Mortality records

The U.S. study included mortality records from twelve chemical plants. In only two of those twelve plants was there any information about smoking, and in those two plants the smoking information was collected in the 1980s. To me, it is simply unimaginable that in a study that ended up focused on respiratory cancers so little information was obtained about smoking, which is associated with some 90 percent of respiratory cancer. In particular, there is no information about the smoking rates in men who died before the 1980s, who are, after all, the source of much of the data in a mortality study. 

Although a large number of American military personnel were exposed to sulfur mustard in chamber and field tests conducted during World War II, the morbidity and mortality records of this cohort have not been adequately evaluated to document long-term health risks (Institute of Medicine, 1993). 

This report was significant in that it was the first epidemiological investigation of a military population with documented exposure to chemical agents or stimulants. The survey was conducted, however, 30 years after the exposure and with the exception of mortality records was limited to self-reported measures of health. 

Analyses of mortality records in rural areas as pesticides were introduced during the green revolution (1960s and 70s) showed that there wavS a significant increase in mortality due to toxicosis and unexplained death during this time amongst men (who did most of the spraying) in comparison with women. 

Polymers (mg/kg) administered intravenously. Mortality recorded after 24 hours. Polymers administered in a dose of 25 mg/kg intravenously. Organ weights determin- ed 7 days after drug injection and expressed as percent of total animal weight. Mg/kg of typhosa 0904 lipopolysaccharide administered 24 hours after a single dose of 24 mg/kg of polymer. 

LD q determined by administering the polymer in mg/kg intraveneously and the mortality recorded 24 hours later. 

Mosquito Larval toxicity Ten second-instar larvae of Aedes aegyptii were placed in wells containing an aqueous solution of plant extract (100 pg/ml) in two replicates, and their mortality recorded after 24H (27 C, 16 8 L/D). Controls received solvent only (100 pi, acetone or methanol). 

Mortality records are collected worldwide and enjoy a uniformity of classification, based on the International Classification of Diseases (ICD), as to cause of death. However, coding abilities vary among health professionals and personnel from clinical records, so that not all patient groups are coded similarly. Furthermore, coding is often linked to a disease state and not specifically to the underlying diagnosis of CRF. Notwithstanding the above, mortality information does reflect health indicators and can be used to monitor and contrast specific diseases. 

On Thursday, December 4, 1952, a slow-moving anticyclone came to a halt over the city of London (10). Fog developed over the city, and particulate and sulfur pollution began accumulating in the stagnating air mass. Smoke and sulfur dioxide concentrations built up over the following 3 days. On Monday, the polluted fog began to ease, and by Tuesday conditions were back to normal. Mortality records showed that deaths increased in a pattern very similar to that of the pollution measurements (Fig. 1). It was estimated that 4000 extra deaths were attributable to this pollution episode (11). 

An increased incidence of renal tumors (7 out of 25 combined adenomas and carcinomas) was observed in male Swiss mice fed 0.1% basic lead acetate in the diet for 2 years (Van Esch and Kroes 1969). No renal tumors were found in the control animals. One female in the 1.0% treatment group had a renal tumor. The authors attributed the low tumor incidence in the 1.0% group to early mortality. The cancer effects levels described above are recorded in Table 2-4 and plotted in Figure 2-2. 

Blus, L.J., O.H. Pattee, C.J. Henny, and R.M. Prouty. 1983. First records of chlordane-related mortality in wild birds. Jour. Wildl. Manage. 47 196-198. 

Toxaphene is extremely toxic to freshwater and marine biota. In laboratory tests of 96-h duration, 50% mortality was recorded for the most sensitive species of freshwater and marine teleosts, marine crustaceans, and freshwater insects at nominal water concentrations of less than 10 pg/L of toxaphene, and, in several cases, less than 1 pg/L (Table 27.2). Bioassays of longer duration, based on exposure of aquatic organisms for the entire or most of the life cycle, produced significant adverse effects on growth, survival, and reproduction at toxaphene concentrations between 0.025 and 1.0 pg/L (Table 27.3). Toxaphene was most toxic to freshwater fishes in soft water at elevated temperatures (Saleh 1991). Based on its high toxicity and extensive use, it is not surprising that toxaphene was considered a major cause of nationwide fish kills in 1977 (USEPA 1980b). 

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