Occupation and larynx and hypopharynx cancer: a job-exposure matrix approach in an international case-control study in France, Italy, Spain and Switzerland.

Objective: To investigate the effect of exposure to occupational agents on the risk of hypopharyngeal/laryngeal cancer.

Methods: Case-control study conducted during 1979-1982 in six centres in South Europe. An occupational history and information on exposure to non-occupational factors were collected for 1010 male cases of hypopharyngeal/ laryngeal cancer as well as for 2176 population controls.

Permanent work incapacity, mortality and survival without work incapacity among occupations and social classes: a cohort study of ageing men in Geneva.

Background: The objective of this retrospective cohort study was to investigate the burden of disability and death in men, from middle age to age of retirement, among occupational groups and classes in Geneva.

Methods: Men were included if they resided in the Canton of Geneva, were 45 years of age in 1970-1972, and were not receiving a disability pension at the start of the follow-up. The cohort of 5137 men was followed up for 20 years and linked to national registers of disability pension allowance and of causes of death.

Gender ratio of offspring and exposure to shortwave radiation among female physiotherapists.

Objectives: The goal of this study was to investigate whether the deficit of male births found among the offspring of Danish physiotherapists exposed to shortwave radiation during the first month of their pregnancy could be confirmed among the offspring of physiotherapists from Switzerland.

Methods: A self-administrated questionnaire was mailed (two mailings) to all of the 2846 female members of the Swiss Federation of Physiotherapists. It included questions on the gender and birth-weight of all children of the physiotherapists, as well as on the use of shortwave or microwave equipment during the first month of each pregnancy.

Mortality and incidence of cancer among a cohort of self employed butchers from Geneva and their wives.

To investigate whether specific cancers are associated with the occupation of butcher, as has been reported from other countries, a historical prospective cohort study was undertaken. The cohort consisted of all self employed butchers (n = 552) and pork butchers (n = 310) born since 1880 who set up a shop in the canton of Geneva from 1901 to 1969, and of their wives (n = 887). The study group was followed up from 1901 to 1990 for general mortality, from 1942 to 1990 for cause specific mortality, and from 1970 to 1989 for incidence of cancer.

Increased risk for lung cancer and for cancer of the gastrointestinal tract among Geneva professional drivers.

A historical prospective cohort study of 6630 drivers from the Canton of Geneva was carried out to evaluate mortality and incidence of cancer in this occupation. The study population was all men (of all vocations) who held in 1949 a special licence for driving lorries, taxis, buses, or coaches and all new licence holders in the period 1949-61. Men born before 1900 and those with only an ordinary driving licence were excluded.

Disability, mortality, and incidence of cancer among Geneva painters and electricians: a historical prospective study.

The 1916 painters and the 1948 electricians who resided in the Canton of Geneva at the time of the 1970 census were identified and followed up to 1984. During the study period 121 disability pensions were awarded to painters and 59 to electricians. Age standardised incidence of disability per 1000 man-years at risk was higher among painters than among electricians for all neuropsychiatric causes (1.

[Risk of cancer in locations containing asbestos: myth or reality?].

The risk of cancer induced by asbestos is proportional to the 'dose' inhaled (level X duration of exposure). Airborne asbestos fibre concentrations in buildings with sprayed asbestos insulation are very low. The estimation of life-long risk of cancer for people working continuously in this kind of buildings was made according to the Hughes and Weill's model.

Increased risk for male bladder cancer among a cohort of male and female hairdressers from Geneva.

A cohort of 703 male and 677 female hairdressers born from 1880 onwards, who started to run salons in Geneva between 1900 and 1964 was followed-up to the end of 1982. Cause-specific mortality was analysed from 1942 to 1982 and a significant excess mortality from bladder cancer (observed deaths = 10, expected deaths = 3.9) was found among males.

Mortality and cancer incidence in the perfumery and flavour industry of Geneva.

An analysis has been made of the mortality and cancer incidence of 1168 workers who entered the three factories of the perfumery industry of the Canton of Geneva from their establishment at the turn of the century to the end of 1964. The workers were followed up from their entry until 31 December 1980, at which date 344 were dead and 28 lost to follow up. Among the whole study population only mortality from tuberculosis was significantly raised; there was no significant increase in the incidence of or mortality from any cancer.

Value of the simultaneous determination of PCO2 in monitoring exposure to 1,1,1-trichloroethane by breath analysis.

Eight volunteers were exposed for eight hours to about 200 ppm of 1,1,1-trichloroethane. On the next morning five series of five alveolar samples were collected for the simultaneous determination of PCO2 and 1,1,1-trichloroethane concentration. Three different methods of sampling were used: voluntary hyperventilation, 10-s breathholding, and "standard.

[Incidence of cancer in the chemical industry: methodological aspects of a longitudinal study].

A current cohort study aims at estimating the relative risk of incidence of cancer for the personnel of several chemical compagnies in Geneva. The paper discusses some methodological problems encountered, especially with regard to the healthy worker effect.

[Mortality trends in Switzerland. 2. Infectious diseases 1876-1977].

An analysis has been made of the evolution in Switzerland of mortality due to the main infectious diseases ever since causes of death began to be registered. Mortality due to tuberculosis, diphtheria, scarlet fever, whooping cough, measles, typhoid, puerperal fever and infant gastro-enteritis started to fall long before the introduction of immunization and/or antibiotics. This decline was probably due to a great extent to various factors linked to the steady rise in the standard of living: qualitative and quantitative improvements in nutrition; better public and personal hygiene; better housing and working conditions and improvements in education.

[Mortality trends in Switzerland. 3. Tumors: 1921-1978].

Analysis of mortality from malignant tumours in Switzerland over the period 1921-1978 shows a considerable rise in the death rates from lung cancer and from malignant melanoma, and also an increase in death rates from cancers of pancreas, kidney, bladder, prostate, ovary and breast. Mortality from cancer of stomach (in the past the biggest killer of all cancers) has, on the other hand, drastically decreased; a decline is also observed in death rates from cancers of buccal cavity, oesophagus, gallbladder, rectum, larynx, uterus, and thyroid , as well as from malignant neoplasms of bone and skin (other than melanoma). Moreover, leukaemia mortality in children has markedly declined over the past twenty years.

[Are television cameramen and sound operators overstressed?].

Sickness absences occurred between 1975 and 1977 among 29 cameramen and sound operators of the Swiss Television Corporation (in French language) in charge of outside reports have been compared with both those of a control group working in TV studio and with those of the staff of the Federal Administration. No significant difference was found between these three groups as regards absences for illnesses and injuries lasting one to three days and for injuries lasting more than three days. On the other hand, illnesses of more than three days were significantly more frequent among the cameramen and sound operators.

Surprising decline of cardiovascular mortality in Switzerland: 1951-1976.

In Switzerland the age-standardised death rate for 'all diseases of the circulatory system' decreased by 22% in males and by 43% in females between 1951 and 1976, which represented a third and nearly a half respectively of the decrease in all deaths. Mortality was reduced by 13% in males and by 40% in females for non-rheumatic heart disease and hypertension, and by 36% and 47% respectively for cerebrovascular disease. These reductions were on the whole greater than those observed in the 13 other developed countries studied.

[Does room air humidification prevent respiratory diseases in winter? An epidemiologic study on 1321 office workers].

An epidemiological study was carried out from January 15th to March 31st 1976 among 1321 clerical workers of the Administration of the Canton of Geneva. This study was intended to determine whether indoor humidification during winter prevents respiratory infections. The results obtained show that air-conditioning, in spite of an average relative humidity (RH) of 52%, has an unfavourable influence on respiratory infections which are significantly more numerous among people working in air-conditioned offices.

[What is the use of an occupational physician?].

In four occidental countries, an analysis of available statistics shows a decrease of industrial accidents, occupational diseases and tuberculosis during the last decades. However this decrease is correlated neither with the number of occupational physicians, nor with the spread of statutory annual medical examinations. Efficient prevention depends mainly on measures taken by the employers and employees themselves.

Proposed biological threshold limit values for industrial exposure to trichloroethylene vapor.

A model was used for the simulation of the pharmacokinetics of inhaled trichloroethylene (TRI) vapor. Computed data of TRI in alveolar air and of trichloroacetic acid (TCA) and trichloroethanol (TCE) in blood and urine agreed satisfactorily with experimental results obtained by various authors. Biological threshold limit values were calculated for subjects exposed at rest to a steady concentration of 100 ppm of TRI in ambient air, between 0800 and 1200 and between 1300 and 1700, five days week during the whole year.

Experimental human exposures to tetrachloroethylene vapor and elimination in breath after inhalation.

Volunteers were exposed in a controlled environment chamber and concentrations of tetrachloroethylene in alveolar air were determined. Results show a proportional relationship between the level of exposure and the alveolar concentration curve. Accordingly, tetrachloroethylene breath decay curves can be used as a method to monitor time-weighted average exposures.

[Sudden death from ventricular fibrillation after voluntary inhalation of chlorothene in a mechanics apprentice].

In a 20-year-old apprentice mechanic who had deliberately inhaled chlorothene (1,1,1-trichloroethane) an episode of vomiting was followed by ventricular fibrillation with fatal outcome despite intensive care in hospital. Autopsy revealed no anatomical cause of death. This is the first case reported in Switzerland of "sudden sniffing death syndrome".

Control of industrial exposure to tetrachloroethylene by measuring alveolar concentrations: theoretical approach using a mathematical model.

159-167. The uptake, distribution, and elimination of tetrachloroethylene were studied using a mathematical model, and predicted alveolar concentrations were compared with experimental data. Because of its high fat solubility the solvent accumulated in adipose tissue with a predicted biological half-life of 71·5 hours.