Form of Paralysis.1910.1911.
Paralysis.Weakness
of Arms
or Loss
of Power.		Total.Paralysis.Weakness
of Arms
or Loss
of Power.		Total.
(1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)
Arms and legs- complete———  2—  2
partial  4  6 10  1  4  5
Legs- complete——————
partial  4  4  8—  6  6
Both forearms- complete 15— 15 27— 27
partial 19 30 49 20 44 64
Right forearm- complete  8—  8  5—  5
partial  6  4 10  4  7 11
Left forearm- complete  3—  3  2—  2
partial  2  1  3  1  7  8
Fingers  3—  3  7—  7
Neuritis (including numbness of hands or arms)  5—  5  5—  5
Other (including paralysis of deltoid, muscles of speech,locomotor ataxy, and general paralysis)  1—  1  4  2  6
 70 45115 78 70148

If it is difficult to distinguish rightly all the cases classed as “paralysis,” it is even more difficult to determine what should be included under the term “encephalopathy.” We have limited it to epileptiform seizures, optic neuritis (uncomplicated by epilepsy), and various forms of insanity. [Table VI.] on [p. 54] is interesting as showing how fairly constant the numbers are from one year to another.

Except in the one industry of earthenware and china, in which a return of the number of persons employed according to process and kind of ware has been made on three separate occasions, and in which the reports of the certifying surgeons enable the cases of poisoning to be classified in the same way, it is difficult to determine accurately the attack rate of lead poisoning. Even in the earthenware and china trade many things have to be borne in mind. The poisoning which occurs is not distributed evenly over all the factories. Thus, among the 550 potteries, in the years 1904 to 1908, five potteries were responsible for 75 cases, and 173 for the total number of cases (517), leaving 377 factories from which no cases were reported.

Table V.—Forms of Paralysis: 1904-1909.

Form of Paralysis.Total.1909.1908.1907.1906.1905.1904.
(1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)
Arms and legs- complete 12  2  2  1  2  1  4
partial 62 13  7  9 13  9 11
Legs- complete  3——  1—  1  1
partial 25  5  7  1  3  5  4
Both forearms- complete162 29 33 29 28 24 19
partial334 59 70 56 56 43 50
Right forearm- complete 39 11  6  7  4  8  3
partial 62  9 17 14 11  5  6
Left forearm- complete 14  2  2  4  1  3  2
partial 22  4  1  4  6  4  3
Fingers 36  3  3  7 10  6  7
Neuritis (including numbness of hands or arms) 32  7  8  3  3  5  6
Other (including paralysis of deltoid, muscles of speech, locomotor ataxy) 10  3  1  3  1—  2
798147157139138114118

Table VI.—Encephalopathy.

Symptom.1911.1910.1909.1908.1907.1906.1905.1904.
Epilepsy 616121514111215
Optic neuritis 2 3 3 2 3 7 5 4
Mental defect 5 2 2 1 6 3 1 2
Total1321171823211821

The same state of things is found in all the other industries. Particular factories, owing to special method of manufacture or special manner of working, may have an incidence out of all proportion to that prevailing in the trade generally. And it is, of course, control of these more obvious sources of danger by the efforts of manufacturers and the factory inspectors that has led to the notable reduction recorded—e.g., in white lead works and the pottery industry.

Returns of occupiers do not lend themselves readily to exact estimate of the number of persons exposed to risk of lead poisoning, as they do not differentiate the processes, and in nearly all factories in which lead is used some of those returned will not come into contact with it.

In industries, however, in which there is periodic medical examination of persons employed in lead processes an attack rate can be made out. It must be regarded as approximate only, as in the manufacture of electric accumulators, for instance, medical examination is limited to persons employed in pasting, casting, lead-burning, or any work involving contact with dry compounds of lead, whereas the reported attacks include a few persons engaged in processes other than those named.