Pulmonary Ventilatory Function in Talcosis of Lung

¹ Director, Division of Industrial Hygiene and Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine of State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center
² Assistant Director and Clinical Instructor of Medicine, State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center
³ Division of Industrial Hygiene, New York State

Pulmonary ventilatory function tests were performed in 20 workers who were engaged in the process of milling or mining of talc and who had clinical and roentgenographic findings compatible with talc pneumoconiosis. These workers were exposed for an average of 23 years to dusts containing predominantly talc admixed with other silicates (tremolite and anthrophyllite) and containing a small amount of free silica. The changes in pulmonary ventilatory function indicate the presence of a restrictive and/or obstructive breathing disorder. On the whole, there was no consistent correlation between the degree of pulmonary function impairment and the clinical, roentgenographic or environmental findings.