An investigation of the effects of industrial pollution around a combined industrial complex on the Island of Grand Bahama

The effects of industrial exposure on the eyes, ears respiratory, blood function, liver function, kidney function, skin function and the reproductive system was assessed by a cross-sectional method for four groups on the Island of Grand Bahamas in the Bahamas. These groups were students, teachers, workers in the industries and a radom selection of residents from the community. In order to evaluate the findings, the exposed cases were those members of the above groups that either went to school, taught, worked in or lived in the exposed area, a 5 mile radius around the industrial site, for a minimum of 5 years. No association was found between expsure to the pollution and disorders of either the respiratory system, blood function based on exams and/or lab results, however, slight associations although none of them significant were indicated from reported past histories in either one or several of the four (4) study groups. These alleged disorders included hypertension, diseases of the genito-urniary tract, gastro-intestinal disorders, and to a lesser extent respiratory disorders and symptoms associated with coughs, colds, and fevers. For disorders of the eye and skin, observed through physical examinations, the results indicated several significant associations. For the eye these included chronic conjunctivitis in the workers and community groups. While eye opacities were initially recorded, the method of these examinations must be questioned and therefore the findings will not be quoted until further study and analysis. The skin exams showed excess cases of acute eczema in the groups of exposed workers, teachers and those from the communities and of ulcerative lesions in the exposed group from the community as well as from the sample of students (AU)

National standards for the protection of the environment; background paper

The Bureau of Standards was set up "to promote and encourage the use of standards for the improvement of goods produced or used in Trinidad and Tobago, for ensuring industrial efficiency and development and promoting public and industrial welfare, health and safety". In the course of its work the Bureau has come across practices and processes which are dangerous, or could adversely affect the natural environment or the public, and has accumulated standards and other information from international or foreign sources which could be applied locally. Some could be made compulsory standards for health or safety reasons (for example, those setting the levels of emission of micro-waves or other electromagnetic radiation, the provision of safety information to workers, the use of proper protective clothing). The Standards Act has been amended recently to allow inspectors to monitor processes or practices adversely affecting the environment. In co-operation with other agencies, the Bureau will set the standards needed to deal with the problems encountered. (AU)

Changes in specific airway conductance in healthy volunteers following nasal and oral inhalation of SO2

Specific airway conductance (sGaw) was measured using a body plethysmograph in 49 healthy volunteers exposed by nose and mouth to sulphur dioxide (SO2) below and above the maximum allowable daily concentration of 5 p.p.m., for periods of up to 1 hour. SO2 caused a decrease in sGaw with both nose and mouth breathing at low concentrations. The decrease in sGaw was greater with mouth breathing. At high concentrations (above 5 p.p.m.) however, there was no significant difference between nose and mouth breathing. In subjects exposed to 5 p.p.m. SO2 for up to 1 hour, there was no further significant decrease in sGaw after 5 minutes. These results suggest that changes in sGaw following SO2 inhalation are related to stimulation of tracheobronchial receptors and that after a period acclimatization occurs (AU)

Racial, occupational, and environmental factors in relation to emphysema in Jamaica

A postmortem study of the lungs of native Jamaicans has showed little differences in frequency or severity of panacinar emphysema between Negro, Chinese, East Indians, and white racial groups. However centrilobular emphysema and simple dust pneumoconiosis occurred more frequently in East Indians, and less frequently in Chinese, than in Negro and white persons. The difference was statistically significant. No differences were detected between workers in different occupations although women showed significantly less emphysema. No differences were detected between rural and urban dwellers. These findings would appear to stress the importance of factors within the individuals environment, such as cigarette smoking, rather than more vague factors as racial differences and generalized atmospheric pollution. (AU)

Emphysema in a non-industrialized tropical island

Whole lung sections (Gough-Wentworth) have been prepared after formalin liquid distension of the lungs from 643 necropsies performed in Jamaica. These included 572 Negro (African), 18 East Indian, 25 Chinese, and 28 white cases. Emphysematous change was assesssed visually by comparision with a standard set of sections from Cardiff which were similar to those adopted by the Ciba Guest Symposium in 1959. Severe destructive emphysema was present in 1.8 percent of males and in 1.0 percent of females. Emphysema was more severe, and more frequent, in males than in females, while both sexes showed an increasing frequency and severity with advancing years. No appreciable racial difference was seen, except that 'focal' emphysema, which includes the centrilobular type, was somewhat more frequent in East Indians than in the other racial groups. These observations indicate the occurence of emphysema of the more common types in a hot climate which is apparantly free of atmospheric pollution.(AU)