indeed.

1935, a wave of fear was sweeping the country. silicosis was taking its toll from the ranks of american workers because of a disease that results in the disease disablement, poverty, the cure for the disease, none throughout america, workers exposed to that group, fearful of their health, of their very lives. 1936, amid these alarming events, the secretary of labor called together a national conference to study that disease. a committee of 60 experts was appointed and a year later, a report into the secretary of labor. but let's hear from miss perkins herself after year of work, the national silicosis conference committee has just made its

report on our findings and recommendations, and i find it to be my duty to make this report available to the people of the united states and to their employers by every available method. this report shows how silicosis occurs, where it occurs, and what the disease is and it makes recommendations for practical control above all, the report emphasizes these control measures. if conscientiously adopted and applied, that silicosis can be prevented. this is the story of silicosis, a disease of the lungs caused by breathing fine particles of dust containing silica granite dust. it small particles consist mainly of silica. the the particles, the greater the danger to human lungs. here is a find my screen. with over 100,000 openings in the square inch. notice how readily the silica dust passes through.

yet this screen is so fine that it holds water. every drop poured into the same is brought back into the glass. here. dust particles taken from the air are being analyzed to determine workers exposure. granite dust particles of which can enter our workman's lungs and cause trouble. this cross-section shows the nose and throat passages through which dust is inhaled into the lungs. the fine dust particles enter the lungs settle in the terminal air spaces. physical and chemical changes occur. scar tissue forms. small at first. these scarred areas grow larger as time goes on. this tissue is fibrous, top and then elastic, and the lungs cannot adequately perform their task of carrying out of the blood. as a result, the infected worker becomes so short of breath, he can no longer do his job.

this magnified section shows alveoli are small air spaces in the lungs. they supply life, giving oxygen to the blood. silica dust clouds these spaces and endless scar tissue forms. and this is the way a silica, thick lung appears to the x ray. the black areas are dead. tissue. among many industrial operations when a silica hazard exists. is the quarrying of granite sandstone flint and other silica bearing rock. there's 35 ton block of stone has been hewn out of the quarry by pneumatic drill. these drills are dust producers. those men are drilling. in granite. and that powder rising contains large quantities of reed silica. the trade goes these tools jackhammer but white men often call them widowmaker. these men are exposed with serious silica hazards. imagine breathing quantities of dust like this 8 hours a day, day after day, year after year,

after a stone is planted, it is taken to the plant by surfacing and finishing the granite servicing machine, producing quantities of dust. the worker must stand close to the machine in order to operate. it is breathing dangerous dust. when crushed, stone is passed over to vibrating screen, morrison again after dispersed into the air. workers nearby cannot escape this dust. finally pulverized granite is put into bags to be used as asphalt filler or other uses. this machine is being operated in such a way that the workmen must breathe in clouds of harmful dust. and this man is totally unprotected. the foundry shakeout, wherein castings are removed from the

molds is also a dusty operation. these two men are working without any protection whatsoever. they are potential victims. here is a typical american workman, one of the million who are dangerously exposed, silica dust. his name is john steel. once a master molder is still working in this foundry, after years of exposure to silica. one strong and healthy john steel, is now weak and emaciated. he is short of breath. he cannot do even this work properly. the woman tells him that he is sick, incompetent, can no longer do a day's work and that he must let him go.

he hands john his last time, slip. as a result of his disability. john, like thousands of others, is being fired. it paid off, broken and health and in spirit out of a job. he must seek work elsewhere. john steel is more fortunate. many another silicosis victim. he was able to find work in a tombstone gym which was not too heavy and where he could earn a little money to help support his family. but he is still exposed to the enemy. a across john's d of mine that is his name. how soon will it become a stark reality? how soon will he join the thousands of others who have succumbed to silica dust.

these thousand shall not have died in vain. if we use the knowledge we have gained to save others from the same fate. we know the practical engineering methods which will control the death dealing dust. this worker has been employed in a dusty drain for several years. he is healthy, robust. he can put in a full day at hard work. notice his deep chest and good general appearance. despite eight years of his trade, he periodically goes to a skilled doctor in whom he has complete. the doctor gives him a physical examination just a check on his condition. this examination includes other things the making of a routine x-ray film. although a final diagnosis of silicosis cannot be made by x-ray alone, an accurate is impossible without it. it is healthy, just looks like this to the x-ray. there are no silica spots.

he has been protected from dust. notice difference between the normal x-ray on the left and the silica lungs on the right. sandblasting of rubber castings in foundries is one of the nastiest of operations. these workers wear helmets like deep sea divers in a wet, clean filtered areas. they work a tightly closed room so that other workers in the foundry are not exposed. in many cases, silicosis control is just as simple as this oiled sawdust sprinkled on. are wet, sweeping tips dust down. in other words, good plant housekeeping, maintenance. vibrating screens. you see how dusty it is? workers would be exposed were it not for the exhaust system, which, when turned on, draws the dust off carrying it through a

system of pipes. do a dust collector. that is the dusty bagging operation we saw earlier. however, with the exhaust system in operation, there is no dust in the air. the worker wears an approved filter respirator for added protection during periods of temporary exposure. and uses close up after being carried at high speed into the suction system where it is collected. and here is the way this dusty servicing machine can be controlled by using a suction device. note how the dust and stone chips are drawn in the hood and thus kept away from the workmen's nose and mouth. in the granite quarrying industry. rock dwelling is one of the dirtiest operations. it can be made non dusty and safe. one method is to force water through pipes. the point of operation.

water to this simple little device around drilled steel. and prevents the dust from flying into the air. here is another wet method used in the quarry. water is fed through a hollow drilled to the cutting edge of the tool known as the complete absence of dust. and our john steel worked under these conditions. they would never developed silicosis and could have continued to work on their trades in safety and comfort. we have seen but a few of the practical, simple and inexpensive uv control measures in actual use. however, they must be adapted more widely by employers use, more consistently by workers and required more generally by state and agencies. silicosis can entirely preventable. the division of labor standards will give you full information to stop silicosis silicosis and.

tonight we're here and i'm welcoming b.j. hollers professor at uw eau claire. he's the founder and director of the valley writers guild. he's a prolific author