Antall József szerk.: Orvostörténeti közlemények 66-68. (Budapest, 1973)

TANULMÁNYOK - Bugyi Balázs: Az iparegészségügy kezdetei Magyarországon (1928-ig) (angol nyelven)

Gergely Patrubány, concentrated on problems due to the process of urbanization, such as water supply, sewerage, sanitary conditions of housing and settlement building; but a group of earnestly concerned men, devoted to the study of public health, could not help noticing the spread of grave injuries among the industrial workers, stemming from wretched social conditions and even aggravated by a range of occupational diseases. Prof. József Fodor of the Public Health Institute at the Budapest University Faculty for Medical Science, commissioned Aladár Rózsahegyi at that time with the task to conduct serial investigations in Budapest factories and industrial plants for their public health conditions. These tests, while their outcome was published in a few cases of general interest in the Orvosi Hetilap (Medical Weekly) but was suppressed for the majority because of obvious reasons, did not remain without influence upon the appraisal and improvement of Hungary's industrial health conditions.

1 ;< Rózsahegyi, with the help of a device he had constructed under the guidance of Fodor, tested the lead level in the atmosphere of a few Budapest printing shops. From spaces between the type cases he separated 8,962 cu. metres of air (corresponding under normal conditions to the reduced quantity of 8,748 cu. metres) and let it pass through the test apparatus, thus finding the traceable lead percentage of the atmosphere to have been He furthermore found the dust in the type-case to contain 5.77% of lead and 18.58% of antimony; the type-metal itself 79.54% of lead and 20.46% of antimony; while samples from both places only contained traces of arsenic. Rózsahegyi's findings revealed essential differences between the single printing shops in work conditions and in peril of health impairment. In shop B the frequency and severity of lead poisonings most likely explained themselves with the high percentage of lead dust in the atmosphere of the typesetters' room; in shop A more efficient wairing facilities secured better labour conditions; but ventilation, according to Rózsahegyi's checkings, were even in the latter premises not up to the required level as the drop of lead pollution overnight from 1.998 to 1.743%

0 still left enough poisoning matter in the atmosphere to not exclude the occurrence of damage at work begin in the morning. Ventilation in the printing shop was unsatisfactory, as born out by the relatively high C0

2 concentration of the atmosphere, and ought to have been improved in order to reduce the lead percentage. Rózsahegyi was trying systematically to elaborate and carry into effect in Budapest the scientific fundaments of what his investigations had taught him : 13 Rózsahegyi Aladár. (Nekrológ. Necrology.) In: Orvosi Hetilap, 1896, 58 p.; Hőgyes E. : Emlékkönyv a Budapesti kir. magyar Tudomány Egyetem Orvosi Karának múltjáról és jelenéről. (Memorial Volume on the Past and Present of the Medical Faculty of the Hungarian Royal University of Science in Budapest.) Budapest 1896. at work begin at knock-off 1.998%

0 in shop A in shop B