ALKALIS
The alkaline hydroxides (potassium and sodium hydroxide, KOH, NaOH) have an albumen-dissolving and therefore caustic effect. Industrially it occurs in the caustic action of concentrated (often hot) lyes upon the skin or upon the eye—through splashing. Quicklime (CaO) has also a caustic action, producing inflammation of the skin or eyes (especially in those engaged in the preparation of mortar).
Under this head comes also the effect upon the respiratory passages—described by several authors—caused in the production of artificial manure discussed at length in Part I.
As regards treatment of the irritant effect of alkalis, what has been said as to corrosives in general applies here (rinsing with water or weak organic acids), and in inflammation of the eye caused by lime a drop of castor oil is recommended.
GROUP: METALS AND METAL-COMPOUNDS
The various substances of this group differ markedly in their action. Under this heading come principally chronic metal poisonings, characterised by a general, often very intense, disturbance of nutrition, which justifies their delineation as ‘metabolic poisons’; among these poisons also are included certain others which produce chronic poisoning accompanied by severe disturbance of the peripheral and central nervous system.
The corrosive action common to the metal oxides (when acting in a concentrated condition), attributable to the formation of insoluble albuminates, need not, in industrial poisoning, be taken so much into account. The corrosive effect is characteristic only of the compounds, especially of the acid salts of chromium, which, as an acid-forming element, may be classed in the preceding group. Disturbance of health in workmen handling nickel compounds are also ascribed to the corrosive action of these substances.
LEAD, LEAD COMPOUNDS
Lead poisoning is the most frequent and important chronic industrial poisoning; the symptoms are very varied and associated with the most different groups of organs. We shall describe the typical course of a case of industrial lead poisoning, laying stress, however, on the fact that numerous cases follow an irregular course, in that special symptoms or complications of symptoms are in some especially accentuated, while in others they become less marked or are absent altogether.