TUBERCULOSIS AMONG UNDERGROUND WORKERS IN A COAL MINE

Abstract

Course of tuberculosis in patients among 9, 339 underground miners was observed from 1952 to 1959, 5 to 6 years for each patient, by film examination. Among 829 tuberculosis patients (8.9% of the observed), complete healing is seen in 2.1%, improvement in 10%, stationary cases in 37.4%, new attacks in 25.9%, and aggravation in 18.5%. Tuberculosis combined with silicosis shows markedly higher percentage in newly attacked cases and aggravated cases, while that without silicosis shows higher percentage in improved cases and stationary cases. Among persons in the pre-silicotic stage, relatively many newly attacked cases are found, while improved cases and aggravated cases are relatively few. Except tuberculosis combined with silicosis, kinds of work engaged during last 5 years show no significant difference in the incidence of new tuberculosis. Aggravated cases are found most in coal-face workers, relatively many in direct workers, and very few in coal collectors and indirect workers.