[Borderline mental disorders in workers in chemical industry plants]

A total of 550 workers at a chemical plant have been examined for symptoms of borderline neuromental disturbances. The ratio was as follows: 26.8%, normal subjects; 33.7%, predisease state; 10.3%, neurotic reactions; 1.8%, neuroses; 22.7%, neurosis-like states; 4.7%, chronic alcoholism. A normal person presents 2.7 symptoms, a neurotic one, 29.3. The rate of somatic diseases per subject is 1.6 and 3.6 respectively. Depressive and neurotic reactions in the form of neurocirculatory asthenia are quite frequent, being predominant in individuals with a shorter length of service, and are associated with financial and household difficulties and dissatisfaction with the present job.