Autopsy Studies of Coalminers' Lungs

摘要

This report is based on the examination of lungs from 500 coalminers who had worked in 25 collieries that were involved in the British National Coal Board's Pneumoconiosis Field Research Study. These collieries were chosen from all the mining areas in the United Kingdom. Pathological findings were compared with the lung dust content at death as well as lifetime estimates of dust exposure. In addition chest radiographs taken shortly before death, where these were available, were compared to the types of pathology found at autopsy as well as to the lung dust content. The main conclusions from each group of studies are presented.