Lessons from an isocyanate tragedy

This paper highlights the features of prevention of isocyanate-induced occupational asthma from various angles: the employer, the employee, as well as the occupational physician entrusted with the care of such occupationally-exposed group of workers. The difficulties posed by the variability of the presentation, not least because of the relatively long latency, as well as the sensitising nature of the hazard, are discussed.     

Areawide chemical contamination. Lessons from case histories

Nine case histories illustrate the mounting problems owing to chemical contamination that often extends beyond the workplace into the community. The effects include not only carcinogenesis and teratogenesis, so much in the public's mind, but also severe neurological and gonadal disabilities immediately after exposure. Recognition of causal relationships is often made by astute clinicians. The experience of the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission in studying Japanese survivors in Hiroshima and Nagasaki serves as a model for future studies of communities exposed to unusual environmental contamination.     

Lessons from Chernobyl

The Chernobyl disaster on April 26th, 1986, led to the emission of radioactive substances such as iodine-131 and radioactive cesium. As the Soviet Union did not control food distribution and intake, residents were exposed to high levels of internal radiation, leading to the internal radiation exposure of the thyroid gland by iodine-131. As a result, the number of people who had thyroid cancer increased drastically among those who had been under 15 years old at the time of the accident. The age predilection is about to move to 25 or older. However, there has been no scientific evidence of impacts for solid tumor other than thyroid cancer, leukemia, benign diseases, or inheritance including unborn babies. On the other hand, the accident was thought to have caused social unrest and mental damage which had far more impact than that caused by radiation exposure. In this paper, we would like to summarize the impacts on the health of the people in Chernobyl compared to those caused by the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.