[Problems of work hygiene in the manufacture of penicillin and streptomycin]

During the production of penicillin and streptomycin, substantially high concentrations of butyl alcohol and butylacetate are measured in the working environment atmosphere. The penicillin and streptomycin dust appears to be the chief unfavourable factor of the workplace in the drying, sorting and packing processes of the antibiotics. An unfavourable microclimate is observed only in the fermentation sections-- in the extraction and chemical purification, and particularly, in the drying process of the two antibiotics. The specific features of the working activities performed by vial examiners and sorters constitute factors predisposing to visual analysor strain. The latter might be also explained by changes taking place in the working ability and steadiness of attention in the course of the working shift.