トルオール曝露時の血液所見 : 好中球のモムゼン中毒性顆粒出現について

抄録

Recently, a large quantity of toluol has been used as a less toxic substitute for benzol. In general, toluol is regarded as less toxic than benzol to the haematopoietic system, but there were some reports that aplastic anemia and agranulocytic anemia might be induced with the chronic toluol poisoning. To establish the early diagnosis of chronic toluol poisoning, a factory investigation and an experimental study on the blood findings, especially the appearance of Mommsen's toxic granules in neutrophile leucocytes, were made. 1) The factories investigated: Shop A is a painting shop with high concentrations of solvent vapors consisting mainly of toluol and xylol. Shop B is another painting shop with low concentrations of solvent vapors consisting also mainly of toluol and xylol. And each of shops C and D are the controls in the factories of A and B shops respectively. 2) Mean values of specific gravity of whole blood, erythrocyte count, hemoglobin content and leucocyte count differed little among the investigated shops. But in shops A and B, percentage of abnormal date were higher than in shops C and D as regards the specific gravity of whole blood, erythrocyte count and leucocyte count. 3) As for the appearance rate of Mommsen's toxic granules in the neutrophile leucocyte, there was a significant difference between the painting shops and the controls. No correlation existed between the appearance-rate of Mommsen's toxic granules and the erythrocyte count, hemoglobin content and leucocyte count. 4) From these findings, it was found that the solvent consisting mainly of toluol and xylol influenced only a little upon blood cell counts, and it caused degenerative changes of neutrophile leucocytes. To ascertain these facts, animal experiments on toluol and benzol poisoning, as mentioned below, were carried out. 5) Fifteen male albino rats weighing about 130g were divided into three groups. Rat of the toluol group and the benzol group were injected daily subcutaneously with 50% toluol and benzol solutions in olive-oil at 0.06ml/100g body weight respectively, and those of the control groups with olive-oil at 0.06ml/100g body weight. 6) Except local induration which occurred sometimes at the injectes spot, the rats of the toluol group were well in general appearance. But in the benzol group, the general appearance of the rats got worse after benzol exposure and they showed ulceration, tendency to bleeding and loss of hair at the injected place. 7) The body weight increased in the toluol group as well as in the control group, while by benzol exposure the growth was markedly inhibited. 8) Erythrocyte count and hemoglobin content in the toluol group showed no remarkable change, but in the benzol group a slight decrease was noticed. 9) The leucocyte count increased after injection in the toluol group, but in the benzol group it decreased remarkablly. As to the classified components of leucocytes, the ratio of neutrophile leucocyte count to lymphocyte count (N/L) increased notably in the benzene group and slightly in the toluol group. 10) The appearance-rate of Mommsen's toxic granules in the neutrophile leucocytes increased both in the toluol group and the benzol group. In the toluol group, however, Mommsen's toxic granules appeared later than in the benzol group and the appearance-rate was much higher than in the benzol group. From the results of these studies on the influence of long term toluol exposure, it was clarified that even when the blood cell count fall within the normal range, Mommsen's toxic granules appeared in neutrophile leucocytes as a sign of degeneration in the neutrophiles. From this fact, the examination of appearance-rate of Mommsen's toxic granules will be an useful method for early finding of the influence of long term exposure to toluol.