because the skin may have become sensitized so that even slight exposure will cause a return of the infection.
Second attacks usually are more serious and difficult to cure than the
first. Because of the magnitude of the problem of control of occupational dermatoses, it is essential that they be completely covered by
workmen's compensation provisions. In New York dermatitis is
compensable only when due to "alkalies, acids, or oils capable of causing dermatitis." In 1933 about 35 cases, or one-fifth of those disallowed, were disallowed because they were not covered by the act.
A case of such disallowance in New York is that of an attendant
in an orphan asylum who had the care of a group of children infected
with scabies which she herself finally contracted. There was medical
evidence of the loss of time and the disease was occupational in origin,
but it was no.t covered by the compensation law. 12
Prevention of industrial skin infections is furthered by knowledge
of the occupations of the injured and of the irritants which cause
these skin diseases. Such information is available in table 6 for the
474 cases reported occurring to women in Ohio in 1932, 1933, and 1934.
TABLE
6.-.Anal ysi s of 474 cases of dermatitis r epo1·ted oocurring to women in
Ohio. 193'2 to 1934
Hazard
All cases reported_______
Dyes_______________ _
11
N umber of
dermati tis
cases
Industry
Numberin
the
industry
Occupation
474
53
Manufacturing__ __ _______ ___
39
Knitting . _______ ____ ___ _
7
Shoes . _- --- ---------- - --
6
Ladies' wear __________ __
5
Hats.---------------- ---
4
New York, Industrial Bulletin, August 1934, p. 213.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Machine operator ___ _______ _
Winder ____ ____ ___ ______ __ __
Knitter. .. ___ ____ ___ ___ __ ___
Cloth ripper_ ___ ___ _______ __
Wood-heel coverer. _______ __
French folder. ____ ___ . ___ . __
Inspector __ ___ _____ __ ______ _
Fancy shoe stitcher. ___. ___ _
F actory worker ___________ __
Shoe dyer ___________ _______ _
Machine operator __ _______ __
Seamstress. __ ________ ___ ___ _
Finisher ____ ___ ____________ _
Alteration ___________ ______ __
Hat steamer. ____ _____ _____ _
M achine operator _____ _____ _
Blocker_. __ ________ _____ ____
Trimmer ___ ____ __ _. . __ __ __ __
Numberin
the
occupation
14
STATE REPORTS OF OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES
TABLE
6.-Analysis of 474 cases of dermatitis reported occurring to women in
Ohio, 1932 to 1934-Continued
Hazard
Num•
ber of
dermatitis
cases •
Dyes-Continued.
Industry
Number in
the
Indus•
try
Coats and suits ... •....•
2
Raincoats . ..•.....••. .. .
2
Rayon garments ..••....
2
Boxes (paper) ....... ... .
Canvas specialties ..•... .
Clothing, n. o. s ....•....
Dress materials ••.. .....
Drugs.................. .
Hosiery •.... ............
Lace ........ . ........•..
Rayon textiles .....•....
Seat covers.........•....
Soap .. . ...............•.
Sweaters ••.......•......
Mercantile . . ......... . ..... .
1
1
1
10
Service industries .....•.....
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Beauty parlor. .....•....
Dry cleaning .. . ....... . .
Cleaning agents..... .
51
ot reported . .... .......... .
2
25
Hotel. ................. .
4
2
2
Restaurant ..... . ...••...
2
Beauty parlor. ....... .. .
Chamber of commerce ..
Laundry ..........•.....
Not specifled •..•••• -- ..
1
1
1
7
Mercantile .. ~· •.• ·-··-·· .•..
11
Dairy ..... ······-······ ·
Not specified .•.. . _._ .•..
3
Manufacturing·····-······ · ·
15
Shoes .. ····· ······-·-···
4
Soap ....... ·-········-··
2
E:teTrrr::i~d!nct ·batteiiei
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
OCCU·
pation
Pocket maker ..... ·-···-····
Tailoress ................... .
Raincoat handler·-- ···-····
Machine operator······-····
Needle operator. .....•.•.•..
Examiner .................. .
Gluer ...................... .
Sewing•machine operator ... .
Trimmer ................... .
Forelady and inspector ..... .
Bottle filler .... . . .......... .
Inspector. __ ............ . .. .
. . ... do .......•..............
Not reported ............... .
Packer .................•....
Laboratory assistant ....... .
Mender ......•.......•......
Saleslady:
Toys...•••....•....•....
Hosiery ......•...•......
Furs . ........• . .........
Dry goods ......... . ... .
ot otherwise specified .
Professional model. ..•......
Checker ..........•....•.....
Handler:
Dry goods ....•....•....
Dresses_-··· · ···········
Cutting cloth..•.. ·-. _.. . .. .
Shoe wrapper. ·····-········
Cleaning woman .......... . .
Waitress . .................. .
Linen washer.............. .
Office and building la•
bor ..... · ·-····· ...... .
Dry cleaning ...... . .... .
Hospital. .. •...... ......
Tires and rubber-·······
Women's knit wear._ ..•
Num•
berin
th'e
Operator· ··-·-··· ··-·-······
Dry cleaner.········-·······
Service indu tries ......•....
Candy.··-·-·········-·EnameL ....• ··--···-· ..
Glassware .............. .
Jewelry .. ···· ·· · ·····-··
Metal specialties .... ... .
Occupation
8
Cleaner ..........•••....•...
Spotter ... .. .....••..•...•..
Laundress . ........... -.... .
Cleaning woman ........... .
Waitress _.... . .. .•..........
Dishwasher . .............. . .
Operator. ....... . .......... .
Waitress . . ············-·····
Laundress ....•.............
Cleaning woman, n. o. s·-···
Dishwasher.···········-····
Window cleaner..• ·---·---··
Dishwasher.·-·-·-·--------Waitress .. ········------·-··
Salesgirl.. •...... --··--···-··
Cleaner .... ....•...•...•.•..
Waitress .•.....•.•..•....•..
Laborer, n. o. s..·-·-·-······
Shoe treer. ... ......•.•......
Lining cleaner ... ···-· ..... .
Soap worker·- ···········-··
Laborer.··· ·--···-···-·-·-··
Dishwasher·-······· ········
Ware wiper .•••.. ....•. ..•..
Decorator· ··············-···
Polisher ............. ···- •...
Cleaner of metal. .·······-··
Wrapper· ···············-·-·
Rubber worker.·-···-----·Janitress. ····-···········--·
Presser ...• ·-·· ..• ··-··-··· ..
2
1
4
2
2
OCCU PATIO ~ AL DISEASES AMONG WOMEN
TABLE
15
6 .-Analysis of 474 cases of dermatiti s reported occurring to women in
Ohio, 1932 to 1934-Continued
Hazard
Number of
dermatit is
cases
Textiles, clothing,
and furs.
37
Industry
Manufacturing ___ ____ _____ __
Number in
t he
industry
20
Knitting ___ _____ ______ _
Clothing _____ _________ __
5
Mops _______________ ___ _
4
Canvas __ -- ---- -------- Fur products ___ ________ _
Mercantile. ___ __ __ _________ _
12
28
Sorter __ ______ ______ _______ __
Textile worker ____ ___ _____ __ _
Mender __ ______ ___ ___ ______ _
Machine operator __ __ __ ___ ___
Sewer ___ ____ ____________ ___ _
Button operator ____ __ ____ __ _
Power-machine operator ___ _
Stitcher __ ____ _________ ____ __
Seamstress _____ __ _________ _
Finisher __ _______________ __ __
Sorter ____ ___ ______ _______ __ _
Shop worker ___________ __ ___
H andling canvas goods ___ __ _
Seamstress _____ ____ __ ___ ___ _
Finisher _____ _______ ______ ___
H andling and sewing furs __ _
Saleslady ______ __ __ ___ ______ _
Repairer _____ __ __ __________ _
Instructor-yarn artcrart ___ _
Housekeeping maid _________ _
Service industries-hospitaL
Chemicals and solutions, n. o. s.
Occupation
Not reported _______________ _
4
M anufacturing _____________ _
15
Folding knit dresses _______ __
Folding dresses and blowes
Examining knit dressea ____ _
Sorting woolen rags ______ __ __
Glass ____ ____·__ _____ __ ___
Pottery __ ____ __ ____ __ _
Shoe heels _______ __ ___ __ _
Soaps and perfumes ____ _
Stamping __ ______ __ ____ _
Packer ______ ___ ___ _____ ___ __
Rubber-patch handler ___ ___ _
'!'ire finisher ___ __ ______ ___ __ _
W asher- heels and soles __ __ _
Labeler and packer _________ _
Bottle filler _____ __ ________ __
·w orker. . ________ _______ ____ _
Polisher _________ __ _________ _
M achine operator __ _____ __ _
Repairer __ ______ __ __ _______ _
Stamping glassware _______ _
Decorator ____________ __ ___ __
Printing shoe heels ___ ____ ___
Labeler _____ ________ ____ ____
Press operator ___ _______ __ ___
Mercantile _____ ____ _______ __
Saleslady ___ ________ ________ _
Rubber_ ---------------- -
4
Drugs ___ __ ____________ __
2
Shoes ___ _____ ________ ___ _
2
Underwear __ _______ __ __ _
2
Service industries _________ __
Restaurant ________ __ __ __
Operator __ ___ _____ __ ______ __
Hair dresser. __________ __ ___ _
Permanent waver_ ____ ___ __ _
Inspector. __ ____ __ _______ __ __
f.,inen finisher _____ _____ ___ __
Cook ____ __ _______ ___ ____ ___ _
Farm ________ ______________ __
Farm worker ____ ___________ _
Beauty parlor ______ ___ __
Laundry __ __ _________ ___
Oils and grease __ __ ___
28
ot reported ___ _________ ___ _
M anufacturing ________ ___ __ _
2
1
25
Auto accessories _______ __
Rims and batteries _____ _
Steel____ ________________ _
3
Adding machines ______ _
2
Bolts and screws ______ _
Bolts and taps _________ _
Disk wheels ____ ___ ____ __
Metal stamping ___ _____ _
Milk apparatus ___ ___ _
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
3
Nurse ____ ---- --- ---- -- -----Shaft worker _____ ________ ___
Inspector-spindle bolts ____ _
Greasing paints _____________ _
Inspector- spark plugs __ ___ _
Oil tester ___ ___________ _____ _
Punch-press operator _______ _
Laborer _______ ________ _____ _
Worker, n . o. s __ ___ __ __ ____ _
Punch-press operator _____ __ _
Feeding-machine operator __ _
Washer of bolts __ _________ ___
Press operator .. __ ______ ____ __
Punch-press operator _______ _
_____ do ____ ---------------- __
Numberin
the
occu~tion
16
STATE REPORTS OF OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES
TABLE
6.-Analysis af 474 cases of dermati tis reported occurring to women in
Ohio, 19313 to 1934-Continued
Hazard
Number of
dermatitis
cases
Industry
Numberin
the
indust ry
Manufacturing-Continued .
Radios _____ ______ ___ ___ _
Soda fountain manufacturing.
Spark plugs ___ _________ _
Springs ______ __________ _
Oil11 and grease-Con.
Not reported ____ _______ _
Labor, n. o. s _______________ _
Punch-press operator _______ _
Cleaner__________________ ___ _
Taperer ____________________ _
5
Service Industries __________ _
HoteL _________________ _
Restaurant_ ____________ _
25
24
Rubber, n. o. s _________ _
12
Rubber sundries and
novelties.
7
Tires and tubes ________ _
5
Broom maker _______. ._ ______ _
Cutter __ ___ ________________ _
Corn packer _______________ __
Packer-------------------- -_
Racker _____________________
Packing kraut in cans ______ _
SalesgirL ____ _________ _____ _
1
Broom manufacturing ____ __ _
Canneries ___ _______________ _
Dates _____ ____ __ _
Hay ____________ _
Kraut ___ _____ __ _
Plants, flowers,
etc.
Tobacco ___ _____ _
1
1
1
3
Date packing ______________ _
Glassware __________________ _
Canning ___ ________________ _
Mercantile ________________ __
2
Tomatoes ____ ____
Miscellaneous ___ _
1
8
Cigar factory ________ _____ ___
Tobacco manufacturing __ __ _
Tomato raising __ ____ _______ _
Restaurant ________ __ _______ _
Infections ___ _____ - - - -
17
1
1
2
Not specified.
7
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Stripper-gloves __ __________ _
Buffer _____ __________ ______ __
Inspector ___________________ _
Packer _____________________ _
Dipper ___________ _________ __
Dressing rubber __ _________ __
Sweeping floors ____________ _
Soapstoning tubes __________ _
Taper-beads ______________ _
Line bands ________________ __
Clerical
(used
thumbs).
2
Mycosfs ________ _
Scabies ________ __
Trichophytosls __
Rubber worker, n. o. s _____ _
Using scrap rubber _________ _
Rubber-patch worker ______ _
Inspection __ _______________ _
Stacking heels ______________ _
Cleaner- separator plates __ _
Curer
_________ __ __________ __
Mercantile _________________ _
20
Fungus _________ _
Salad maker-department
store.
Manufacturing _____________ _
Fruits, vegetables,
and plants.
Broom corn _____ _
Corn ______ ______ _
Impetigo __ _____ __
Punch-press operator _______ _
Drill-press operator ________ _
Spinner _____ __ ____________ __
Nutting bolts ______________ _
Maid _______________ ______ __
Baker _____________________ __
Mercantile _________________ _
Rubber _____________ _
Numberln
the
occupation
Occupation
Beauty parlor _____________ __
_____ do __ ___ ________________ _
Mercantile _______________ __ _
Office ______________________ _
SchooL _______ ------------ __
Soda fountain __ ___ _______ __ _
Public bathhouse __________ _
Humane society ____ _______ _
Hosiery mending ___________ _
SchooL ___ __ _______ ____ ____ _
City ________ _______________ _
Dairy products _____________ _
Laundry ____________ _____ __ _
Mercantile _________________ _
Preserved fruits __ ____ ___ ___ _
Shoe manufacturing _____ ____ _
Not reported------------- ---
rubber
Cigar maker _______________ _
Packer and weigher ________ _
Laborer ____________________ _
Salad girL _________________ _
Pantry girl__ _______ ________ _
Culinary worker ___________ _
Waitress _______ ____________ _
~~~~~is-t
~=================
SalesgirL ______
______ ______ __
Clerk _______ ______________ __
Teacher _____ ____ ___________ _
SalesgirL ________ __________ _
Cleaner ____________________ _
Social worker _________ _____ _
Mender-old hose __________ _
Scrubwoman _______________ _
Bookkeeper ________ ., _______ _
Laboratory worker _________ _
Sorting soiled clothes ____ ___ _
Examining soiled suits _____ _
Pulling dates _______________ _
Shoe worker ____ ____________ _
Bookkeeper ________________ _
1
2
1
1
17
OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES AMONG WOMEN
TABLE
6.-Analysis of 474 cases of dermatiti s reported occurring to women in
Ohio, 1932 to 1934-Continued.
Hazard
Number of
dermat i tis
cases
Miscellaneous. . . . .. . .
Leather ..• •.•.• . . .. ..
Bakelite . . ...•. .•. •..
Formica . . ..•••.•... .
Gasoline and other
volatile petroleum
products .
8
14
11
11
11
Industry
Numberin
the
industry
Service industries-restau•
rant.
8
M anufact uring. ..... . . . .. . . .
14
Shoes ............. ... .. .
11
Leather, not otherwise
specified.
H eels .. . . .. . .. ••. .......
2
M anufacturing. ... . . ....... .
11
Plastic molding... . .. .. . .
7
Bakelite products . ..... .
Bottle-cap m anufactur•
ing.
Not reported . ..... . . . .. .
2
Manufacturing . . . ......... . .
11
Formica . ... ..... · -- --· -.
8
Insulation . .• . ..• __ ••• _••
3
M anufacturing. . . . . ... . . . .. .
11
Aluminum ware ....... .
Aut o parts .. . . . ....... . .
3
Ru bber products ... . . . . .
2
Carbon paper . . . .
1
Salad maker __ ... . __. . ___ . ..
P antry girL · ---· -·- -·-- ---·
Culinary worker. __ ______ __ _
Waitress __ -- ------ -- -- --- ---
•
2
1
1
Stitcher· · · · ···· · ··· · · · --- -- ·
Cleaning . ... . ·-·-- -- - --- ____
Shoe dresser. ....... . ... . . .. .
Folding-machine operator_ . .
Stamping-machine operator.
Cementing soles on shoes .. __
Treeing shoes .. --- --· ----·- ·
D ieing-out•macbine operator.
Sewing linings ____ ____ _____ .
Inspector ..... ·-- -·-- · -·-- -· Stamping-machine operator_
1
Inspector ___ . . ___ •.. __ ___. __ .
Line worker and inspector __
Drill•press operator--- --- - -·
Molder .. ··- -- ---- -·-- -- -- -Hand filer------ --- ·--· -- ---Inspector_--· _____ . __.. __ _. _.
Inspector-cap machine . . ...
2
1
1
2
1
2
1
Drill-press operator_- - -- -- - ·
2
Ring former ___ __ . ___ ____ ___ .
Sawyer·····- · -·-- · - -·- - --· -W or ker, not otherwise spec!•
fled.
M achine operator. ___ . _._. __
Buffer··· · -·- · -- --------- - --Gear worker .... _. __ _. . _. ___
Laundry-press operator. ___ _
Gear molder_. __ ___ ___ _____ _
Sander ... · ·-- - -- --- - -- ---- · Ware washer __ __ ___________ .
Washer .. . •• · -- · -·- -·- ----- ·
Assembler . . . .. . - __-- -- ---···
T u be finisher . . . . . __ . . _. . . _.
Cleaner-caps and gloves ____
Painter __- -·-- · -· · ··· · · ·· · -·
Dipper . ___ __---· ··-· --- - -- - Cleani ng linings ..... ·--- -- -·
Painter __-····- _. . .. .. __ . .. _
11
6
Wax paper . . . .. . .
Paper, not speci .
fled.
Numberin
the
occupation
re~ft~lcte~t~=============
Clay targets . . . . . . .. .. .. .
Dental instruments 1• • • •
Shoes~·- -··· · ·-- · --··- -Toys .•. ..... . ..• • •. . •...
P aper ... _. ______ _____
Occupation
2
3
Partly due to acids.
s Partly due t o et her.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Clerical. · · · - -· --- ·· - · ·--· - · ·
6
Fur manufacturing .... . .
Infirm ary __... . ___ --· __ _
Petroleum m anufacturing .
Undert aker supplies ___ . .
N ot repor ted -. .. .. -- -- --
2
Candy factory _- --· -· - --- - -·
Paper factory·-- · -· - · -· -- -· ·
Petroleum refinerY--· --·-- -·
M ercantile .. . · -- -- -- --·--·--
1
1
Bookkeeper . . .. ___. __ __ .. . __
T ypist. .-- -·- -·---·- -- -- ---Filing clerk . · - · --· · ·-- --- -- T ypist __ _..... ... .. ..... ... _
Bookkeeping•m achlne operator .
2
1
1
1
Wrapper .. . .. .. . .... . .... -..
Sorting papers_ -- -· --- -- ·--Clerk __ - --·- · -·- ----- --· -- ··
Cleaner . ···- ---- ---·-··~
2
l
1
18
STATE REPORTS OF OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES
TABLE
6.-Analysis of 474 cases of dermatitis reported occurring to women in
Ohio, 1932 to 1934-Continued
Hazard
Number of
dermatitis
cases
Paint _______________ _
10
Number in
the
industry
Industry
Manufacturing_____________ _
9
Dura products _________ _
Tents __________________ _
Auto lights ___ __________ _
Canvas goods ___ _______ _
Glass. __ ------- -------- Metal stam'ping ________ _
Tire covers _____________ _
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
Mercantile ____________ •••• - Enamel_ ____________ _
9
Enameling, n. o. s _____ __
8
2
I
Shoes __________________ _
Rubber products ______ __
Spark plugs ____________ _
Tires and rubber _______ _
8
Stenciler __ _________________ _
Duster __________________ --- _
Sewing __ ___________________ _
Spray painter ______________ _
Packer _____________________ _
Painting glassware ___ ______ _
Spray painter ______________ _
Painter_-------------------Packer __ ___________________ _
Inspector __________________ _
Sprayer ________ ___ --------- Brusher ________________ ____ _
Ware dipper _______________ _
Brusher~-__________________ _
Enameler ________________·__ _
Sprayer ___ _____ ____ ________ _
Laborer ____________________ _
Spray enameler. _____ ______ _
Manufacturing_____________ _
Wood beeJs ____________ _
Dusts ______________ --
2
1
1
1
Cementer __________________ _
Coverer ____________________ _
Cementer __________________ _
Miscellaneous preparation __
Cementing spark plugs _____ _
Rubber worker ____________ _
Beetle kettleware. _____ _
Clothing _______________ _
Furmture __ ____________ _
Knit goods _____________ _
Sheet metal_ ______ ____ __
Hand filer _________________ _
Molder _____ ________________ _
Factory worker ___ ____ _____ _
Sewing-machine operator. __
Sander ___ ____ __ _________ ___ _
Cutter ___ ------------------Welder__ ___ ____ ----- -- ----- _
Aluminum _____ _
Can manufacturing ______ . __
Printing. __________________ _
Screw-machine products ___ _
Valve manufacturiug ___ ____ _
Auto parts ___________ ___ ___ _
Atomizers __ ________________ _
Auto beaters _______________ _
Kitchenware____ __ _________ _
Press operator ________.______ _
Typesetter _______ __________ _
Drill-press operator ________ _
Plater _________ -- __ ____ ____ __
Assembler. __ _____________ __
____ . do . - - -- - -- -- -- - ------ ----Ware
__ .. doworker.
. ___ _- --_____
-- ---------- __________
Money _____________ _
5· Amusement park _____ _____ _
Cashier _________ ___ ________ _
____ . do_ - - --- -- -- -------- --- --Floor
- - _dogirL
___ ------------------_________________ _
Cashier ___ _________________ _
3
8
1
1
2
Nickel__ ________ _
Not reported ___ _
1
2
Department store ____ ______ _
Motion picture ________._____ _
Restaurant. __ ______________ _
Not reported ___ ___ _________ _
All other substances. .
a 109
Acetone. ____ ___ _
3
3
Acid, n. o. s. ___ _
2
Alabasture ______ _
Alcohol__ _______ _
Antitetanic
serum.
Beetleware ______ _
Benzine. _______ _
1
2
Less than 5 in group.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
2
1
2
1
1
1
Manufacturing _______ ______ _
Plastic molders _______ __ _
Metals, n. o. s ______ _
Tin _____________ _
Bronze _________ _
Brass. __________ _
Number in
the
occupation
Manu!acturing______________ .
Auto bodies ____________ _
Enamelware ___ __ _______ _
Porcelain enameL ______ _
Sheet metal_ ___________ _
Shoe __ _________________ _
Stamp and enamel_ ____ _
Not reported ___ ___ _____ _
Cement_ ____________ _
Occupation
Shoe manufacturing ________ _
Lace manufacturing ________ _
Electrical supplies _________ _
Not reported _______________ _
Public school. _______ ___ ___ _
Dry cleaning _______________ _
Toy manufacturing __ __ ____ _
Bakelite products __ ___ _____ _
Toy manufacturing ____ __ ___
Tires and tubes. __________ __
2
Shoe polisher. _____ _________ _
Heel coverer ____ ___________ _
Lace bander _______________ _
Solderer. ___________________ _
Racking metal plates ____ ___ _
Teacher ____________________ _
Spotter _____ ____________ ___ _
Punch-press operator ______ _
Filer ___ ____ ________________ _
Putting tires on autos _______ 1,
Truck-tire band builder __ ___
2
1
l
l
1
1
l
OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES AMONG WOMEN
T A BLE
19
6.-Analysis of 47 4 cases of dermatitis reported occurring to women i n
Ohio, 1932 to 1934-Continued
Hazard
Number of
dermatitis
cases
.All other substancesContinued
________. __
Benzo]_
Bleaching solution.
Blueprints _____ __
Adding-machine manufacturing.
Not
reported _______________ _
C osmetics __ _____
Cutting compound.
C yanide ___ _____ _
Glue__and
thinner_
Hair
__ _____
___ _
Heat__ _______ ___ _
1
1
1
1
1
4
1
1
1
1
1
2
Hides and skins __
Ink _____________ _
Lgcquer. ___ ____ _
Lacquered file
chips.
LysoL __________ _
Matches ________ _
2
Meat_ __ ________ _
2
M eat preservative .
Napht halene ____ _
3
1
Nitric acid ___ ___ _
Paste ______ _____ _
Perfume __ _______
Picklin g liquids __
Plate cleaning so· 1ution.
Polishing compounds.
Potash __ ______ ___
Raincoat material.
Salt brine ___ ____ _
Shoe polish _____ _
Shoe prep aration,
n. o.___s.__ __
___ ____
Size
Soda ash ____ __ ___
Stain and veneer_
Starch ______ __ __ _
Sugar ___ __ __ ____ _
Number in
the
industry
Drill-press operator __ __ ____ _
Blueprint worker___ ________ _
Spotter ___ _______________ ___
Plater _______ ___ ____ _______ __
Beautician ____ ____ ___ _____ __
·M achine operator ___ _____ __ _
Plater __ _____ __ ___ __ ___ ____ __
Plater-piano rods ___ ______ _
Plater _____ __ __ ___ _____ __ ___ _
Handling fertilizer material.
Inspector ___________ -- --- - __
Food abstractor ____ _______ __
Labeler ____ ________ _______ __
Department store _______ ___ _
Nutter __ ___ ___ _____ ___ ___ __ _
Burn-off woman _______ ___ __
Tile glazer. _____ __ ___ ______ _
Gold plater. ____ ______ ____ __
Bindery ____________________ _
Toys __ ___________ _-- -- -- -- -Not reported ___ ____________ _
Radlo manufacturing _____ __
Hat manufacturing ________ _
School.-------------------Restaurant.
________________ _
Meat packing _______ _______ _
Transportation company ____
Community fund __________ _
Lithograph company _______ _
Electric hardware manufacturing.
Clerical. ___________________ _
Bindery worker __ __ ______ ___
Striper and eyer ________ ___ __
Laborer _____ __________ __ ____
Assembler.
------ -- --- --Braider
__ ________
___________
__
Teacher __ _____ __ _____ ____ ___
Cook ____ __ _____ _____ _______ _
Butcher __ _______ __ ________ __
Stenographer ____ ____ ______ __
Clerk __ __ __ ______ ____ __ __ __ _
Poster folder _____ ___ ____ ___ _
Assembler-switch boxes. ___
Stenographer ___ ____ ___ ___ _
Hospital. ______ ____ ________ _
Match m anufacturing ______ •
Not reported __ __ ____ _______ _
Grocery ____ __ ________ ______ _
Sandwich shop ___ ______ __;,. __
5-and-10-cent store __ ______ __
Student nurse ___ __ __ __ _____ _
Boxes matches _____ _______ __
Maclline stitcher ________ ___ _
Sausage linker ___ ___ ___ ____ _
Sandwich maker __________ __
SalesgirL __ ______ ___ _____ ___
Dry cleaning _______________ _
Disk-wheel manufacturing __
Not reported _____ __________ _
Dental-supply manufacturing.
Not reported _______________ _
Mercantile _________________ _
Pickle bottling __ ___________ _
Battery manufacturing ____ __
Clothes packer ___ _____ ___ __ _
Sprayer __ ____________ __ __ __ _
Dip per ____ __ _____ __ _____ ____
Not repor ted ____ ____ _____ ___
P aster of pictures .. ______ ___
Sa!esgirL __ ___ ___ ____ ______ __
Not reported ___ ___________ __
Cleaner-separator plates __ .
Polisher ___ ___ ___ __ ___ . _____ _
Aluminum manufacturing __
Metal stamping __ __ ________ _
Raincoat manufacturing ___ _
1
3
Meat packing_. ____________ _
Shoe manufacturing ________ _
Number in
the
occupation
Washer of blueprints _______ _
2
Dry cleaning __ _____________ _
Bakelite-products manufacturing.
Beauty parlor __ ____ __ __ _____
Manufacturing bearings and
brushings.
B~dge, etc., ma..nu~acturing Piano manufac ,urmg______ __
Lamp manufacturing ___ ___ _
Fertilizer manufacturing ___ _
Shoes ___ ____ ___ ___ _________ _
Restaurant_ ___ _____________ _
Bottled goods ______________ _
Sandwich girL _____________ _
Steel products ______ ________ _
Glass manufacturing _______ _
Tile manufacturing __ ______ _
Not reported _______________ _
1
3
1
2
Mercantile _____ ____ _________
Shoe manufacturing ________ _
1
1
1
2
Pottery manufacturing ___ ___
Dairy products _____________ _
Furniture __________________ _
2
1
3
Restaurant_ ____ ____________ _
Biscuit company ___________ _
Bakery __ ____ __ _--- -·---- ___ __
1
2
1
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Occupation
Laborer ____________ ______ ___
Laundress ________________ __ _
Manufacturing rubber rugs __
Ice-cream manufacturing __ __
Chloroform _____ _
Chromic acid ____
Cyanimide ___ __ _
Ether mixture ___
Food checks ____ _
F ormalin ___ ____ _
Friction _____ ___ _
l<' rict ion tape ___ _
G lass ____ ___ __ ___
Glaze ___ ___ __ ___ _
Gold-plating solution.
____ ________ _
G lue
Industry
1
Not repor ted __ ____ __ __ ___ ___
Inspector _________ ________ _ .
Coat marker ___ __ __ ____ _____
Sewing-machine operator_ __ _
Meat packer ____ __ ________ __
Polisher _____ ___ ___ _--·--- --- Shoedresser __ ___ _____ ____ __ _
Saleslady-shoes __ _______ ___
Treeing shoes ___ _________ ___
Decorator _____ _____________ _
Laboratory assistant_ ______ _
Veneering __ ____ ~-- - ------- - -Staining ________________ ___ __
Waitress _________________ __ _
Icing cakes _________________ _
Bakery worker ____________ __
I
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
4
1
1
1
20
STATE REPORTS OF OOOUPATIONAL DISEASES
TABLE
6.-Analysis of 474 cases of dermatitis reported occurring to women it1
Ohio, 1932 to 1934-Continued
Hazard
Number of
dermat itis
cases
Industry
Number in
the
indus•
try
Occupation
Num•
ber in
the
OCCU•
pation
All other substan-
ces- Continued.
Sulphate castor
oil.
Tape .. . . _... . .. .
Turpentine ... .. .
1
Beauty parlor···-----------·
1
4
1
Varnisb .... -. •.•.
2
Water . . . . . ..... .
4
Manufacturing beetleware..
Golf-club manufacturing ..••
Tableware manufacturing.•.
Glass manufacturing. --·····
Enamel paint manufacturing.
Manufacturingplayingcards.
M anufacturing rubber goods.
Home ........ · -·-· --·--·-·--
w mi: . · -· ·· ·· · · · · ·
Bakery _. . . . · ·---·-···-·--··
Not reported . . ·----·· ·-·-·-Building. · · · ····· · -· --··---·
2
l
2
Wood . . ..... .... .
WooL. ··-·· ··-· ·
Irritant, n. o. s...
1
Brush manufacturing. _.... .
Worsted manufacturing . . . . .
Shoe manufacturing .. . .... . .
1
1
11
Tire and tube manufacturing.
Auto accessories . ... -..•.••- .
Clothing ...•• -•.... ··----···
Paper manufacturing. . . .... _
Glass manufacturing_--·-···
Store . .. __ . . . ·-·-..•.•• ·-··-··
Cafeteria . . . . · -· -··- •. ·-·· ···
Dipper. .••••••••••••••••••• _
~!li!lg beetleware .. ······--·
F m1sher ... _---······-···-·-Gold stippler .•..••••• •••....
Decorator····-··· -··········
Demonstrator···---··-···-··
2
t
2
2
1
1
1
2
Card sizer·· ·--··-····-··--··
Varnisher-···--······ ···· · · ·
Cook and general houseworker.
Bakery worker.····-··· -····
Picking poultry __·---·······
Floor waxer·· -· ·-----··· · · · ·
Cleaner .. -----····- --··· ··-·
Brush maker·-· -·-·-···-····
Sorter-raw wooL_ .. _..... .
Marker .. · · · · · ····· ·-·-···-·
Factory worker_ .--·· ··· ·-·Cleaner-separator plates • . .
Rubber strip handler....... .
Tester· -· -·· · -·-···· -····-·· ·
Basting collars._ ··-······· - ·
Sort.er. · -··· -· · · ·-·· ········ ·
Banding glassware .•.• ·-··-·
Grinder -····· ···----·-····-·
Saleslady... --·-··· · ···-· ····
D ishwasher -····-· · · ······· ·
In each period reported since 1920 by the Ohio Bureau of Hygiene ~
.rubber has been the greatest dermatitis hazard for women, but in t his
3-year period it fell to sixth place. While it is quite likely that the
effect of decreased employment in rubber manufacturing through the
depression period is in part responsible for the decline from 29 cases
to women in 1931 to 25 cases in the 3 years 1932 to 1934;.,. there can
be no question that a better knowledge of the number anected and
the industries and occupations in which they were employed made
possible effective preventive methods.
A wide range of irritants causing dermatoses to women in Ohio
industries is displayed in this tabulation. It is interesting to note
that there were 109 cases necessarily listed as miscellaneous, since not
over 4 reported the same causative factor. From the standpoint of
numbers, dyes and cleaning agents stand out as important. With
the second of these the possibilities of substitution and dilution and
of the use of lotions and with both the use of protective coverings on
hands and arms and facilities for insuring cleanliness might con•
siderably diminish the number of cases. The chemical group also is
shown to have important possibilities for irritation.
In New York 46 separate causative agents and 118 different occupations were listed by the 461 claims for compensation ( for both
sexes) in 1933. Dyes ranked first, with 115 claims; soap second,
with 101 claims. Dermatitis from 2 groups-oil and grease, and
fruits, vegetables, and plants-resulted in 36 claims each. The latter included a group of workers washing vegetables as well as a
number of ivy poisonings to park and highway employees. A large
proportion of their claims were disallowed.
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OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES AMONG WOMEN
21
Of the 60 cases of skin infections reported to women in Connecticut in the 3 years, 20 were in the manufacturing of silk textiles
engaged in handling skeins of silk on winding machines.13 Contact
with mercury caused 15 cases, 14 of which were in the manufacture
of ammunition and 1 in the manufacture of hatters' fur. Altogether
some 15 causative agents were listed for the 60 cases.
Of the 138 women's cases investigated in Massachusetts in thi~
period, 42 were ,e ngaged in shoe manufacturing. Cleansers, inks, and
dressings containmg shellac, ammonia, naphtha, wood alcohol,
cement, and dyes were the irritating factors. Rubber manufacturing
caused 18 of these cases; tanneries, 17; electrical manufacturing, 9;
food, 9; textiles, 8; machinery and parts, 6. No other one industry
reported as many as six cases. In each case investigation was made
of the plant, substances used, washing facilities, and methods of
handling materials. The importance of frequent washing with mild
soap and water where irritant substances were used was emphasized. Where ammonia, naphtha, and gasoline were used, employees
were advised to use olive oil or cold cream after a careful washing.
The marked differences from State to State in causative agents
and in occupations of workers suffering from skin infections should
emphasize the need for every State to discover and endeavor to
counteract the effects of the industrial irritants in use within its
borders. Considering the range of industries and occupations reporting such cases, it is obvious that no State, no matter how little
industrialized, is entirely free from this problem.
The following cases have been selected as illustrating the need for
adequate consideration and compensation of industrial dermatoses to
women:
No. 1. An actress on a vaudeville circuit had to paint her head and chest
with silver lacquer before each performance as part of a dance ensemble. The
skin infection resulting was disallowed under the New York law on the basis
that she had insufficient medical proof of the length of her disability. (New
York Industrial Bulletin, August 1934, p. 213.)
No. 2. A girl engaged in picking poultry was disabled for 3 weeks by a
dermatitis developed on hands and forearms from ibacteria in the water used.
(Unpublished data from Ohio Bureau of Hygiene.)
No. 3. A 19-year-old clerk in a soda fountain acquired a case of impetigo in
the course of her employment and suffered 6 weeks' disability as a result.
(Unpublished data from Ohio Bureau of Hygiene.)
No. 4. An enamelware wiper was disabled 2½ months from a skin eruption
caused by the cleaning solution. (Unpublished data from Ohio Bureau of
Hygiene.)
No. 5. A dishwasher for a candy manufacturing plant suffered 6 months'
disability from a skin infection caused by harsh soap powder used. (Unpublished data from Ohio Bureau of Hygiene.)
No. 6. A 34-year-old Polish woman had been a weaver for 22 years and for the
last 3½ years she had been weaving broadcloth in a Rhode Island textile plant.
Her skin eruption began 10 days after beginning work with new frames
covered with a yellowish, waxy varnish. A red rash accompanied by swelling
and blisters appeared on her forearms, spreading to hands, upper arms, and
legs, and she stayed away from work 1 week. The eruption recurred when she
returned and worked for 1 day, and again after a second week's absence. She
had been away from work since that time and was almost recovered at the
time of investigation, about 13 weeks after the first attack. Patch test showed
her to 1be highly sensitive to the varnish on the heddle frame. 16
u See case history 7, p. 22.
1 ' This was the most severe of 6 cases ( 4 women) investigated because afl'ected by
varnish in this plant. Investigation was made by the State public health commi!sion.
Journal of Industrial Hygiene, July 1933, p. 214.
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STATE REPORTS OF OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES
No. 7. Twenty of seventy-three girls employed in the winding depar tment of a
silk mill in Connecticut in 1932 had developed der matitis on the backs of the
hands. Laboratory investigation of the silk and solutions used identified the
irrit ant agent and made possible application of preventives it is hoped will
control conditions causing these cases which recur to some extent every year. 15
Synovitis and bwrsitis.-Two States, Connecticut and Ohio, report
the occurrence of synovitis and bursitis cases to women. In Ohio
t.enosynovitis ranked second to dermatitis in diseases affecting women,
with 34 cases reported in 1932, 130 cases in 1933 and 1934 combined.
Prepatellar bursitis affected 9 women in the 3 years. Table 7 presents an industrial and occupational classification of these diseases.
Any occupation requiring continuous or excessive strain of a joint
may result in inflammation of the tendons and their sheaths. The
great proportion of such cases among women were reported as synovitis of the wrist, although a considerable number affected the forear m
and hand tendons.
TABL E
7. -Jnd'ustry and, ocoupati on of wo m en hav-ing t P,no synovitis and '(Yrepat eUar bursitis, Ohio , 1932 t o 1!134
Number
in the
industry
Industry
I
Occupation
I
A.
Manufacturing:
Automobiles and automobile
parts.
Food and tobacco products
(except meat).
3
Nut spinner ____ __ _____ _____________ __ ___ ___ __ _
Power-machine operator __ ___________ ____ __ ___
Checker __ ____ ______ ____ ________ _____ _________ _
10
Tobacco stripper ________ ____ _________________ _
Cigar maker __ ____________ ______ __ ____ __ __ ____ _
Stenciler-condiment manufacturing ___ _____ _
Canner __ ___ __ __________ . __________ ______ _____ _
Wrapper-candy __. ___ _______________________ _
Bakery helper . . . . __ ________________________ __ _
Catsup bottle filler _______ _________________ ___ _
Tomato wrapper . . ______________ ___ _________ __
Laborer- ice crea.n1. __ _____ _________________ ___
Roughing poultry _____ ____ __ _____ ___ ____ ___ __ _
Fowl picker ___ _____ ______ __ ______ ___ ______ ___ _
Wrapper ____ ____ ________ ____ ____ ___ __________ _
Meat packing _________ ____ ____ _
1
I
TENOSYNOVITIS-1933 AND 1934 1 (130 CAS ES)
Metal products ____ _____ __ ____ _
JO
Machine operator- bearings and bushings __ __
Put razor blades in holders ___ _______ ____ ___ __ _
Gaging auto valves ___ ____ ________ _______ _____ _
Inspector- roller bearings ______ ___ __ _____ ____ _
Nut ting bolts ______ _____ ____________________ __
Punch-press operator ____ __ _______ ____ _____ ___ _
Paper folder-registers _____ __________ ______ ___
Machine operator- registers. __________ ___ ___ __
Ware dipper-enamel_ __ ___ ___ ____ ___ __ _____ __
Paper products ______________ ___
21
Packer or wrapper ______ ___________ __________ _
Folder ________ ____ . _____ __ .. __ . _______ ___ _____
Helper ______ ____ . ___ ____ _________ __ __ _____ ____
Sewer __ _____ ___ . ________ __________ __ ___ __ ___ __
Shade roller __ . ___ ___ ______ ____ ________ ____ ___ _
Trimmer-shades ___________ ____ __ ____ ______ _
Sealer ____ ___ ___ ______ ___ ______ ____ ____ __ ___ ___
Rolling-machine operator ____ _____ _______ ___ __
Tape
puller -- operator
---------_______
- --- -- ____________
-- - - -------- ----_
Tape-machine
____
Machine operator- envelopes _______ _______ __ _
Radios and refrigerators and
other electrical products.
5
Assembler __ __ __ ____ __ _____ ___ _______ ______ ___ _
Tack hammering __ __________ ______ ______ __ ___ _
Textiles and clothing___________
6
Cutter.------- ----- -- ---- - -- --- - --- ------- -- -Knot tying and clipping __ ___________ ________ _
Checker ________ _____ ____ ________________ __ ___ _
Machine____
operator------------------------ --_
____ ______-___
•• ____ ______ _________
Seamer.
Cases in 1932 (34) not available by occupation and industry.
15
Connecticut Department of Health, annual reports, 1982 and 1933.
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Number
in the
occupation
OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES AMONG WOMEN
TABLE
23
7.--Indu,stry and occupation of women having tenosyno'Vitis and prepatellar bursitis, Ohio, 1932 to 1984-Continued
Industry
Number
in the
industry
Occupation
I
Number
in the
occupation
A. TENOSYNOVITIS-1933 AND 1934 (130 CASES)-Continued
Manufacturing-Continued.
Tire cover _____ --------------- __
2
Stenciler _____________________________________ _
Sewing-machine operator_____________________ _
Tires and rubber products ___ __
35
Tube
B ufferboxer_--------------------------------________________________________________ -_
· Inspector _____________________________________ _
Machine _____________________________________
operator_--------------------------- _Trimmer
Stripper ______________________________________ _
Un
wrapper_---------------------------------Preparer
_____________________________________ _
Flipper_-------------------------------------Cleaner
_____________
Hand
puncher
_______ -------------------------____ _____________________ _
Capping battery covers __ ____________________ _
Reaming covers ______ ________________________ _
Repairer ________
------------------------------_
Assembler
____________________________________
Tire builder _________________ _________________ _
Slitting
------------------------------Cutting ribbon
and weighing
doll stock ______________ _
Weaver __________________________________ ____ _
Miscellaneous manufacturing __
10
Manufacturing, n . o. s _________ _
7
Clerical
______ ------------------- _
Mercantile ____________________ ____ _
Service __________________ __________ _
Worker-n. o. s_ -----------------------------Labeler-crayons _______ _________________ _____ _
Lacer and shaper-brushes ___________________ _
Cutter-mattresses ___________________________ _
Finisher-pottery ____________________________ _
Inspector-heeL ______________________________ _
Assembler-glass _____________________________ _
Shoe-lining maker ____________________________ _
_____________________ _
Stapling fruit baskets
Inspector-whiskey bottling __________________ _
P ainter _-------------------------------------Machine operator ____________________________ _
Cutter ____ ____ ________________________ _____ ___
Folding and slitting operation ________________ _
Wrapper _____________________________________ _
8
Bookkeeper __________________________________ _
Typist ____ ______ ------------------ ___________ _
Stenographer _________ __ ______________________ _
Addressographer _____________________________ _
Auditor __ ______ ___________ __ _________________ _
4
Salesgirl_ __ ____ __ -----------------------------Ice-cream
dispenser_--------------------------_
Cashier ______________________________________
4
Scrubwoman _________________________________ _
Kitchen
____ --------------------------W
aitress worker
__________________________
---- --------
B. PREP ATELLAR BURSITIS-1932 TO 1934 (9 CASES)
personal
service:
Domestic
HoteLand
___ _____
_______
. ________ _
Building, n. o. s ___ ____________ _
Manufacturing:
Bottles __ ___ ______ ____ _________ _
Electrical refrigerators ___ ______ _
Screw machines ____ ___ ____ ____ _
3
3
Maid __________________________ _____________ __
Cleaner _____________________ _______________ ___
Bottle setter _____________________ ____________ _
Punch-press operator __ _______________________ _
___ __ do ___ __ __ ___ ____ _-- ---- -------- ----- ______ _
Friction and tension were specified as the hazard causing synovitis
o:f the knee to a woman employed in an automobile garage in Connecticut. This is the only case reported by physicians affecting
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24
STATE REPORTS OF OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES
women. However, in 1934 two women domestics were compensated
for synovitis. In one case both knees were affected. In the other,
the wrist was affected. Tenosynovitis was compensated in the case
of three other women : one a machine operator, one employed in a
laundry, and one a hardware manufacturing employee. Bursitis was
compensated in the case of two women domestic employees. Cases
compensated but not reported by physicians are not available by sex
for periods preceding 1934.
Lead poisoning.-Lead poisoning was one of the earliest recognized
of the specifically occupational diseases1 and for years preventive
methods have been enforced. Because ot its recogmzed special dangers to women 1 6 relatively few are employed in those trades made
particularly hazardous by its use.
·
Yet it can by no means be said that the danger from lead poison does
not exist for women in industry in the United States. Real prevention of lead poisoning necessitates at least reporting of all cases and
periodic examination of workers in lead-employing industries. At
the present time examination is required in only six States.17
In numbers lead poisoning remains one of the principal industrial
diseases affecting men and occasional cases are reported in women.
The decrease in total number of men affected is less marked than the
decrease in number of serious cases. Acute attacks of lead poisoning,
lead encephalopathy, and lead colic were frequent occurrences 15 or 20
years ago, but now they are rare, due to earlier recognition of the
disease and to sanitary progress in industry. 18
Dr. Frederick L. Hoffman, one of the foremost authorities in this
country on lead poisoning, found in a detailed analysis of deaths from
this cause in the United States, 1914 to 1933,19 evidence that many
occupations formerly subject to an excessive death rate from lead poisoning are now comparatively free therefrom. This was particularly
true of painters, potters, rubber workers, glass workers, printers, and
lead workers generally. For all occupations combined the lead poisoning death rate for persons occupied in lead disposing industries was
reduced from 31.3 per million during the period 1914-24 to 19.4 during
1925--32. Decline of the fatal form of lead poisoning for the whole
United States registration area is measured by a decrease from a
maximum rate of 3.1 per million in 1903 to a minimum rate of 0.7
in 1932.
The followjng list states the number of cases of lead po1sonmg
reported in 1939.-34 in the four States having these data :
Men
1
2
vVorne n
Connecticut 1 _____ _ __ ~ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ~ - - - - - - - - - - - - 30
------- - ------ --- - - ----- 61
Massachusetts___ _ _ __ ___ _ _ _ _ __ ____ __ _ _ _____ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ 171
New York 1 __ _ __- -_-------------
12
OhiO---------- - - - --- --- -------------- - ------- -- - ---- -- 437
7
1932 not obta inabl e for men .
Not a vailable fo r 1934.
The greatest number of men's cases in Massachusetts were reported
in painting, steel and wire mills, battery manufacture, and smelt ing.
The girl affected by this disease, less than 20 years of age, worked in
18 Women' s Bureau Bull. 114, p. 12.
11 Connecticut ( only in the manufacture of tetraethyl lead and the blending of tetraethyl lead to make ethyl fluid), Illinois, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, and P ennsyh·ania.
18 Information from br. Emery R. Hayhurst, Bureau of Hygiene, Columbus, Ohio.
19 Hoff'man, Frederick L.
Lead Poisonin g Statistics for 1933. American Public H ealth
Association Yearbook, 1934-35, pp. 90- 100.
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OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES AMONG WOMEN
25
a foundry handling enameled articles after they were taken from the
ovens.
The greatest number of men affected in New York were engaged in
painting or in the manufacture of storage batteries. One of the
women was engaged in feeding a powder machine in the manufacture
of paint. The other soldered metal novelties. Fifty-three of the men
were less than 30 years old. One woman was less than 20, the other
between 20 and 30 years.
Ohio physicians reported 437 cases to men. Storage-battery manufacture was by far the most hazardous of Ohio industries in tp.is respect, though printing and painting or 2aint manufacture caused
appreciable numbers. One woman, 36 year's old, employed in brushing enamel in the manufacture of enamel products, was reported
after 4 months' disability as having these typical symptoms: Back
and joint pains, neuritis, lethargy, weakness and anemia, bilateral
papillary~ paralysis, metallic taste, lead line. She had been in the
industry tor only 9 months. Two women were employed as solderers.
One 36-year-old woman engaged in soldering vacuum cleaners in Ohio
had been 10 years in this occupation when disability was reported.
She showed the characteristic blue line on the gums, general malaise,
wrist drop, loss of appetite, and low hemoglobin. A young woman
20 years old was reported with acute poisorimg. There were nervous
as well as digestive symptoms. She was occupied in paint spraying
and wiping paint from trade seals in the manufacture of auto parts.
The fifth woman, 25 years old, was engaged in scraping tile in the
manufacture of ceramic tile. Respirat10n of lead dust caused her
disability. The other two women with lead poisoning were engaged
as a filer and as a brass assembler.
The study cited above by Dr. Hoffman gives data for the United
States registration area showing 85 deaths of women from lead poisoning in the years 1914-33. This was 3.5 percent of all deaths from
this cause. Four of the women's cases occurred in 1933, 31 in 192532. Some of the cases were nonindustrial, chiefly from contaminated
water supplies, but the number from this source is very small.
While the cases reported to women are few in number the disease
may have the most serious results to the woman herself and to her
future children. Moreover, it is true in lead poisoning, as in other
occupational diseases, that the symptoms frequently are less clear cut
and specific than in the above cases, and without actually being forced
to quit work the worker suffers from decreased efficiency both m work
and in social life. Such cases are, of course, not reported unless they
reach a more acute or defined stage. Furthermore, it is entirely probable that the States carrying on intensive programs for reporting and
prevention of industrial disease have fewer such cases than some
other important manufacturing States having no such program.
The following example from German medical literature illustrates
the necessity for continued check of changing processes and possibilities for lead poisoning in industry:
In the manufacture of colored glass beads women were employed at home to
introduce color mixed with white lead into the bead by means of an instrument
like a pipette with a fine point. The women warmed the nozzle of the introducer between their lips after every two or three beads. An expert woman
could do 5 gross of beads in 1 hour, thus bringing to her mouth color containing
white lend 200 to 300 times an hour. Investigation found five women affected
with lead poisoning, all having the typical lead line, headaches, loss of appe-
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26
STATE REPORTS OF OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES
tite, and characteristic blood picture.
was substituted for the white lead.'°
Following investigation titanium dioxide
Disease resulting from towic solvents.-The use o:f benzol in industrY. has increased :from some 13 million gallons in 1922 to over 25
million gallons in 1929, almost 20 million gallons in 1930. 21 Benzol
is widely used as a solvent in the manufacture o:f various rubber products, shoes, millinery, artificial leather, sanitary cans, and linoleum,
and in coating leather, making automobile tops, and as a constituent
in shellacs and quick-drying paint.
Women are widely employed in the processes in which benzol is
used. In the shoe industry benzol is used extensively in paste, cement,
and cleaning substances, and in the repairing o:f patent-leather finishing and other processes. In a study o:f 25 shoe :factories in New
Hampshire made in 1933 Women's Bureau agents found that many
manu:facturers were not aware o:f the poisonous character of the solvents they were using. Only a few seemed informed on the health
hazards involved or referred to taking the simplest precautions to
safeguard workers in this connection. None of the firms visited had
supplemented natural ventilation with local artificial ventilation.
Few workers had been cautioned about the exposure. Moreover, in
the plants visited few containers with benzol mixtures were labeled
as to benzol content. 22
Two special investigations in 1933 by the Massachusetts Department
of Labor and Industries 23 add to the knowledge o:f the exposure of
women to toxic solvents in industry. In a sanitary survey of 56
wood-heel manufacturing shops there were found employed 534 men,
688 women, and 41 boys and 60 girls between the ages of -16 and 18.
The women and girls were employed in covering heels. The operations consisted of cutting and trimming the leather covers after
cementing them on. As a general thing, the naphtha cement was ·
kept in covered containers. Rooms where celluloid covers were applied (methanol or synthetic wood alcohol used to soften celluloid)
were set off, enclosed, and isolated from other factory space, and
general ventilation was provided.
In an investigation of the use of benzol in the shoe industry, 145
factories were visited by agents of the same Massachusetts department. Benzol was used in the cementing of crepe rubber soles and
in cementing rubber and leather soles, and was handled by 186
women and 5 men. Fumes from benzol -were found in 53 of the
plants. Eleven :factories were using benzol without knowledge of its
dangerous properties and taking no precautions to protect employees
from the fumes. In some plants cements were used in small, open
containers and applied with a brush.
The Massachusetts law of 1933 24 requiring labels on all containers
in which benzol is sold is, of course, a great protection t o both workers
20 J ournal of Industrial H ygiene, November 1933, abstr acts. p. 126, Lead Poison ing in a
Glass Bead Coloring Works, F. W . Bickert; abstract from Zentralbl. t. Gewerbehyg., 1932.
vol. 19, pp. 211- 12, in Bull. Hrg. , June 1933, vol. 8 , p. 400.
21 U. S. Tariff Commission, Census of Dyes and of Other Synthetic Organic Chemicals,
1929 ; ibid .. 1930.
22 Women's Bureau Bu11. 121, A Survey of tbe Shoe Indus try in New H a mpshire.
1935.
p. 57ft'.
23 Massachusetts Department of Labor and Industries, annual report, year en ding Nov.
30, 1933, pp. 25-26.
2,1 See p. 36 for summary of law.
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OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES AMONG WOMEN
27
and management. At least, ignorance of the substance used and its
dangers will not be a factor in causing bwzol poisoning. This is
the only State requiring such labeling, although there are probably
many other States with great exposure hazards.
The committee on benzol of the National Safety Council has found
that many chronic poisonings were caused by evaporation of benzol
from cement at room temperature and stated that even a concentration of benzol vapor in the air as low as 100 parts per million constitutes a substantial hazard.25 The Connecticut Bureau of Occupational Diseases found girls exposed to an average concentration of
310 parts of vapor per million parts of air or 155 parts of benzol
vapo r per million in the manufacture of rubberized fabric goods.
In this plant the bureau judged the operators to be working under a
definite health hazard, and suggested substitution of a less toxic
solvent than benzol or the provision of local exhausts removing the
vapors at a point as close to their source as possible. The taking of
blood samples of operators at regular intervals and blood examination of new employees was advised, and even where the concentration
is in apparently safe amounts an applicant with a subnorm al blood
picture should not be employed in work with benzol. 26
A valuable study of the health of large groups of workers in various
occupations has been made by the Institute of Occupational Disease
in Leningrad, and also by those of Moscow and Kharkow. 27 Physical
examinations of 451 women makers of rubber footwear exposed continually to small quantities of benzol fumes were compared with those
of 412 weavers and 384 cigarette makers. These women wer e in the
same age group and presumably surrounded by much the same conditions. The findings point to an injurious action of benzol fumes, as
shown by a higher incidence of nervous disturbances, anemia, and
skin infections among the rubber workers than among those in the
other industries covered.
The following reports of benzol poisoning indicate that benzol exposure is especially important to women, not only because women are
employed in considerable numbers in industries that have used it but
because the female organism is susceptible to its effects.
A French report states that in an investigation of 8 deaths and 36 cases of
illness with purpuric symptoms caused by use of cryst allizable benzene as a
rubber solvent by mistake instead of using industrial benzene, young girls and
women were found to be especially attacked. Though a .Jumewhat unusual case,
this nevertheless illustrat es the special suscept ibility of women. Among r ecommendations made to prevent recurrence was t he following: "* * * worker s
using benzene solvents ought to be r egul a rly examined by a doctor, fo r whicb
an industrial medical service should be organized." 28
In an experimental study it was found that vapors of pure benzol to the extent
of 8 mg per liter of air produced headaches and vertigo in man and objective
symptoms in animals. The experiments showed that gravid female mice succumbed to profound narcosis in 21 minutes, adult males only after 40 minutes,
· young females in 23 minutes, and young males in 33 minutes. There was correNational Safety Council, final report of the committee on benzol, May 1926.
Connecticut Department of Health, annual report, 1933, p. 137ff.
Journal of Industrial H ygiene. Ma y 1934, abstract s, pp . 47-48. Abstract by Dr.
Alice Hamilton. The Chronic Action of Benzene on the Organism . N. A. Vigdortschik.
Zentl. f. Gewerbehyg. u. Unfall. , Nov.-Dec. 1933, vol. 10. pp. 219-222.
211 Journal of Industrial Hygiene, November 1933, abstracts, pp. 121-2, A Series of
Cases, Either Fatal or Varying in Intensity, Due to the Use of an Adhesive Dissolved in
Benzene, F. H. de Balsac and Agassee-Lafont, Bull. L'Acad. Med. , July 4, 1933, pp. 31-35.
25
2e
21
ALL
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Y COLLEGE
'-y
28
STATE REPORTS OF OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES
sponding length of periods before narcosis passed off. The difference lay always
in favor of the male. Gravid mice with chronic poisoning produced litters far
inferior in weight to those of controls. 29
In another experiment in which mice were exposed to benzol vapors under
conditions similar to factory exposure, characteristic changes were found in the
genital tract, including hemorrhages from dilated veins. 30
Still another case shows that xylene containing metaxylene and other toxic
substances used in the cleaning of type resulted in one death and another serious
case of illness in pregnant women.81
It is not surprising that few cases of benzol poisoning are reported
to State authorities, when it is considered that the lighter chronic
form of the disease is difficult to recognize and that many employers
lack knowledge of the nature and toxicity of solvents in use in their
plants. Three cases were reported to women, 19 to men, in Ohio in
the 3 years. Two of the women were employed as tire builders in the
manufacture of tires; one was a bead flipper in the manufacture of
rubber products.
One woman employed in rubber manufacturing in Connecticut
was compensated for benzol poisoning in 1934.
Nine benzol poisoning cases were investigated in Massachusetts;
two of these were women. One woman worked in a shoe factory
at a cementing machine through which cement ( containing benzol)
was applied to crepe rubber soles. She suffered a severe anemia. The
other cemented necks onto hot-water bottles. Four of the male cases
were fatal. Two of these fatal cases were to employees engaged in
finishing leather in a tannery. Here the ventilating system was
found to be faulty and inadequate. Another was a shoemaker employed in cementing soles, and the fourth was testing optical lenses
in a solution containing benzol.
While benzol is the most toxic of the solvents in industrial use
adequate ventilation is necessary to prevent exposure to the fumes
of any of these volatile substances. Six women were reported to
Ohio authorities as suffering from poisoning by petroleum or volati]"'
petroleum products. One was a girl 21 years old who was affected
very severely by naphtha gasoline. She entered her occupation,
washing trays in naphtha gasoline in a novelty art works, late in
November 1931. Symptoms of poisoning began after only 1 month's
ex:{>osure. She suffered severe headaches, sore throat and mouth,
twitching muscles, loss of appetite, and a very nervous condition.
Her weight dropped rapidly from 150 pounds to 70 pounds. Poisoning occurred as a result of both inhalation of fumes and absorption
through the skin. Another case, which involved naphtha poisoning,
was that of a woman of 31 years who worked in a rubber manufacturing plant, rolling rings on wet toy balloons. Her symptoms were
similar to those described above.
The following cases are the results of special investigation by the
Ohio health department: 82
29 Journal of Industrial Hygiene, November 1934, abstracts, p. 120, abstract by Dr.
Alice Hamilton ; Experimental Studies of Benzolism in Pregnancy, G. Barzilai, Rass. d'
Ostet. e. Ginecol.. 1933.
so Journal of Industrial Hygiene, November 1934, abstracts, p. 120, abstract by Dr.
Alice Hamilton, Alterations in the Female Gener ative System in Experimental Benzol
Poisoning, G. B a rzilai. Folia Gynaesol., 1933 vol. 30, no. 6.
81 Journal of Industrial Hygiene, April 1932, abstracts, p. 84.
Grave Anemia in Pregnant Women from Benzene Intoxication. M. A. Brendeau. Abstract from Ann de mM
Ml?., 1931, vol. 11, p. 95, in Arch. Path., August 1931, vol. 12, p. 310.
·b Hayhurst, Emery R.
Poisoning by Petroleum Distillates. Industrial Medicine, Feb-ruary 1936, p. 53.
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OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES AMONG WOMEN
29
Oase 1.-White, female, aged 41 • • • occupied for 2 months in "buildlng" rubber tubes by moistening the ends of the tubes with a benzine-soaked
sponge prior to July 7, 1933. She had been previously employed at "flipping"
tires, from 1931 to 1932. The chief symptoms and conditions began July 7,
1933, with weakness, dizziness, and tired feeling, dryness of nose and throat,
dry cough, nervousness, loss of appetite, nausea, loss of weight, drowsiness,
some bleeding from nose and gums. Anemia also was noted. There were no
complicating diseases • • •.
An inquiry of the medical director of the plant where this woman worked
disclosed that she was exposed to high-test gasoline only. She handled a
swab dampened with the gasoline for a period of about 2 seconds out of every
minute. The gasoline was kept in a container with a perforated top, and the
swab rested on this top when not in use. The fumes of the gasoline could
not be detected by smell 15 inches from the perforated top. The room was
very spacious, with windows opened on two sides. The operation had been
in effect for 5 years with no other reported cases.
Gase 2.-White, female, aged 39, occupied at "flipping" beads in a rubber
tire factory-specifically taking wrinkles out of beads with benzine--for a
peliod of about 3 years to July 24, 1933. Prior to that she had been employed
for 3 years in making paper boxes. Her symptoms came on gradually with
weakness, dryness of nose and throat, dry cough, anorexia, nausea, vomiting,
tired feeling, bleeding from nose and gums, nervousness, drowsiness, headache,
dyspnoea, and loss of weight. The physician noted an increased bleeding time.
There were no complicating diseases • • •.
A laborato,ry check-up on this case showed the exposure to be due to
petroleum with distillation points indicative of gasoline.
Gase 3.-White, female, aged 20, occupied at washing parts of household
appliances, in an electrical manufacturing company, in naphtha to which her
bare hands were exposed. The period of employment was 1 month. The room
where patient worked was not provided with windows and had only one air
duct. She had had no prior employment and her previous health was reported
as good. Her symptoms began July 20, 1933, and consisted of dizziness, fainting,
anorexia, loss of appetite, and nausea. Her hands became red and swollen and
the skin came off over the entire surface. A marked injection of the pharyngomucosa was noted. There were no complicating diseases. * * *
The reporting physician stated that at about the time he saw this patient
quite a number of other girls were carried out unconscious from the plant.
We referred the situation to the local health officer, who reported, August 7,
1933, that the girls in this department were cleaning off a tarlike substance
from refrigeration units prior to final inspection. The process was carried out
in a main room of the factory with a fair amount of ventilation. There was a
very noticeable saturation of the air with naphtha fumes on entering the quarters,
and no doubt on a very hot day, with no outdoor breezes, such would become
very disagreeable. He was also informed by one of the employees that during
the hot weather it was no unusual thing for as high as seven girls to be carried
out, but that this disability apparently was only temporary, as most of them
immediately returned to their positions. It is interesting to note that the
company physician who saw the above case at the time of the skin eruption did
not consider it a case of naphtha poisoning.
Ohio also reported nine other women who had carbon tetrachloride
poisoning, eight of them being in one plant in 1934. These were
employed in the manufacture of rubber goods, four building bands,
three flipping beads, one gumming bands, and one cementing.
One case was reported in Connecticut of a woman poisoned by the
cleaning solvent she used in spotting dresses in the dress-manufacturing industry.
Other industrial poisons.-In Ohio, in 1933, 11 cases o:f zinc poisoning among employees in the manufacture of rubber products were
reported to the Ohio Department of Health, 8 of these being women.
Two of the women were employed in the manufacture of sealtype
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30
STATE REPORTS OF OCCUPATIONAL DIS EASES
patches, two were table strippers, and three were tube painters.
The other woman's occupation was not specified. The three men
also were employed in the handling of tubes, one a pamter, one a
builder, and one a clerk in the tube department.
A case of zinc-fume poisoning occurred to a young woman of 24
years in Ohio in 1932. This woman had been employed as a welder
in the manufacture .o f electric refrigerators for 4 years. At time of
:::eport she had been disabled for 6 months.
Gas and fume poisoning is reported as the disabling cause in five
women's cases in Massachusetts, 1932 to 1934. These women were
employed in chemical, food products, and pyroxylin products manufacture.
A case of carbon-monoxide poisoning of a woman employee in
food preparation in Connecticut was reported in 1933, and of a
woman in Ohio who held the position of manager of a company
installing electric signs.
A woman employed on hatter's fur was compensated for mercurial
poisoning in Connecticut in 1934, and in the same State in 1933 another woman employed by a tool-manufacturing concern was repor ted
suffering from cyanide poisoning.
A woman glassworker was reported suffering from arsenic poisoning in Ohio in 1933. In 1934 the Ohio Health D epartment received
reports of poisoning by dinitrophenol occurring to a woman employed
as a mixer in a chemical laboratory, and sulphur-dioxide poisoning to
a woman pitting cherries for the manufacture of fruit preserves.
A few years ago the country was aroused at the report of fatal and
:permanently incapacitating radium poisoning to several women paintmg wat ch and clock dials with a luminous paint containing a radioactive substance. Immediately the utmost care and precautions we.re ,
taken against exposure of workers, one step being the mechanical
application of the paint. An investigation was made by the United
States Public Health Service of the hazards of the industry after
these precautions were taken. The survey was completed in 1930.
The complete study was published in the Journal of Industrial
Hygiene, September and October 1933. The work exposing to r adium,
especiall y dial painting, is done very largely by women, and the
findings are important in a study of the health of women in industry.
While in recent years no reports have been made to State authorities of cases of radium poisoning in the industry, the investigation
found evidence of radioactive material in the bodies of workers who
had been in the industry only since the danger of handling radium
had been recognized. Dust in the general air of the workroom was
found radioactive. Near dial painters and dusters the radioactive
content of the dust was much higher than in the general air. The
general air of the workroom showed the presence of radon in
amounts averaging 2,000 times that of normal air, and workers were
exposed to gamma and beta radiations. In the women who had
worked in the industry in an earlier period also definite bone changes
were found, due to increasing deposits of radium in the body. The
study included 228 women and 14 men in 7 factories. Seventy women
had been employed in painting only since precautions had been taken
to prevent exposure; 103 also had been exposed before such care was
taken.
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OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES AMONG WOMEN
31
Respiratory infections.-The field o:f respiratory infections specifically due to occupation, such as silicosis, has been a foremost subject
of interest among the industrial diseases in recent years. Rightly so,
for no State 33 listing the compensable diseases includes such cases,
although without doubt they rank high among total occupational disease cases of men and are not insignificant where women are concerned.
It has been estimated roughly that in the United States 500,000 to
1,000,000 persons are exposed to silica-dust hazards in their employment. At a conservative estimate, over 35,000 women are employed in industries having a definitely known silicosis hazard. 84
Of more than 8,000 women m pottery making, many are exposed to
this danger-for example, those who are buffers and cleaners. The
1929 Census of Manufactures reported more than 2,000 women employed as filers, grinders, buffers, and polishers in metal plants,
occupations subjecting them to silicosis affection. Women employed
in spraying in enamelware factories 6 in plants packing abrasive soap
powders, in grinding in the manutacture of pearl buttons, and in
various other industries are exposed to silica dust.
As an example of the possible greater extent of the hazard than
usually considered, we may cite the study of dusts in the cotton industry reviewed in the Journal of Industrial Hygiene for July 1933. 35
Analysis of various cotton dusts demonstrated that American cotton
dust is about 50 percent silica. This and other instances from European inves~igations illustrate dangers of which American authorities
have not been fully aware. Some of these are cited in the following:
Some cases of silicosis have resulted in death to women; for example, two
young girls in London died in 1928 as a result of acute silicosis a cquired after
2¾ and 4¼ years employment in the packing . of a cleaning powder containing
ground silica. 36
Six fatal cases of silicosis were reported among women working for years
. under primitive conditions in the manufacture of scouring powder. Of the two
other women in the same work one had marked silicosis. The other who had
been employed 5 or 6 years had no apparent symptoms. 81
Another fatal case of a woman working in the manufacture of. scouring
powder is reported, in this instance a young girl. Her only complaint at the
first examination was of frequent colds, but after working 6 months longer
in the industry, she was invalided and died 6 months later. 88
A study by the Department of Occupational Hygiene in Copenhagen included
78 workers, both men and women, engaged in crushing and cleaning mineral.
All the employees who bad been in this factory over 8 years had s,ilicosis and
some who had been employed for fewer years were affected. 39
A woman was reported in Ohio in 1934 as affected by pneumoconiosis acquired during her occupation as inspector of rubber gloves.
The causative factor was soapstone and mica dust.
38 The North Carolina occupational disease amendment passed in 1935 includes silicosis
as a compensa ble disease.
.
34 Estimate by the Women's Bureau from U. S. Bureau of the Census data for 1930.
86 Journal of Industrial Hygiene, July 1933, abstracts, p. 79, The Dust Hazard in the
Cotton Industry. F. Koelsch. Abstr. from Arch. f . Gewerbepath. u. Gewerbehyg., 1932,
vol. 3, pp. 399-411, in Bull. Hyg. January 1933, vol. 8, p. 27.
30 The Lancet . London . Oct. 18. Hl30. pp. 846-848.
Two Cases of Acute Sili cosis, with
a Suggested Theory of Causation, by Dr. G. Macdonald and others.
87 Journal of American Medical Association, Dec. 12, 1931, vol. 97, p, 1842, abstract
from Ugeskrift f. Laeger, Sept. 10, 1931, vol. 93, p . 926, S. V. Gudjonsson, Some Cases
of Silicosis Among Women Employed in the Manufacture of Abrasi,·e Powder.
88 Journal of Industrial Hygiene, May 1933, abstracts, p. 40, Studies on 'the Dusted
Lung, I. Lochtkemper and L. Teleky. Arch f. Gewerbepath. u. Gewerbehyg., 1932, vol. 3,
pp, 418-726.
89 Journal of Industrial Hygiene, January 1933, p. 27, A Study of 78 Workers Exposed to Inhalation of Cryolite Dust, S. V. Gudjonsson.
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32
STATE REPORTS OF OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES
Asbestosis also has. been reported affecting women. The cases
following are from English experience, 40 and indicate the need for
watchfulness in this country.
A girl 22 years old had worked 4 years sewing asbestos cloth and stuffing it
with asbestos fiber. There was no history of chest trouble nor of tuberculosis
in the family. Her illness began with a dry, hacking cough; she lost weight,
suffered from shortness of breath and pain at the base of the left lung. Upon
examination t h e case was diagnosed as pulmonary asbestosis.
Four other cases of women in asbestos factories having the disease are cited.
One was a woma n 34 years old who had been in an asbestos factory from 1911
to 1917. She r eturned to the factory in 1930, and a slight cough, which had
persisted for year s, began to trouble her seriously. Her condition grew rapidly
worse in the following 2 years, and in later stages was complicated with
tuberculosis.
The risk of tuberculosis in certain occupations probably is of
greater significance to women in industry, so far as numbers affected
are concerned, than are some of the diseases already cited. Occupational origin of tuberculosis is extremely difficult to determine in
individual cases. In the nursing profession the connection has been
best established, and sometimes has been shown to be of amazing
extent. A nurse in Connecticut was compensated for tuberculosis in
1934. A study of girls entering training at Ancker Hospital Training School in St. Paul found 30 percent with positive reactions to
the intradermal tuberculin test. Practically 100 percent had positive
cutaneous reactions to tuberculin before completing training. In five
other general hospitals in the same city 42 percent of nurses reacted
positively to tuberculin given intradermally in the last year of
training. 41
The occupational connection in other cases is not so clear. We
do know that industrial employees still have an excessive tuberculosis
rate as compared to the nonindustrial population, and also that
women in the ages of greatest employment have an incidence of
tuberculosis much greater than men in those ages and women in
other age groups. 42
The great susceptibility of women under 30 years of age to tuberculosis and the occupations in which those affected were engaged
:formed the subject of a paper by W. J. V. Deacon, of the Michigan
Department of Health, in 1931.43 In the 4 years 1927 to 1930 there
were in Michigan 2,630 deaths of females between 15 and 29 due to
tuberculosis. Of these, 2,341 stated their occupations, 554 being in
gainful employment. There are no data as to previous occupations
of those whose death certificates stated no gainful work.
The greatest number, 115, or about 21 percent, of the gainfully
employed were classed as office clerks. Next in numerical importance came maids, then factory workers. The following list shows
in order of number reported the occupations in which tubercular
deaths occurred according to this Michigan survey.
40
Journal of Industrial Hygiene, July 1933, p. 165. Pulmonary Asbestosis: Its Clinical, Radiological, and Pathological Features, and Associated Risk of Tuberculosis Infection , by Philip Ellman.
41 J ourna l of Industrial Hygiene, May 1932, abstracts, p. 122, Tuberculosis Among
Nu rses, E. K. Geer , Arch. Int. Med., January 1932, vol. 49, pp. 77-87.
42 See W omen 's Bureau Bull. 114, pp. 13 and 14.
43 Michigan Department of H ealth, Public Health, April 1932, p. 75ft.
Tuberculosis in
Young Fema les. by W. J. V. Dea con.
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OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES AMONG WOMEN
Office clerks _____________________
Maids____________ _______________
Factory workers_________________
Stenographers____________________
Teachers __________________ ___ ___
Waitresses _______________ ________
Telephone ~perators______________
Sales clerks_____________________
Nurses____ __ ___________ ____ ____ _
Laundry workers_______ _________
Seamstresses_____________________
Cigar makers_______ __ _____ ______
Candy clerks -------------------Hairdressers__________ __ ______ ___
Bakery clerks___________________
Bookbinders _____________________
Elevator operators_______________
115
97
61
60
48
33
24
20
18
12
11
9
5
5
4
4
3
33
Mllliners -----------------------3
Laborers -----------------------2·
Pantry girls______________ _______
2.
Packing house employees_________
2
Printers________________ _________
2
Cooks___________________________
2
Dishwashers_____________________
2
Film inspector_______ _______ _____
1
Usher___________________________
1
Dancer_________ _________ _______
1
Farmer ------------------------1
Assembler__________ _____ ________
1
Checker ------------------------1
Proofreader______________________
1
Inspector_ _______________________
J
Sugar maker -------------------- . 1
Artist --------------------------- 1
Since there is no correlation with total numbers employed in each
occupation, the extent to which industrialization is a factor in this
mortality distribution cannot be determined. Moreover, the available data did not include information as to many other factors, such
as home ·life, race, and nationality, important in the occurrence of
tuberculosis.
Whether or not occupation is a principal factor in tuberculosis
of women, the fact that during these ages they are particularly susceptible makes it imperative that the industrial hazard be reduced
to a minim um.
Including the pneumoconiosis case described on page 31, 12 women
were reported suffering disability from respiratory irritations in Ohio
in 1932 to 1934, none in the other States reporting type of disease.
These are types of affection about which it is especially difficult to be
sure of complete reporting.
Other affeictions.-Numerous other afflictions not specifically occupational are attributable to the occupation. In 1932 to 1934 such
cases to women included a case of anthrax affecting a woman woodheel worker in Massachusetts who was disabled for 10 weeks, and in
Connecticut one case of conjunctivitis caused by hydrogen sulphjde
in rayon manufacturing, one of arthritis due to excessive dampness in
a silk textile mill, a case of felon to a bakery worker, and one of
scarlet fever to a nurse. In Ohio such afflictions included three cases
each of neuritis and conjunctivitis, two of arthritis, one each of heat
exhaustion, diphtheria, typhoid fever, rhinitis, ulnar neurosis, bacterial anemia, scarlet fever, nephritis, and myasthenia gra vis.
Sickness frequency of industrial employees according to sex.
A study by the United States Public Health Service 44 of disabling
illness among industrial workers throws some light on the need for
special protection of the health of working women. Female members of sick-benefit associations suffered disabilities lasting 8 days or
longer 58 percent more often than males during the 5 years ending
December 31, 1933. Since most of the reporting associations pay benefits only for ailments common to both sexes, the greater incidence
"U. S. Public Health Reports, vol. 50, Nov. 1, 1935, no. 44, Disabling Illness Among
Industrial Employees in 1934 as Compared With Earlier Years, data based on sickbenefit associations' statistics.
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34
STATE REPORTS OF OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES
of sickness among women cannot be attributed to diseases that are
peculiar to their sex. The relation o:f the women's to the men's rate
o:f disability :from various causes is shown in table 8.
TABLE
8.-Frequency of specified, oauses of · disability according to sea:, 1930 to
1934 1
Diseases and conditions causing disability (with corresponding title
numbers in parent heses from the International List of t he Causes of
Death, 1929 revision)
Annual number of
cases per 1,000
- - -- , - - - - 1
Males
Females
Percent
female ls
of male
rate
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - ----1---- - - - - - - - -
f
~g!r~~:~1af
~Y~r1~s_
t~!~~_i~j~r_
i~==
==========___
===
===
========= ====
========
Sickness _____ __ ______
________
_____
____________
___
_____________
________
_
Respiratory diseases __________________________ ___ ___ ________ __ __________ __
Bronchitis, acute and chronic (106) _____ _____ __________________ ___ ___ _
Diseases of the pharynx and tonsils (115a) ___________________________ _
Influenza, grippe (11) _____ " ____ __ __ ________________ ____ _____________ _
Pneumonla, all forms (107-109) ___ ________ _____ _______ _________ ____ __ _
Tuberculosis of the respiratory system (23) __________________ _____ __ __
Other respiratory diseases (104-105, 110-114) ___ ___________ ___________ _
Digestive diseases ____________________ _______ _______ ________ ______ ______ __
Nonrespiratory, nondigestive diseases _________________ ___ __________ _____ _
Infectious and parasitic diseases (1-10, 12- 22, 24-33, 36-44) ____________ _
Rheumatism, acute and chronic (56, 57) _________ _____________ ____ ___ _
Neuralgia, neuritis, sciatica (87a) ___ __________ ___ ____________________ _
Neurasthenia and the like (part of 87b) _____ ___ __________ ______ ___ ___ _
Other diseases of the nervous system (78-85, part of 87b) ___ _______ ___ _
Diseases of the skin (151-153) _____ ___ ___________________ ____ _______ __ _
89. 5
12. 2
77. 3
31. 6
3. 6
4. 8
15. 8
2.1
1.0
4. 3
13. 3
32. 4
2.4
5.1
2.1
1.1
1. 2
3.0
147. 5
13. 2
134. 3
57. 5
165
108
174
182
7. 3
203
256
28.0
1.3
1. 4
7. 2
177
62
140
167
184
12. 3
24. 5
52. 3
3.8
3. 7
2. 5
6.9
1.1
3.4
161
158
73
119
627
92
113
1 From table 6 of U . S. Public Health Reports, vol. 50, Nov. 1, 1935, no. 44. Cases causing disability for
less than 8 consecutive calendar days are not incJuded. Industrial accidents, the venereal diseases, and
certa in numerically unimportant causes of disability are not reported.
A class of diseases o:f especial interest because of their aggravation
or partial causation by dusty occupations is the respiratory-disease
group. vVomen experienced much higher rates than men :for illnesses
o:f 8 days or longer :from respiratory diseases. The :female :frequency
rate in the case o:f tuberculosis was 140 percent of the male rate.
Bronchitis and diseases o:£ the pharynx and tonsils occurred to women
at more than twice the male rate. W"hile men more :frequently lost
the time specified :from pneumonia, such illnesses · :from grippe and
influenza predominated among women.
Women are shown in this study to be disabled somewhat more
frequently than men from skin diseases, and neuritis or kindred diseases, and very much more frequently by those troubles somewhat
vaguely termed ''neurasthenia", while men the more frequently lost
time from rheumatism.
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SCHEDULE VS. LIST SYSTEM OF COMPENSATION
FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF WOMEN WORKERS
An important conclusion to be drawn from the statistics and case
histories furnished by five important industrial St ates and from
various special studies is that no schedule of diseases acquired in
listed processes is an adequate or fair basis for compensation. The
whole subject is as changing and progressive as the processes of industry. St ate legislatures are not organized to take care of the fluctuating needs of industry. It is no more fair and just to deny
compensation for dermatitis contracted in caring for school children
with impetigo than to deny it for dermatitis caused by handling a
st rong alkali in an industrial process, nor to deny compensation
to a nurse who acquires scarlet fever or poliomyelitis on duty than
to deny it for lead poisoning to a painter. The principle of a broad
general Jaw allowing compensation for all occupational diseases must,
of course, be followed out with expert and adequate administration.
I n general, the _principle of blanket coverage has been found satisfactory in the States that use it, and the National Conference for
L abor L egislation which convened at Washington in February 1934
to consider standards for labor laws adopted a resolution regarding
compensable injuries as follows: "Define injuries to include occupational diseases. 'Blanket' coverage of occupat ional diseases rather
t h an 'schedule' coverage."
35
•
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LEGISLATION AND COMMISSIONS OF INVESTIGATION RELATING TO OCCUPATIONAL DISEASE
PREVENTION, 1932, 1933, 1934 411
Changes in the United States.
Legislation passed and proposed.-The liberalization o:f compensation laws in regard to occupational diseases has been under serious
considerati,on in a number of States in the years 1932 to 1934, and
this entire field has been the subject of study by commissions created in several States, though few important changes actually have
been enacted.
Of the greatest importance to women in a number of industries is
the benzol-labeling law passed in Massachusetts. 46 The act was approved in 1933 and provides that every receptacle, other than part
of a vehicle used exclusively for outdo,or transportation, containing
benzol or a benzol compound shall be clearly and conspicuously so
marked and shall bear the words, "BEWARE OF POISONOUS
FUMES." The commissioner is authorized to make certain exemptions and to require reports of the manufacture, sale, use, etc., o:f
benzol and benzol compounds.47 This law is unique in the United
States. In addition to this, Massachusetts created a division of occupational hygiene within the department of labor and industries,
which, of course, has far-reaching implications for the prevention
of occupational disease.
In Kentucky an act o:f the 1934 legislature makes it possible :for
employers and employees to subject themselves voluntarily to the
compensation law with regard to silicosis caused by the inhalation
o:f silica dust in the operation o:f glass-manufacturing plants, quarries,
sand mines, or in the manufacture, treating, or handling of sand. 48
Such a law allowing voluntary subjection does- not affect recourse
to the common-law defenses by those emplo:yers who do not elect to
be subject to the compensation act. No application for compensation
is to be considered in the case of silicosis unless made within 1 year
after the last injurious exposure to silica dust. While this sort o:f
legislation may leave a number o:f workers without protection o:f the
law, many empl'Oyers recognize compensation laws as protection to
themselves and take advantage o:f election. This :fact is evidenced by
the results of the Missouri law of 1931, similar to the Kentucky act
above, which made it possible :for employers and employees to voluntarily subject themselves to the compensation act with respect to
all occupational-disease claims. From the time the law went into
45 Provisions of the laws in the 20 States that require reporting of occupational disease will be found summarized in Women's Bureau Bulletin 114, appendix III, p. 89.
Provisions in 6 States requiring periodic examination in specific industries are summarized in ibid., appendix IV. p. 94.
46 Ser p. 26 for discui,sion of benznl poisoning to women.
' 1 Massachusetts, session laws, 1933, ch. 304.
'8 Kentucky, session laws, 1930, ch. 89.
36
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LEGISLATION AND COMMISSIONS OF INVESTIGATION
37
effect until November 1934, approximately 4,000 occupationaldisease elections had been filed with the workmen's compensation
commission.49
The New York law of 1934 provides an addition to the workmen's
compensation schedule of poisons, workers being eligible for compensation due to dermatitis venenata resulting from use of or direct
contact with brick, cement, lime, concrete, or mortar. 50 This makes
additions to the causes of dermatitis already provided for in the law.
Increasing litigation under common law for disability caused by
silicosis undoubtedly has boon a factor in many of the proposed laws.
Compensation bills .pertaining to or including dust diseases were
introduced in Illinois, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New
York, North Carolina,51 Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and West
Virginia. 51
.
Bills for compensation of oocupational diseases by general coverage
also have been proposed in Michigan, Minnesota, New York, 51 Ohio,
and Pennsylvania. Other bills for occupational-disease coverage
have been up in Rhode Island, South Carolina, the District of
Columbia, and possibly in other States.
Oommissiom of investigation and resulting legulation.-During
the period of these 3 years, legislation by the Federal Government
gave an impetus to programs fOT compensation of occupational disease. The establishment of the Civil Works Administration made
available to States funds that were in certain instances used to
finance studies of the extent and means of preventing occupational
·
diseases. 52
In September 1932 Governor Pinchot appointed the Pennsylvania
Commission on Compensation for Occupational Diseases, outlining
its purpose as follows: "It is time to provide adequate legislation.
That need has beoome increasingly urgent because new industrial
methods have developed, new hazards to health. It is important to
have all the facts in the case, and to have them as soon as possible. " 53
The commission presented the Governor wjth a comprehensive survey of occupational-disease hazards and went into detail as to the,
type of law that would be practicable for Pennsylvania's peculiar
industrial conditions.
A special investigation was made of the incidence of occupational
disease in Pennsylvania in 1934 by the department of labor and industry with funds supplied by the C. W. A. While it was felt that
this survey covered too small a number of plants to lead to definite
conclusions it was established beyond doubt that illnesses caused by
exposure to health hazards during the course of employment are
occurring in Pennsylvania. 54 The report of the department of labor
and industry, Outline of Needed Changes in the Pennsylvania. Workmen's Compensation System, lists as one necessary change "a broad
occupational-disease supplement to our law such as the one based
on the report of Governor Pinchot's Occupational-Disease Commis'9 Letter from secretary of Missouri Workmen's Compensation Commission, Nov. 16,
1934.
60 New York, session laws, 1934, ch. 743.
s1 Bill passed in 1935.
52 E. g., Pennsylvania, Minnesota.
53 Pennsylvania, Labor and Industry, October 1932, p. 7.
11-l Letter from secretary of Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, Nov. 15,
1934.
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38
STATE REPORTS OF OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES
sion * * *" and recommends that "whether or not the occupational-disease supplement * * * is passed all employers should
be required to report all cases of occupational disease." 55
In Wisconsin a committee was set up by the 1933 legislature to
investigate silicosis in the stone-cutting industry in relation to cost
of compensation and to report findings to the next legislature. Certain changes were made by the 1933 legislature that affect occupational-disease compensation. 56 These changes are as follows: The
"date of injury * * * in case of disease is to be the last day of
work for the last employer whose employment caused disahihty."
Under former provisions the Supreme Court held this to be "the
date of disability" and that unless disability occurred while still
employed there could be no recovery. Injury to be compensable
must be mental or physical harm "caused by accident or disease"
and liability exists "where the employee sustains an injury" and
"whenever the accident or disease causing injury arises out of
employment."
In case of disease intermittent periods of temporary disability shall
constitute separate claims, and permanent partial disability shall
create a claim separate from a claim for any subsequent disability,
which latter disability is the result of an intervening cause.
In 1933 the Legislature of Massachusetts, in addition to passing the
important benzol labeling law already mentioned, created the special
industrial-disease commission 57 for the purpose of studying the problems of occupational-disease compensation generally and investigating diseases caused by dust in granite and foundry industries-their
prevention and compensation in particular. This commission reported
to the 1934 legislature with 15 bills to carry out its recommendations. 58
The following two of these recommendations were made law by the
1934 legislature, and they mean a very substantial gain for Massachusetts in the protection of workers from occupational disease: (1) The
creation in the department of labor and industries of the division of
occupational hygiene, 59 (2) direction of the department of labor and
industries to investigate the granite industry and to make reasonable
rules and regulations for the prevention of accidents and occupational
diseases. 60
Other preventive programs.-The establishment of the National Recovery Administrafaon began an organized movement industry-wide
rather than State-wide for the safety and health of workers. Of the
493 codes approved to July 1, 1934, and covering more than 90 percent
of all those that have come under such codes, 240 required employers to
provide for the health and safety of workers. Of these 240, 189 specified that the code authority should submit standards for health and
safety to the administrator. Four codes required the code authority
to investigate hazards existing and submit standards; one code authorized the code authority to study and make recommendations with
respect to the health and safety of employees; another required the
code authority to list all dangerous occupations in the industry.
55 Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry.
Outline of Needed Changes in the
Pennsylvania Workmen's Compensation System. 1934, p. 9.
Ge Wisconsin, session laws, 1933, chs. 314 and 402.
17 Massachusetts, acts and resolves, 1933, resolve 43.
GS Industry (Boston), Feb. 10, 1934, p. 8 (published by Associated Industries of Massachusetts).
i;e Massachusetts, acts and resolves, 1934, ch. 331.
60 Massachusetts. acts and resolves, 1934, resolve 44.
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LEGISLATION AND COMMISSIONS OF INVESTIGATION
39
Work was prohibited in unsanitary buildings in the codes for 10
industries. One code required the industry to comply with hygienic
regulations fixed by the United States Public Health Service.
Of special interest to women in industry is the following provision
in the code for the Electric Storage and Wet Primary Battery Manufacturing industry:
No female shall be employed in any department where due to the nature of
the work or the location of the department such female would be exposed to an
appreciable lead hazard.
This is the only code fixing a special restriction on the employment
of women in hazardous occupations.
In addition to these special requirements, 360 of the 493 codes included a provision that legal requirements of the State relating to
health of employees should supersede the code regulation if the State's
requirements were more stringent.
Changes in other countries.
The convention of the International Labor Office concerning compensation for industrial diseases had been ratified by 28 61 countries
by the close of 1934. In 1934 the international schedule of occupational diseases was expanded to include in addition to lead poisoning:
mercury poisoning, and anthrax, adopted in 1925, the following
diseases:
Silicosis with or without pulmonary tuberculosis, provided that silicosis is
an essential factor in causing the resulting incapacity or death.
Phosphorus poisoning by phosphorus or its compounds, and its sequelae.
Arsen ic poisoning by arsenic or its compounds, and its sequelae.
Poisoning by benzene or its homologues, their nitro- and amido-derivatives,
and its sequelae.
Poisoning by the halogen derivatives of hydrocarbons of the aliphatic
series.
Pathological manifestations due to: Radium and other radio-active substances, and X-rays.
Primary epitheliomatous cancer of the skin.
It was also recommended that the 1935 conference consider adding
to the schedule ankylostomiasis, carbon-disulphide poisoning, and
such other diseases as may be advisable. 62
An event of importance in connection with occupational disease
as with other working conditions and standards is the affiliation in
1934 of the United States with the International Labor Organization,
since development of standards may be greatly facilitated by contact
with other nations.
Widespread interest in the problem is evidenced by the following
examples of activities reported by the International Labor Office in
1933. 6 3
Compensation laws for industrial diseases have been newly established or greatly expanded in :
India, Denmark, Italy, New Brunswick, Australia (central government), Latvia, Rumania, and New South Wales.
Notification of occupational disease was made compulsory by new
regulations in Ontario, Canada, and compulsory notification was extended in Italy.
International
International
Conference at its
118 International
91
112
Labor Office, Progress of Ratifications, January 1935.
Labor Office, Draft Conventions and Recommendation Adopted by the
Eighteenth Session, June 4-23, J934. La ncet, July 7, 1934, p. 43.
Labor Office Yearbook, 1933, pp. 137 and 138.
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STATE REPORTS OF OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES
Official investigations into health conditions of women workers
have been made in Bengal, Assam, and no doubt in other countries.
New regulations as to working conditions to protect women have
been introduced in British Honduras, China, Egypt, and India.
Special measures against lead poisoning were taken in Austria and
Rumania and lead poisoning has been the subject of investigation in
several other countries.
The International Federation of Hatters has made investigation of
mercury poisoning and has agreed to report to the International Labor
Office. Regulations on the use of phosphorus in match factories were
issued in Mexico.
The use of new substances and new processes in indust ry has led
to official investigation and r egulation in a number of countries.
S pecial inquiries were made of diseases caused by occupational
dust s in Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Great
Britain, Netherlands, Sweden, Union of South Africa, Belgium, etc.
In Mexico the Industrial Hygiene and Safety Section of the Department of Labor opened a laboratory for diagnosing silicosis and
assessing incapacity for compensation purposes.
Anthrax, ankylostomiasis, occupational cancer, and tuberculosis
also have been the subject of governmental investigation and in some
cases regulation.
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APPENDIX-REFERENCES TO THE OCCURRENCE OF
OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES AMONG WOMEN
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT REPORTS
United States. Department of Labor. Women's Bureau. Bulletin No. 114.
State Reporting of Occupational Disease, Including a Survey of Legislation
Applying_to Women. 1934.
- - - - - - - - - Bulletin No. 121. A Survey of the Shoe Industry in New
Hampshire. 1935. pp. 56-61 and 82-89.
- - - - - - - - - Bulletin No. 101. The Employment of Women in Vitreous
Enameling. 1932.
United States. Public Health Service. Health Aspects of Radium Dial Painting. By Louis Schwartz, Fred L. Knowles, Rollo H. Britten, Lewis R. Thompson, J ames E. Ives, J. J. Bloomfield, Frank C. Makepeace, and H. T. Dean, in
Journal of Industrial Hygiene, September and October 1933.
PUBLISHED STATE REPORTS
Connecticut. Department of Health. Annual reports, 1932, 1933, and 1934.
Massachusetts. Department of Labor and Industries. Annual reports, 1932,
19-33, and 1934.
Ohio. Health News, May 1, 1934; Jan. 15, 1935.
OTHER SPECIAL STUDIES
Barzilai, G. Alterations in the Female Generative System in Experimental
Benzol Poisoning. Folia Gynaesol., 1933, vol. 30, no. 6. Abstract by Dr. Alice
Hamilton in Journal of Industrial Hygiene, November 1934, p. 120.
---Experimental Studies of Benzolism in Pregnancy. R ass. d'Ostet. e.
GinecoJ., 1933, Abstract by Dr. Alice Hamilton in Journal of Industrial
H ygiene, November 1934, p. 120.
Bickert, F. W. L ead Poisoning in a Glass Bead Coloring Works. Zentralbl. f.
Gewerbehyg., 1932, vol. 19, pp. 211-212. Abstract in Journal of Industrial
Hygiene, November 1933, p. 126.
Brendeau, M.A. Grave Anemia in Pregnant Women from Benzene Intoxication.
Ann de med, leg., 1931, vol. 11, p. 95. Abstract in Journal of Industrial
Hygiene, April 1932, p. 84.
Deacon, W. J. V. Tuberculosis in Young Females. Michigan Public Health,
April 1932, p. 75:ff.
de Balsac, F. H., and Agasse-Lafont. A Series of Cases, Either Fatal or Varying
in Intensity, Due to the Use of an Adhesive Dissolved in Benzene. Bul.
L'Acad. Med., July 4, 1933, pp. 31-35. Abstract in J ourna l of Industrial
H ygiene, November 1933, pp. 121- 122.
Ellman, Philip. Pulmonary Asbestosis: Its Clinical, Radiological, and Pathological Features, and Associated Risk of Tuberculosis Infection. Journal of
Industrial Hygiene, July 1933, p. 165.
Geer, E. K. Tuberculosis Among Nurses. Arch. Int. Med., Janua ry 1932, vol.
49, _pp. 77-87. Abstract in J ournal of Industrial Hygiene, May 1932, p. 122.
Gudjonsson, S. V. Some Cases of Silicosis Among Women Employed in the
Manufacture of Abrasive Powder. Journal of American Medical Association,
D ec. 12, 1931, vol. 97, p. 1842. Abstract from Ugeskrift Laeger, Sept. 10,
1931, vol. 93, p. 926.
- - - (Department of Occupational Hygiene, Copenhagen.) A Study of 78
Workers Exposed to Inhalation of Cryolite Dust. Journal of Industrial
Hygiene, January 1933, p. 27.
Hayhurst, Emery R. Poisonings by Petroleum Distillates. Industrial Medicine,
February 1936, p. 53.
41
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42
STATE REPORTS OF OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES
Hoffman , Frederick L. Lead Poisoning Statistics for 1933. American Public
Health Association Yearbook, 1934-35, pp. 90-100.
Koelsh, F . Dust Hazard in the Cotton Industry. J ourna l of Industria l Hygiene,
July 1933, abstracts, p. 79. Arch. f. Gewerbepath. u. Gewerbehyg., 1932, vol. 3,
pp. 399-411, in Bull. Hyg. January 1933, vol. 8, p. 27.
Lochtkemper, I., and Teleky, L. Studies on t he Dusted Lung. Arch. f. Gewerbepath. u. Gewerbehyg., 19-32, vol. 3, pp. 418-726. Abstract in Journal of
Industrial Hygiene, May 1933, p. 40.
Macdonald, G., and others. Two Cases of Acute Silicosis with a Suggested
Theory of Causation. The Lancet, London, Oct. 18, 1930, pp. 846-848.
Vigdortschik, N. A. The Chronic Action of Benzene on the Organism. Zentl. f .
Gewerbehyg. u. Unfall., November-December 19'33, vol. 10. pp. 219'-222. Abstract by Dr. Alice Hamilton in Journal of Industrial Hygiene, May 1934, pp
47-48.
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