'Pneumoconiosis' is an
occupational lung disease caused by the
inhalation of dust. Depending on the type of dust, variants of the disease are considered.
Types include:
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Coalworker's pneumoconiosis (also known as "black lung") -
coal dust
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Asbestosis -
asbestos
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Silicosis (also known as "grinhelloders' disease") -
silica
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Bauxite fibrosis -
bauxite
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Berylliosis -
beryllium
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Siderosis -
iron
Pneumoconiosis in combination with multiple pulmonary
rheumatoid nodules in
rheumatoid arthritis patients is known as
Caplan's syndrome.
[1]
See also
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Chalicosis
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Philip D'Arcy Hart
Popular culture references
★ A longer, factitious term is
pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis.
★ In the classic British film ''
Brief Encounter'' (1945), derived from a
Noel Coward play, housewife Laura (
Celia Johnson) and physician Alec (
Trevor Howard) begin an affair. She is desperately mesmerized in a train station lounge by his evocation of his passion for pneumoconioses:
:'Laura': “You were saying about the coal mines…”
:'Alec': “Oh yes, the inhalation of coal dust…That’s one specific form of the disease. It’s called
anthracosis.”
:'Laura' [Tenderly]: “What are the others?”
:'Alec': “
Chalicosis. That comes from metal dust.
Steel works, you know…”
:'Laura' [Breathlessly]: “Yes, of course… Steel works…”
:'Alec': “And
silicosis… That’s stone dust… Gold mines…”
:'Laura' [Almost swooning]: “I see…”
:''Bell rings''
:'Laura': “There’s your train.”
:'Alec': “Yes.”
:'Laura': “You mustn’t miss it.”
:'Alec': “No.”
References
1. Andreoli, Thomas, ed. CECIL Essentials of Medicine. Saunders: Pennsylvania, 2004. p. 737.
External links
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NIOSH Safety and Health Topic: Pneumoconioses
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[1]
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[2]