operator." "One hundred and thirty-five to 417 mg. of lead per 10 cubic meters of air were found when spraying an inside wall. In an eight-hour day at such work, a workman would breathe in from 60 to 180 mg. of lead." One milligram is about a sixtieth of a grain-experiments have shown that the breathing of 1/30 of a grain of lead per day (2 milligrams) is all the normal person can breathe in without showing signs of poisoning.

(f) Operation at Different Levels:

The orders call attention to exposing the operator working on the lower level to "excessive mists" and provide a maximum of 8 ft. difference in operating levels. This is difficult to enforce and otherwise inadequate. (g) Exclusion of Others: and

(h) Contamination of Adjacent Areas:

These provisions merely bear out the fact that the poisonous spray is scattered in all directions, and requires precautionary measures to protect the operator as well as all others who may be exposed. "Proper precautionary measures" are meaningless. They should be specifically defined by health experts.

(e), (f), (g) and (h) have the further objection that there would have to be continuous and close inspection of jobs by a sufficient number of competent, trained inspectors to secure enforcement.

Order 12-(a) Nose and Mouth Protection:

"In the absence of any effective type of respirator which will allow a man to breathe comfortably, this order is useless." The difficulties involved in the use of a respirator, also the inefficiency of the types so far on the market, are presented herewith in paragraphs 6, 7 and 9, which we quote from Dr. Hayhurst's statement covering the hazards of the spray painting method:

(6) "The attempt to protect the operator by having him wear a respirator of a type in which the particles may be caught upon a sponge or gauze or similar device through which he must also obtain his air for breathing is highly dangerous since the particles continue to vaporize within the respirator and their products are inhaled in gaseous form in a manner similar to their direct lodgment in the nose.

(7) "The only known safe methods of protecting an operator from breathing the dangerous product of continually volatilizing poisonous substances, both while in the state of vapor particles or in gaseous form, is to separate one gas from another, that is to separate these poisonous gases from the air itself by the use of a so-called respirator, which is intended primarily to remove dust or solid particulate matter, and none of which, by actual experiment, succeed in removing but a small part of the finer of these. It is further recognized that fineness of particles is the criterion of

danger in the inhalation of both dust or vapor droplets.

(8) "It must be recognized that wherever spray particles of paints or colors, as from the nebulous cloud produced by an atomizing equipment, are inhaled they carry three components; liquids, solids and gases, whereas in simple painting, gases only are inhaled. The extent of toxicity of some of the gaseous substances used in paints has been very carefully determined by investigators, principally in Germany, who report as follows:

Benzine (naptha, gasoline, petroleum benzine):

.02 grams per litre of air will cause local symptoms.

.05 grams per litre of air is poison

ous.

Benzol (benzine):

.015 grams per litre of air is poison

ous.

.042 grams per litre of air will kill dogs in 20 minutes. Turpentine:

.003 grams per litre of air will cause local symptoms.

.006 grams per litre of air will poison healthy men in the space of 1 to 4 hours. It will be noted that for the poisons mentioned the concentration in no cases exceeds 50 parts per million, and may be slow as 3 parts per million.

(9) "The operator or painter who is required to use any toxic volatile substances within rooms or other inclosures, whether by the simple methods of painting on with a brush or by flowing on, or by spraying on, or again by nebulizing nozzles, should be provided with an equipment which separates the air which enters his nose and mouth from the poisonous substances contained in such air, whether in the form of liquid, solids or gases, so that such substances shall not be breathed in amounts exceeding the threshold of toxicity."

We would also call your attention to paragraph 4, which deals with the report of your Sub-Committee on Spray Tests.

With refrence to the use of masks, as reported in Dr. N. C. Sharpe's (Dept. of Pharmacology of the University of Toronto) study, "The Risk of Lead Poisoning," in the Journal of Industrial Hygiene for April, 1922, p. 383:

"Pigment using lead was reduced from 90 mgs. per 10 cu. meters of air to 10 mgs. per 10 cu. meters of air, which is of some assistance, but not effective in reducing the lead below the danger line suggested by Legge as 5 mgs. per 10 cu. meters of air."

No conclusive evidence is available showing that the types of masks on the market offer protection against the penetrating fumes of volatile poisons, such as benzole.

a

During the Milwaukee hearing a spray contractor advocated that the men wear "stocking mask drawn over the head with two holes for the eyes." Obviously such ingenious device as this is useless as a protective measure.

According to Dr. Alice Hamilton, Assistant Professor of Industrial Hygiene at Harvard Medical School:

"The use of the spraying apparatus in interior decoration very much increases the danger of poisoning painters, through the escape of volatile substances in the paint. With quick-drying paints this is especially true, because such paints have much of the linseed oil, if not all, displaced by some volatile liquid which will evaporate more quickly. Often this evaporating fluid is petroleum ether, perhaps with turpentine added, both of which are decidedly poisonous when breathed in as fumes. Even worse is benzole, which is now found in paints, stains and varnishes. This is a dangerous poison, especially if a man is exposed repeatedly to it.

"Petroleum Ether and the other light petroleum distillates have an effect on the central nervous system, causing headache, dizziness, disturbance of eyesight, pains in various parts of the body, a sense of confusion, even fainting. Loss of appetite, indigestion, loss of weight and a gradual loss of health may come as a result of many exposures to these fumes.

"Benzole is also a poison to the central nervous system, but it has other serious effects, on the blood vessels and on the blood itself. The tiny blood vessels break and the man has bleeding from the nose and gums and also under the skin so that he looks as if he were covered with bruises. At the same time benzole destroys the red cells of the blood and the white cells."

B-Cleansing of Respirators:

Cleansing twice a day would not be sufficient, particularly where thin, cotton gauze masks are used, as these are quickly covered and saturated with the spray. C-Approval of Respirators:

According to Dr. Alice Hamilton, "comfort and efficiency are incompatible in the wearing of respirators. If a respirator is a satisfactory filter for fumes it will be of too close a texture to allow its wearer to breathe easily."

"Neither against dust nor against fumes, can one trust to the protection of respirators. Anyone who has worked with filters and has tried to drive air through and keep dust back knows how thick a filter and how strong a force is required. It is impossible for a workman to get enough air through a really effective dust-filtering respirator." (Alice Hamilton in "Lead Poisoning in the Smelting and Refining

of Lead."-U. S. Bur. of Lab. Statis-
tics, Bull. No. 141, 1914, p. 16.)
According to Dr. Sharpe's report:

"The ordinary masks provided for the painter consist of cotton-wool covered with one or two layers of gauze and, in some cases, having charcoal between the layers of wool. Such a mask is held in place by an elastic band. Another type of mask has a rubber facepiece covering the nose and mouth. The opening of this mask is covered with gauze and cotton-wool or with filter paper.

"The results of tests show that fine wire gauze masks are no protection whatever. A mask of gauze and cotton, as thick as possible without causing uncomfortable or strained breathing, reduced the lead present in 10 cubic meters of air from 90 to 100 mg. This is still, however, above what occupational disease experts, notably Legge of England, considers the danger line: 5 mg. per 10 cubic meters-which means that in one day a worker would breathe in about 2 mg. (1/30 of a grain) lead the lowest daily dose a person can stand.

"A manufactured mask of gauze, cotton-wool and charcoal reduced the lead present below the danger line, BUT IN ORDER TO DO THIS ALL THE AIR MUST PASS THROUGH THE MASK. It was not found possible to wear this mask so that all the air passed through it without DISCOMFORT AND WITHOUT STRAINED BREATHING. NO WORKMAN WOULD ENDURE IT. If worn comfortably. THE MASK IS USELESS, for air comes in at the side of the nostrils. The charcoal is unnecessary for the holding of lead pigment, but may be of use for VOLATILE BODIES. ANY MASK WILL BECOME USELESS AFTER A COATING OF PAINT IS DEPOSITED ON IT." E-Body Protection:

Theoretically this may be considered a good suggestion, but practically when men are working in close and often poorly ventilated rooms, particularly in hot weather, this provision to wear close-fitting garments can not be enforced.

F-Hand Protection:
G-Responsibility and Maintenance:
H-Face and Neck Anointed:

Minor points. These are merely ordinary sanitary safeguards, and the least that can be expected. Sanitary and hygienic safeguards are indispensable to any program of disease prevention. The hazards of the painting trade intensify the need for every sanitary and hygienic precaution. Conclusion:

The house painting industry in the United States is conspicuously without any regulations safeguarding the health of the work

ers. A communication to the Workers' Health Bureau from the U. S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, dated August 25, 1923, states:

66* * * regarding regulations covering the painting industry, with reference to the health and safety of house painters, I have to say that a search of our index discloses no legislation or order of the Industrial Commissions directed to this subject."

The attempt on the part of the Wisconsin Industrial Commission to draft regulations seeking to protect the health of workers operating the spray painting machine is a commendable step forward.

According to the orders the "testimony of manufacturers of spray equipment and actual demonstrations of proper methods of application show that the hazard to workmen can only be GREATLY MINIMIZED." The testimony of manufacturers of equipment can not be accepted as authoritative. Furthermore, minimizing the hazards is not sufficient. Painters are entitled to absolute protection against exposure to the poisons of their trade. The dangers of the painters' trade have long since been conceded. To introduce a device such as the spray machine which covers a surface four times faster than with the hand brush method, makes the hazard at least four times greater. The advantages are purely commercial: Speed and the reduction of operating costs. Painters pay the price in disease and premature death. Speeding up painting operations, forcing the paint out of the spray machine under 50 to 80 pounds air pressure throws almost four times the amount of poison into the air than is done with the hand brush method. This was demonstrated in the Wisconsin experiment. Your commission will easily appreciate the increased risk in spray painting when, according to medical examinations of over 1,200 house painters in New York City during the past year, this startling fact is revealed, 95 per cent of the men are seriously impaired in health and no less than 65 per cent actually suffering from occupational diseases caused by the painting trade. These figures bear out the experience of previous scientific investigations. Conditions of work are, therefore, a matter of life and death to painters.

Lead, turpentine, naptha, wood alcohol, benzine, amylacetate and benzole are among poisonous paint materials responsible for this deplorable situation. Evidence collected from all parts of the world points conclusively to the need for immediate control. To merely minimize the risk is insufficient. Operators of the spray machine are entitled to the maximum protection.

Life Insurance:

Life insurance companies recognize the hazards of the painting trade by raising insurance rates. They take into account both the poisonous materials used, and the

The Paint Economical

JARTER WHITE LEAD is easy to break up. It is ground extremely fine and soft. Painters who work with Carter know that it represents a real economy in time and labor. Because of its unusual affinity for linseed oil there is very little separation in the kegjust a soft paste from lid to bottom.

Spread a few brushfuls of Carter and another economy is noticed. Less work is required to cover properly a greater amount of surface. Carter is known among painters as "The Lead with the Spread" because of its ease of spread and its length of spread.

When it comes time to repaint, no expensive burning or scraping is necessary, simply a dusting-off and the surface is ready for another coat.

From the keg to the painted surface, Carter means economy.

additional accident risk among men working on scaffolds.

The Metropolitan Life Insurance Com-. pany, 1917 rate tables class painters as intermediate risks. Good risks can get any amount of insurance at low rates-intermediate risks pay higher rates and are limited to the amount of insurance.

The John Hancock Life Insurance Company, in their list of Prohibited, Doubtful and Restricted Risks (ordinary branch) September, 1920, class painters as Restricted Risks, and limit their policies to $1,000,

National Life Insurance Company 1912 Casualty Department Manual, class painters (house) as Medium Risks, limit $3,000, as against $10,000 for the best risks.

The New York Life accepts inside painters at a 50 per cent increase in the insurance rate. Outside painters are "rated-up" in age from 6 to 8 years.

Summary and Recommendations:

Most of the data showing the dangerous effects of painting applies to work which is carried on by the hand brush method according to the old established practice of trade.

1. Where the Spray Painting Machine is employed dangerous conditions are increased to an alarming extent. The pressure under which the paint is forced out of the (Continued on page 26)