PERFORATION OF THE NASAL SEPTUM IN CHROMIUM WORKERS

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The widespread use of chromium plating in industry has caused an increasingly large number of these workers to be deeply and irreparably branded. Chromium plating is accomplished by immersing the object to be plated in an electrolytic vat containing, among other elements, chromic acid. In this electrodeposition, oxygen is evolved on the insoluble anode and considerable hydrogen on the cathode. These gases, rising, tend to carry into the surrounding air a fine mist or spray of chromic acid.1This spray, on being inhaled, deposits the chromic acid particles inside the nose on the mucous membrane. Chromic acid affects those persons exposed by causing (1) lesions of the skin and (2) irritations of the nose. It affects the abraded skin, causing deep ulceration. It affects the nose in causing an inflammation of the mucous membrane with ulceration of the nasal septum, which may later lead to perforation. Fischer,1writing

This publication has 1 reference indexed in Scilit: