[Analysis of health state in individuals exposed to thorium and chemical hazards in occupational environment].

Clinical and epidemiologic study of chronic somatic discases in workers engaged into thorium production (main group) in short-term period revealed significantly higher prevalence of vegetative neurosis, asthenic state, chronic gastritis, arterial hypotension, chronic nasopharyngitis and higher risk of those conditions, if compared to reference group over the period since 1947 to 1959. These findings are caused by combined exposure to occupational hazards: outer and inner radiation due to long-lived thorium, thoron and their radioactive products, associated exposure to toxic chemicals. Chronic radiation sickness was diagnosed only in individuals who worked over the period since 1947 to 1959 and demonstrated hemopoietic disorders associated with functional neural system impairment. Better sanitary and hygienic work conditions and more efficient individual protective means ("Lepestok" respirator) resulted in reliably decreased risk of chronic somatic diseases among thorium production workers employed since 1960 to 1972.

[Results of peripheral blood tests in thorium production workers].

The authors studied peripheral blood parameters in thorium production workers. Separate analysis covered a group of subjects with chronic radiation sickness. Reliably more pronounced in the chronic radiation sickness group, disposition to thrombocytopenia and leucopenia could be caused by occupational factors. Anemia associated with disposition to erythrocytopenia and increased ESR could be caused by malnutrition.