The health investigation of cotton textile workers in Beijing

This study reports findings from a survey of byssinosis among 289 cotton workers in certain cotton textile mills in Beijing. Incidence of byssinosis was 4.2% (12 cases). It decreased with a lower concentration of cotton dust and increased with yearly increment of cotton dust exposure. An elevation in body temperature over 37 degrees C was present among 14.2% of the workers on the first working day after rest. Acute lung function decrement was related to high dust concentration in the rooms. The higher the dust concentration in the rooms, the more evident was the chronic lung function decrement. Chronic bronchitis in cotton workers was higher than in controls. Incidence of byssinosis in smoking cotton workers was higher than in nonsmoking cotton workers.