Industrial Disease

Question 1

What was the Phossy Jaw Epidemic?

Answer 1

a disease that deteriorates your jaw bone due to exposure of yellow phosphorus in strike-anywhere match factories

red inflammation, worm-eaten appearance

many people had their jaws surgically removed
20% mortality rate

James barker lead a campaign to improve match factory working conditions

Question 2

What was silicosis

Answer 2

inhaling silica particles in dust mines
infected the lungs of workers
it was a degenerative lung disease

Question 3

What was the hawk nest tunnel disaster?

Answer 3

a tunnel was blasted in a mountain to create a railroad

workers did not have safety masks so they breathed in silica dust, causing lung cancer

importance: this severe disaster drew attention to silicosis and that it was caused by dust

Question 4

20th century Lead poisoning

Answer 4

lead was found and used in many aspects in life: paint, gas

did not have a good substitute, people did not want to give it up

people did not know the hazards lead posed to health

no regulation until the 70’s

Question 5

What was the impact of new environmental diseases?

Answer 5

less deaths caused by pathogens
more diseases caused by new technologies and industrial production: chemicals

Question 6

Cancer & treatments for it

Answer 6

1. surgery - used to remove tumours (historical way of treatment)
2. radiation - available after 1915
3. chemotherapy - developed after 2nd world war - use of mustard gas was mecially used to remove white blood cells

Question 7

What is cancer?

Answer 7

when white blood cells grow out of control
can be chronic or acute - overlaps with tuberculosis

Question 8

Causes

Answer 8

something in the environment that damages DNA = carcinogens
Viruses & bacteria
natural carcinogens : fungus
inorganic chemical compounds

it became more of a common cause of death in the 20th century = showing changes in lifestyle and environmental