Zur Tuberkulinsensitivität von staubbelasteten Kohlenbergarbeitern und von niemals staubexponierten Bevölkerunqsqruppen des Ruhrgebiets

Summary Epidemiological studies were made of nearly 12,000 persons composing comparable groups of miners exposed to dust and never exposed to dust, all from the same Ruhr area. It was demonstrated that the frequency of tuberculin sensitivity in coal miners exposed to dust from the beginning of employment at an early age rises more quickly than in the groups compared. The cause of this frequent and generally very intensive tuberculin sensitivity is supposed to be the simultaneous tuberculosis infection and dust exposure. The high morbidity rate of tuberculosis in miners is correlated to the high and frequent positive sensitivity to tuberculosis. Some prophylactic methods in the fight against tuberculosis in miners are discussed.