OBJECTIVES To study the prevalence of byssinosis and other respiratory abnormalities in workers exposed to cotton dust in Guangzhou in two factories that processed purely cotton. METHODS All the 1320 workers exposed were included. The controls were 1306 workers with no history of occupational dust exposure. Total dust and inhalable dust were measured by Chinese total dust sampler and American...

The formation or the accumulation, or both, of histamine in the lungs may be potentiated by agent(s) present in cotton dust at higher level(s) than in flax dust and negligible in cottonseed dust. It has been suggested that such potentiation may be due to the activation of the ability of the lung to produce histamine and/or produce or recruit mast cells; this may present an acceptable explanatio...

The same plan of investigation as was used in a previous study of jute workers (Gandevia and Milne, 1965) has been applied to a survey of 50 workers in the blowroom and carding and spinning area of a Sydney cotton mill. Significant decreases in ventilatory capacity were recorded on Friday, Monday, and the following Thursday, with, on the average, complete 'overnight' recovery, as indicated by s...

The prevalence of byssinosis was measured in a population of 189 male and 780 female workers employed in three coarse and two fine cotton mills. Ninety-eight per cent. of the male and 96% of the female population were seen. The workers were graded by their histories as follows: Grade 0-No symptoms of chest tightness or breathlessness on Mondays Grade I-Occasional chest tightness on Mondays, or ...

To assess the risk of byssinosis in a cotton textile factory in Cameroon a preliminary study was conducted on a random sample of 125 men from production areas and 68 men from non-production areas. Symptoms were assessed by a questionnaire, which also included questions regarding sleep; peak expiratory flow rate (PEF) was measured with a miniature peak flow meter at the end of a working day and ...