Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Page 8 Jan. 1, 1980-Oc MEDICAL CASES PLANT No. 1 12 No. 2 34 Lydia 32 Bailey 12 Maintenance 14 Geneva 1 23 Geneva 2 23 TOTAL 150 MEDICAL CASES?Work ated by a doctor. LOST TIME CASES?Any in which individual cannot ly scheduled shift because Let's Continue T< The most valuable asset of any orgai ery, but its people, and the safety of most important responsibility of the < It is Clinton's policy to provide a s employees to work. However, safety is a mutual respor ployee is needed and expected. Actr safety program and a conscious effoi will keep all of us accident-free. Byss Byssinosis Cause Although byssinosis has been recog nized for over a century, it remains ill-defined. The true incidence of the disease is not known, nor is the causal agent. One thing is clear: The disease is not caused by cotton fibers or lint; the causal agent is found in the invisible respirable dust brought into the plant with the raw cotton. There is good evidence that the offending agent is contained within the bracts of the cotton plant and that the cotton becomes contaminated with it. Since the visible dust in a plant is primarily lint, statements or pictures purporting to demonstrate the "dustiness" of a work area may have little or no bearing on the presence of the agent that causes byssinosis. Disease Symptoms It has long been recognized that certain textile employees develop acute symptoms of chest tightness, shortness of breath, coughing and wheezing on the tirst aay hack at work alter a weekend's absence. These symptoms, termed "Monday morning syndrome," are due to an acute reversible bronchospasm in some ways resembling an acute asthmatic attack. If, at this point, the employee is removed from his environment, his condition will return to normal and there will be no chronic disability. It is also recognized that a certain mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmrnmmmmmmm SCOREBOARD t. 31, 1980 LOST TIME ACCIDENTS ( t 4 c 13 12 t 3 > 2 1 1 i 2 1 37 I -related accidents tre- , i work-related accident work the next regulari of injury. ) Work Safely nization is not buildings or machinevery Clinton Mills employee is a :ompany. >afe and healthful work place for isibility. The support of every emre participation in the company's *t to develop good safety practices inosis-Facts 1 number of employees who have been exposed to significant dust levels over a long period of time may develop chronic bronchitis. Although many have speculated or even assumed that the acute symptoms progress into the chronic phase, this has never been clearly established. It is probably the consensus of some pulmonary physicians that the classical "Monday morning syndrome" history is no longer necessary for the diagnosis of byssinosis. Among other problems with the evaluation of the history is the faulty memory of many patients as to the onset of their illness. Contrary to popular belief, it is difficult to make a definitive diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disn n r> /V A 4 r* Vv (Ana n a HP U a r\/\ cdac uuc iu uya^uiuaia. incic aic iiu characteristic findings on physical examination, chest x-ray, pulmonary function studies or even lung biopsy which are specific for the diagnosis of byssinosis. Not "Brown Lung" Autopsy studies have revealed no increased pigmentation of the lungs in textile employees (brown or otherwise), therefore the unfortunate term brown lung, wnicn was apparently invented by Ralph Nader, should be abandoned, since it only confuses the issue. Is It A Killer? Recent mortality studies have not shown an increased death rate in Important Good Gun Autumn, with its brilliant colors and )ften picture-perfect weather, brings 0 Clinton employees and their friends ind families many time-honored traiitions. One of the favorites is the hunting rip and the excitement that comes .vith successful pursuit of wildlife. But 1 A 1 111 I A A 1 . . A A _ A 1 _ . .ne irirui van insianuy turn 10 irageay if caution is not exercised in the use of weapons. It's a story told every year, as thousands of hunters are killed or injured due simply to carelessness. Sadly enough, most of these unfortunate statistics need never have been recorded. Had a few common-sense rules of safety been observed, many more hunters would be alive and well today. Numerous such guidelines for hunters have been posted through the years. Here are 10that, when followed, have saved many lives: 1. Never climb a tree or cross a fence with a loaded gun. 2. Always be sure that the barrel and action are clear of obstruction. 3. Carry only empty guns, taken down or with the action open, into vour camp. 4. Be sure of your target before you squeeze the trigger. 5. Avoid consumption of alcoholic beverages before and during shooting. 6. Never leave your gun unattended unless you unload it first. 7. Never point your gun at anything fou Need To I workers in cotton textile plants as opposed to other employees in the general population. By and large, textile employees die from heart disease, cancer and the other causes of death seen in the general population. It is. therefore, not appropriate to refer to "an unseen killer stalking thousands in plants." Wecent autopsy studies show that while the degree of cotton dust exposure may correlate with the production of chronic bronchitis, there is no relationship between cotton dust exposure and the production of pulmonary fibrosis (scarring) or the destructive changes of the lungs called emphyse ma. The latter problem appeared to correlate with the degree of cigarette smoking. In no way does byssinosis resemble the occupational lung disease referred to as pneumoconiosis, such as asbestosis, silicosis and coal workers' pneumoconiosis. Smoking As Cause More often than not, individuals who claim disability due to byssinosis have multiple other problems which produce similar svmntoms of chest tioht ness, shortness of breath, wheezing and productive cough. These problems include chronic bronchitis, pulmonary emphysema, asthma and heart disease. In these cases it is not easy to separate the degree of impairment due to cotton dust exposure from the impairment resulting from other causes of injury, primarily cigarette To Follow Safety you do not want to shoot. 8. Treat every gun with the respect due a loaded gun. 9. Store guns and ammunition separately, beyond the reach of children. 10. Never shoot at a hard, flat sur face or the surface of water. These basic safety guides should be a must for all hunters, but there are a number of other rules, too, that might well go a long way toward insuring a safe, happy outing. A loaded weapon, for instance, should never be trusted, even with the safety device on. because the safety could fail. Care should be taken beforehand in selecting a partner compatible with you and your views on hunting. Hunters should be sure of the positions of their hunting partners at all times during a hunt. Not only are there safety rules, but aiso a tew principles 01 good sportsmanship that apply to all hunters and can make hunting more enjoyable for everyone involved. A good sportsman is always considerate of fellow hunters and makes sure his actions are in their best interest. He also respects the land on which he is hunting. Sound game management and conversation practices are significant attributes of the model hunter/sportsman. Game should not be shot out of season, and legal limits should be observed. <now smoking. It is not generally recognized that the incidence of chronic lung disease in the general population is quite high, perhaps 20-25 percent. Disease Research Finally, many refute the notion that there has been little or no interest or research into the problem of byssinosis. On the contrary, some of the pioneering studies which have contri buted to the current knowledge of byssinosis in the United States originated in the Carolinas by such researchers as James Merchant. Kaye Kilburn. Arend Bouhuys, Leo Heapy, Harold Imbus, Mario Battagelli. Phillip Pratt and many others. Institutions involved in this research include Duke University. the University of North Carolina, the Bowman Gray School of Medicine, and the Department of Health in various textile states. ttf :it i iiil lutMiidiiy. bunion muib anu many of the other larger companies have in stituted programs of medical surveillance and dust control. What Is The Solution? Clinton Mills hopes this information on the medical facts of byssinosis will aid further deliberations on the solution of this multifaceted problem Poor legislation has been developed in the past based on faulty knowledge of medical data.