A combined clinical, radiological, pathological, and mineralogical study was undertaken on 62 cases referred to the Medical Research Council Pneumoconiosis Unit by the Cardiff Pneumoconiosis Panel as Cornish china clay workers. Considerable pathological lesions were found in the lungs, both nodular and interstitial fibroses being present. Some men had worked with china stone but others had work...

In recent years pneumoconiosis among miners has increasingly attracted the attention of students of respiratory disease, and the urgent problem which it now presents in the South Wales coalfields, together with the importance of the industry involved, has produced a considerable literature dealing with pneumoconiosis and the environmental considerations relative to it. It is thought that the pr...

Background-Chronic bronchitis and emphysema are now recognised complications of occupational exposure to coal dust, and since 1992 compensation has been available for miners with impaired lung function provided that they also have x ray film evidence of pneumoconiosis. However, many miners with heavy exposure to coal dust and impairment of lung function therefore do not qualify for compensation...

To assess changes in the mechanical properties of the lungs in pneumoconiosis, the "elastance" (coefficient of elastic resistance, the reciprocal of compliance) of the lung and resistance of the airways were measured by the method of Mead and Whittenberger (1953) in 97 coal-miners and 17 men who had never worked underground. Ages ranged from 24 to 57. The work done on the lung was measured in 6...

Black sputum is produced when cavitation of progressive massive fibrosis occurs due to mycobacterial and anaerobic bacterial infections (67%) or ischaemic necrosis. The blackish or greyish sputum suggests cavitation of conglomerated masses; the acinar shadows in gravity dependent areas together with cavitary pneumoconiosis, make us suspect an insufficiency of bronchial clearing. Bronchoscopy co...

In a 30 year follow up study of 8526 men aged 20 and over in the Rhondda Fach 99.9% of the population was traced. Generally, the results are similar to those found in a 20 year follow up of the same subjects. Miners and ex-miners had an excess mortality compared with non-miners, but within the former only those who had had categories B and C pneumoconiosis showed a raised mortality. Category A ...

Ferruginous bodies rarely form but may be indistinguishable from asbestos cores 12. Haupe HM, Moore GW, Hutchins GM. The lung in systemic lupus erythematosus: Analysis of the pathological changes in 120patients. Am J Med 1981; 71: 791-798. 13. Gantin R, AI-Jabi M, McCaughey WTE. Desmoplastic diffuse mesothelioma. Am J Surg Pathol 1982; 6: 215-222. 14. Churg A, Wright JL, Wiggs B et al. Small ai...

A 57 year old man, receiving compensation for talc pneumoconiosis since 1977, was admitted to hospital for the first time in 1987, with symptoms of weight loss, fever, dyspnoea and productive cough. A chest roentgenogram showed bilateral cavitation. Two years later, Mycobacterium xenopi was found in sputum cultures. Despite specific oral antibiotherapy, the patient's health deteriorated and he ...