[Causes of disability related to occupational exposure to carbon disulfide]

The health condition of 615 disabled persons--in result of occupational CS2 poisoning--has been checked. The diseases yielding grounds for qualification into one of disability groups have been established. In all the disabled people one of the nervous system diseases was diagnosed, which gave grounds for disability certification. Most frequently diagnosed was encephalopathy, less frequently--pseudoneurotic syndrome, polyneuropathy and psychoorganic syndrome. In 75% of disabled persons at least one of the circulatory system diseases was diagnosed, the intensity of which affected also the psycho-physical status of those examined. Among the circulation organ diseases, clinical syndromes of arteriosclerosis were diagnosed, such as heart ischaemia and vascular diseases of the brain. At present, occupational CS2 poisoning is diagnosed when irreversible changes in the nervous system are found, accompanied by advanced changes in the circulatory system, thus--when the workers' health condition calls for disability qualification. It seems advisable to establish such diagnostic criteria for CS2 poisoning that a worker unable to work in exposure to neurotoxic substances (preventive elimination) can get compensation for health detriment when he can still work at other workplaces so that there is no need for disability qualification.