T H E J O U R N A L OF I N D U S T R I A L A N D ENGINEERING C H E M I S T R Y
5 SO
Vol. 7 , No. 6
ON ZINC POISONING Editor of the Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry: The comment of Dr. J. W. Luther, in the May issue, on the review of W. Gilman Thompson’s “Occupational Diseases” is of interest as adding t o the evidence that industrial diseases due to zinc are rare in zinc works. His statement t h a t the connection between zinc fumes and brass founders’ ague (“brass shakes,” “spelter chills”) is not proven and that the balance of evidence is in favor of the trouble being due t o copper vapor, seems to be based on the qegative evidence t h a t in seven years professional connection with a modern zinc plant he has never seen a case of illness attributable t o zinc.
matter can emulate Lehmann, by heating a pound or so of C. P. zinc t o gzo” C. in a small unventilated room and inhaling the fume for a few minutes. If Dr. Luther is correct, there should be no ill after-effects. If Lehmann is right, the experimenter will pass a miserable evening after the experiment. Since Dr. Luther attacks the zinc oxide theory of the cause of “shakes,” the writer feels that the burden of proof is on Dr. Luther and will gladly give him a chance t o repeat Lehmann’s experiment before the writer tries it. ITHACA,NBWYORK H. W. GILLETT
There is considerable evidence that “spelter chills” may be caused by the inhalation of the vapor of pure zinc. Lehmannl produced the malady ‘in several different persons, including himself, by the inhalation of the oxide fumes resulting from the burning of Merck’s c. P. zinc. The symptoms were carefully studied, and agreed with those of the “shakes.”
ON THE CAUSE OF “BRASS FOUNDERS’ AGUE”
Siege12 found that the “shakes” occurred in foundries where no copper could be found in the fume. Hayhurst3 states t h a t zinc chills existed in 1910among the zinc smelters of La Salle, Ill., where the ores used contain no copper. Hayhurst also gives the term “smelters’ shakes” as one of the common names for the disease. A gentleman now in the brass foundry business stated to the writer t h a t he had formerly been connected with zinc smelting and that he had seen cases of “spelter shakes” in the smelters that were of the same nature as the “brass shakes.” The chief chemist of a large zinc company stated t o the writer t h a t he had never heard of a case of “shakes” in the smelters. Not long afterward, a younger chemist of the same firm told the writer that the “shakes” were known there to the furnace men a t least, and that in work where zinc chloride was present and fumes were evolved the trouble was worse than when the oxide only was present, as would be expected from the greater volatility of zinc chloride. It is doubtless true t h a t in modern zinc smelters, the “chills” are either absent, uncommon, or not severe enough to cause those afflicted t o seek medical aid. It is extremely rare t h a t a case of “shakes” gets t o a physician, even in the heart of the brass rolling mill d i ~ t r i c t ,and ~ since it is a question whether even oft-repeated cases of “shakes” injure a workman’s general health in addition to giving temporary discomfort, even careful physical examinations might not show whether or not a workman had had the “shakes.” Hansen’s account of poisoning by copper fumes gives no mention of chills among the symptoms. Anyone who has experienced the “shakes” as often as the writer has, will, he feels sure, agree that had the effects of the copper fumes been the same as those of fumes from brass high in zinc, no one would be likely t o omit this symptom.
It is very possible that the traces of copper volatilized or mechanically carried along with the zinc oxide may aid in producing the “shakes” or aggravate the effect that would be produced by zinc fumes alone. B u t since copper is so slightly volatile a t the pouring temperatures of brass, and zinc so greatly volatile, i t is only reasonable to ascribe a part a t least of the ill effects of the fumes from brass t o the constituent present in largest amount, namely, zinc oxide. Anyone who wants t o satisfy himself of the truth of the Lehmann, K. B.. Giess-oder ZincJEeber-Archf.Hyg., 74 (1910). 358-381. Siegel, J. Das Giessfeber. Vrtjschr. I.gerichtl. Med.. 32 (1906). 174. a Hayhurst, E. R., “Occupational Brass Poisoning-Brass Founders’ Ague,” A m . Jour. M e d . Sci., 146 (1913). 730. 4 See Gillett. H. W.. “Brass Furnace Practice in the U. S.,” Bureau of LMines. BULL 73 (1914), 263. 1 2
May 10, 1915
Editor of the Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry: Referring t o my review of Thompson’s “Occupational Diseases,”’ Dr. J. 1%‘. Luther states2 that “ I n this review the statement is made t h a t ‘brass founders’ ague is more likely due t o the inhalation of zinc oxide and not zinc fume.’ This statement is based on visits made t o brass foundries.” The above-mentioned quotation by Dr. Luther had no such basis, but was made on the authority of one who has the highest reputation as a n expert on industrial hygiene, Professor K. B. Lehmann, of the University of Wurzburg. Lehmann has reported3that “brass founders’ ague” is a zinc poisoning due to the inhalation of zinc oxide he found that he c o d d easily produce typical symptoms in man by inhalation of the fumes given off in burning chemically pure zinc. Prior to this careful experimental inquiry, Sigel had expressed the opinion4 t h a t the symptoms of poisoning resulted from the inhalation of superheated zinc fumes. For Dr. Luther’s further information, I may say that Hayhurstj has considered occupational brass poisoning (“brass founders’ ague”) at some length; Grempe6 has investigated the industrial diseases among workers in brass, lead and copper, and regards brass and lead poisoning as equally dangerous; Moer17 had discussed sanitation in the brass foundry, and gives an account of the measures which may be adopted t o minimize brass poisoning; Graham-Rogerss regards “brass founders’ ague” as zinc poisoning; and Schwartz and Sicardg conclude that zinc, and not copper, is the cause of the disease, although in finishing processes the copper may be inhaled and give rise t o symptoms of chronic poisoning. I do not agree with Dr. Luther when he contends that “the balance of evidence is in favor of the trouble being due t o the vapor of copper.” Notwithstanding the finding of Goodman,1o who detected copper in the urine and sweat of a brass worker, i t is clear from the investigations of Lehmann that while “brass founders’ ague” does not occur among zinc workers, i t may be regarded as a form of acute industrial zinc poisoning. So far as I can learn, Lehmann has conducted the only thorough investigation of the pathology of the peculiar train of symptoms which may be set up by the pouring of brass; and he shows experimentally that “castors’ fever” is directly or indirectly caused by zinc poisoning. W. A. HAMOR MELLONINSTITUTE O F INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH PITTSBURGH, May 10, 1915 1
THISJOURNAL. 6 (1914). 871.
Ibid., 7 (1915), 451. 2 Arch. H y g . , 72 (1910), 358; see also Idem., 28, 300. 4 Vierleljahrsschr. ger. Med., 32 (1906). 185. 6 Trans. 15th Intern. Congr. H y g . and Dem., 3 , 764. 8 Chem. Techn. Rep., 38 (1914). 191; also Elektrochem. Z.,21,57 and 85. 7 A m . Inst. Metals, September 7-11, 1914. 8 Rept. N . Y . Slate Commissioner of Labor, 1911. 9 Mcd. Rept. Cornell Univ. Med. College, January, 1906. 10 Munch. med. Wochsckr,. 68, 624: cf. Schwartz and Sicard, supra. 2
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