AVERAGE HOURS AND WAGES OF WOMAN EMPLOYEES UNDER MINIMUM WAGE ACT OF NOVA SCOTIA

During the year the board issued an order concerning the wages to be paid to female employees in factories, as follows:

Cities and towns of 17,000 population and over: Experienced workers, $11; inexperienced adults over 18 years, 6 months at $9, 6 months at $10; young girls under 18 years, 6 months at $7, 6 months at $8.50, and 6 months at $10.

All towns under 17,000 population: Experienced workers, $10; inexperienced adults over 18 years, 6 months at $8, 6 months at $9; young girls under 18 years, 6 months at $6, 6 months at $7.50, and 6 months at $9.

The number of inexperienced adults or young girls or both which may be employed is fixed by the act so as not to exceed 25 percent of the working force, except when such total is less than four workers.

Registration of Woman Workers Under Minimum-Wage Law of

THE

Quebec

HE Canadian Labor Gazette for May 1933 gives (p. 521) the terms of an order in council issued by the Governor General, in accordance with the terms of the minimum wage law for women, requiring the employers in certain specified trades and industries to maintain registers giving details as to their female employees. In these the employer must enter "the names, ages, and places of abode of the girls or women whom he employs, the time of each day during which such girls or women were employed, as well as the salary which they have received for such work, whether hired by the day, hour, piece, or according to any other mode."

The order applies to employers in the following trades and industries: Laundries, dyeing and dry-cleaning establishments; printing, binding, and lithographing shops and envelope factories; the shoe trade and other leather industries; the manufacture of women's, men's, and boys' garments; the manufacture of hats and caps for men and boys, and ladies' headgear, with the exception of apprentice work; the manufacture of dresses for women and children, silk underwear, kimonas, and fine lingerie; the manufacture of overalls, mackinaws, shirts, collars, and ties, cotton, textile, and rayon underwear, and cotton dresses; the tobacco, cigar, and cigarette industry; the fur trade; and the foodstuff industry, comprising the manufacture of biscuits, cakes, bread, alimentary pastes, cereals of all kinds, cocoa, chocolate, confectionery, and sweets of all kinds.

The order was to take effect May 1, 1933.

HEALTH AND INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE

Hazards from Osmium Tetroxide (Osmic Acid)

N ARTICLE on the toxicity of osmium in the May issue of the Journal of Industrial Hygiene 1 gives the results of various animal experiments with this metal which, it is said, has comparatively few uses in the industries and the arts at present, but may possibly develop much wider industrial use.

The hazards from osmium and its compounds are not generally known, as there is little information regarding the metal in the standard texts on toxicology and industrial hygiene, and where it is used at all it is in comparatively small quantities. However, those handling the material are said to be exposed to a very real danger and a certain number of them suffer to some extent from its effects.

The element osmium has, at present, four principal uses, which are, in the order of their importance, in the manufacture of pen tips, as a fixing and staining agent in pathological and histological work, in the manufacture of electrical contacts, and in fingerprinting. In addition to the exposure of persons engaged in these activities, there is a rather limited group of chemists and metallurgists who are engaged in refining the natural alloys and preparing the compounds of osmium for commercial purposes.

The metal is extremely hard, and because of this and its high melting point it is used in making pen tips and electrical contacts, while the tetroxide is employed in its other uses. Metallic osmium when heated in air or oxygen or acted upon by oxidizing agents forms osmium tetroxide. When the metal is in the form of osmium sponge or powder, osmium tetroxide, the so-called osmic acid, is developed slowly at room temperature. This oxide is highly volatile, is somewhat soluble in water, and the solution gives off osmium tetroxide without application of heat. All the hazards connected with the use of osmium are the result of this tendency to form the toxic volatile osmium tetroxide.

There are two types of poisoning the acute and subacute formsbut the present study deals only with acute poisoning. The objective symptoms are produced by the action of the irritant gas directly upon the exposed mucous surfaces and skin and upon the entire respiratory tract, and by its indirect action on the kidneys. The principal effects in man are acute conjunctivitis, inflammation of the cornea, ulcer of the cornea, inflammation of the trachea, bronchitis, pneumonia, nephritis, and dermatitis.

As already stated, the metallic osmium, when exposed to the air in the form of sponge, forms the toxic tetroxide even at room temperature and the metal in the form of a natural osmium-iridium alloy or the prepared alloy also gives off osmium tetroxide at the slight heat required for annealing. Information was secured from the four largest manufacturers of fountain pens in regard to any difficulties

The Journal of Industrial Hygiene, May 1933. The toxicity of osmium tetroxide (osmic acid), by F. R. Brunot.

they had had in the use of osmium. One of these companies using osmium-iridium had had trouble due to the formation of osmium tetrachloride but had overcome it by the provision of adequate ventilation.

The experimental study proved the serious effects of the poison upon the respiratory system, pulmonary lesions being the cause of death in the experimental animals, although it is said that from the standpoint of industrial medicine the eye effects are of much greater importance. Cases of permanent blindness have been reported and visual defects have been attributed to the vapor, but the majority of the cases present only the condition produced by minute amounts.

The writer describes his own experience with a short exposure to the tetroxide. The exposure was incurred in opening four ampoules of osmium tetroxide, each containing one quarter gram, and placing them in the gas chamber. This occupied, altogether, about 2 minutes, after which there was another brief exposure to the gas while closing and sealing the gas chamber. In about 10 minutes a metallic taste was noted which made smoking unpleasant and in about 30 minutes a smarting sensation accompanied by some lacrimation was noted. This condition progressed until, at the end of 3 hours, reading was difficult and there was also a definite sensation of constriction and difficulty in breathing. Although the eye showed no objective changes, a halo about street lights was noted, which was most pronounced at a distance of 30 or 40 yards and was practically imperceptible at a distance of less than 10 feet. The lights appeared as though seen through a rather dense fog.

The effect of exposure of the experimental animals to varying amounts of the osmic acid was to cause death in periods varying from 30 hours to 4 days, according to the degree of exposure. All of the animals showed evidence of acute irritation shortly after the beginning of exposure, soon becoming semicomatose, but recovering to an apparently normal condition soon after exposure ceased. However, after varying intervals, evidence of pulmonary involvement developed which lasted until death occurred.

The writer states that in view of the hazard connected with heating metallic osmium or its oxides in air, adequate protective measures should be taken. Ordinarily protection can be afforded, it is said, by a reliable down draft, preferably through a spray of 10 percent sodium hydroxide, which absorbs the oxide and recovers enough of the osmium to make it economically worth while. If there is exposure to minute quantities only, air-tight goggles protect the eyes sufficiently while for larger quantities a good gas mask with an "all-service' cannister gives adequate protection.

Silicosis and Tuberculosis Among Miners in Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri 1

1

STUDY of the prevalence of silicosis and tuberculosis among miners in the Tri-State mining district, located in southwestern Missouri, southeastern Kansas, and northeastern Oklahoma, has been made by the United States Bureau of Mines in cooperation with

1 United States Bureau of Mines. Technical Papers Nos. 545 and 552: Silicosis and Tuberculosis Among Miners of the Tri-State District of Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri. Washington, 1933.

the Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. and the Tri-State Zinc and Lead Ore Producers Association.

Two reports, recently issued, which are the first of a proposed series, deal with the data obtained by physical examination of men employed in the lead and zinc mines of the Picher mining district of Oklahoma and Kansas. The examinations of the men were made in an effort to reduce the incidence of silicosis and tuberculosis among the miners and in the interests of improving their general health and that of their families. Previous examination, particularly in the old southern Missouri field, had shown a high incidence of respiratory disease among workers engaged in drilling, blasting, and loading this ore, which produces large quantities of siliceous dust. Although the working conditions in the mines of the Picher field have been much improved over those in older parts of the Tri-State district through the use of wet drilling and wetting down of stopes, the fact that many of the men employed in the Picher field had worked also in the older fields suggested that they were subject to respiratory disease. A small clinic was established at Picher in 1924, and in 1927 the facilities of the clinic were enlarged so that the necessary examinations and treatment could be given.

The reports cover the years ending June 30, 1928 and 1929, the number of men given physical examinations in the 2 years being 7,722 and 8,853, respectively. In 1928, 1,647 or 21.3 percent of those examined were definitely diagnosed as having silicosis, while 267 were diagnosed as having silicosis complicated with tuberculosis, and 104 as having tuberculosis without silicosis. Of the 5,113 men examined in 1929, 1,116 or 21.8 percent, were found to be suffering from silicosis, 138 from silicosis complicated with tuberculosis, and 46 from tuberculosis alone. Only 2,999 of the men examined in 1928 were at work in the mines in 1929.

Silicosis has been divided arbitrarily into various stages in different countries. In the United States it is divided into three stages: (1) That in which there are definite physical signs of damage to the lungs from the dust; (2) that in which the capacity for work is impaired by the disease, though not seriously; and (3) that in which the capacity for work has been seriously and permanently impaired.

The subjective symptoms of the disease, particularly in the early stages, are vague and less frequent than would be expected from the X-ray findings. The incidence of cases with a cough increases with advance in silicosis or in silicosis and tuberculosis. Difficult or labored breathing has long been considered the major symptom of silicosis. The presence of this symptom is noticeable in the first and second stages; it is always present in third-stage cases, and many show distress on the least exertion. The incidence of dyspnea increases when silicosis becomes complicated with tuberculosis. With the advance in the silicosis the dyspnea becomes more severe and in the final stage the fight for breath overshadows all other symptoms. In uncomplicated cases of silicosis there is little expectoration but this increases if the silicosis becomes complicated with tuberculosis or other infection. Hemorrhage is more general in silicotics than would be expected, amounting to 3.12 percent in advanced cases, but although the men believe the blood is from the lungs, in many cases it comes from the nose and throat. The incidence of this symptom

increases when the silicosis becomes complicated with tuberculosis. Loss of strength in silicotics is believed to be due to the dyspnea and not to muscular weakness as is the case in tuberculosis. Various gastrointestinal symptoms, such as are commonly grouped under the term indigestion, are common, but the symptom of this type most frequently mentioned is loss of appetite. Pain in the anterior part of the chest is a common symptom although the pain is vague and flitting. Night sweats are reported occasionally but it is considered doubtful if they are associated with uncomplicated silicosis. Head and chest colds are frequent in cases of silicosis, the percentage of those complaining of frequent colds ranging from 24.23 in first-stage silicosis to 48.85 in third-stage silicosis. None of these symptoms are constant findings but one or more are usually present, especially in the later stages of the disease.

It is stated in the report that "the appearance of perfect health with marked pathology revealed by X-ray examination is a symptom of considerable diagnostic importance. Silicotics appear healthy, have ruddy complexions and red lips, are unusually muscular, and stand more erect than the average person. The data obtained tend to confirm these observations and further to show that even after silicosis becomes complicated with tuberculosis marked emaciation and anemia are not noted as frequently as in tuberculosis uncomplicated with silicosis."

There are certain physical defects and diseases which are regarded as sometimes predisposing causes of silicosis. In order to determine their possible effect upon the incidence of silicosis some of the more common diseases and defects were tabulated. Comparatively few cases of nasal obstruction were found but it appeared that both silicosis and tuberculosis showed a slight increase in men with such defects. There also appeared to be some relation between diseased conditions of the mouth, such as pyorrhea and missing and decayed teeth, and gastrointestinal symptoms, which were the most common subjective symptoms found among the silicotics in this district. There was a small increase in the number of hanging hearts found among the men with third-stage silicosis and a large number among those with silicosis plus tuberculosis and with tuberculosis alone, this finding being more closely associated with tuberculosis than with silicosis. The incidence of varicose veins, hemorrhoids, and heart murmurs was also greater among these men.

An interesting point brought out by the examinations was the relation of coal dust to the development of silicosis. It has been thought by some authorities that coal dust is not only harmless but prevents silicosis. Of the men examined in the 2-year period, 1,244 had formerly worked in coal mines. It was found that there was "a definite increase in the incidence of silicosis among former coal miners and a small increase in silicosis plus tuberculosis and uncomplicated tuberculosis for both years. The total number of years the former coal miners worked in coal and hard rock before silicosis developed approximates closely the number worked by hard-rock miners, but the period the ex-coal miners worked in hard rock before silicosis developed was much shorter than for men who had worked in hard rock only."