US EPA

2251476 

Journal Article 

Problems of Allergy in Sawmill Workers 

Bahn, K 

1928 

1 

Klinische Wochenschrift
ISSN: 0023-2173 

NIOSH/00101982 

7 

41 

1963-1964 

A case report of asthma in a sawmill worker is discussed along with allergy tests for the presence of hypersensitivity to wood. A 33 year old worker suffered frequent attacks of asthma, mainly at night. Over 1 year's time the attacks became more frequent, and sometimes lasted for 2 hours. Examination revealed the typical lung findings of expiratory dyspnea, volumen auctum, poorly displaceable lung borders, and diffuse bronchitis. The urine did not contain any pathological components. There was distinct eosinophilia of the blood. Chest x-rays showed a pattern of filamentary markings and small spots over the entire lung. The localization and extent of these spots were not typical of tuberculosis but did suggest suspicion of pneumoconiosis. A neoplasm in the right lung also suspected. The patient had worked in a dynamite factory for 10 years without having had any asthmatic attacks. He had worked in the sawmill for about 10 months before the first asthmatic attacks occurred. A few days after he had been admitted to the hospital the attacks ceased altogether, which was attributed to the removal of the patient from the sawmill. The lung carcinoma did not exhibit any influence on the asthma, since the attacks ceased to occur during treatment, but the carcinoma persisted. An allergy to wood was demonstrated in this case wing allergens prepared from a wide assortment of woods. Pine and fur extracts produced significant whealing, with infiltration and intense reddening of the surrounding area. The author suggests that mites and fungi living on the wood and its bark were probably the sources of the allergens in this case. (German).