Abstract
1. Fifty cases of Chronic Pulmonary disease in coal
workers are described - twenty of them with X-Ray
plates as illustrated.
2. some degree of Emphysema is almost universal in coal
miners over 45 years of age.
3. Pulmonary Fibrosis is an incapacitating disease due
to the inhalation of mixed dust and yet little may be
found on clinical examination.
4. This condition is found chiefly in coal cutters and
stoneworkers.
5. Pleurisy and Pneumonia frequently precede the onset of
Pulmonary Fibrosis and predispose to it.
6. Pneumoconiosis of coal workers (dust reticulation)
may be very easily missed unless a good radiological
examination is carried out.
7. Pulmonary Tuberculosis is not of frequent occurrence
among coal miners - rather less in fact than among the
rest of the population, but in the older age groups
of coal miners, one finds cases of Koniophthisis.
8. Koniophthisis is a condition in which dust reticulation
and Tuberculous necrosis are found in association with
a Silicotic Fibrosis.
9. Occasionally one finds an extraordinary condition in
which Pulmonary Tuberculosis and Silicotic fibrosis
form a 'cricket ball mass' which is necrotic in the
centre and contains a tarry fluid. This may even
rupture externally.
10. Miners Asthma which has been defunct for about 60 years
shows signs of returning and modern methods of mechanical
mining are believed to be responsible for this.
11. stone dust which is liberally scattered around the coal
face before shot-firing, is not so innocuous in. the
writer's opinion as was formerly believed - although
it only contains 1% silica Dioxide.
12. There is no cardiac abnormality found on electroccardiographic
examination in cases of chronic pulmonary
disease of coal miners.
13. Frequent clinical and radiological examinations of coal
miners should be carried out by industrial medical
officers. Extractor fans, mist projectors etc should
be used at the coal face to minimise the dust hazard
and shot-firing should be done in the shift where the
least number of men is working.
