Long-term occupational exposure to the insecticides aldrin dieldrin, endrin, and telodrin.

lead taken out of the plant by the workers on their clothes. A number of recommendations are made: these include emphasizing once more that top management carry the responsibility for the protection of the health of workers; the importance of industrial hygiene and monitoring of the atmosphere, and the desirability of close co-operation of those concerned with the works medical officer; the education of the workers; and ensuring a flow of information to both workers and management about environmental contamination. Finally, the committee highlight the need for research into a variety of problems ranging from a study of the relationship of particle size to lead absorption, the need for more knowledge about the significance of minor alterations in metabolism, and the accumulation of body burdens of lead, to the possible long-term effects of lead absorption in the absence of symptoms of poisoning. The committee should be congratulated on producing the report within four months of its appointment and for the clear-cut assessment made of the unfortunate circumstances at the Avonmouth smelter. The report should serve to crystallize a number of problems which have been a cause of anxiety to those concerned with the protection of persons exposed to lead in their work, in particular, the emphasis on the importance of distinguishing 'lead absorption' from 'lead poisoning' and its evaluation by reference to blood lead levels. There has been a need for some time to clarify in an official document the difference between poisoning and absorption and to specify the criteria which should' be used in the assessment of persons who have clearly absorbed an excessive quantity of lead in their work.