Although most women delivered at home, those who had to seek hospitalization because of poverty, illegitimacy, or obstetrical complications faced mortality rates ranging as high as 25–30 percent. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. This is not an allergic reaction, though allergic reactions to metal fumes can occur. Welders are commonly exposed to the substances that cause metal fume fever from the base metal, plating, or filler. In the late 1840s German-Hungarian physician Ignaz Semmelweis, who was then working in an obstetric clinic in Vienna, discovered the infectious nature of puerperal fever and developed an antisepsis technique to prevent the condition. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). A common cause of death during childbirth before the widespread use of modern sanitary practices and antibiotics, puerperal infections occur when bacteria, usually, …involved in the problem of puerperal infection, the scourge of maternity hospitals throughout Europe. [10], Diagnosis is primarily anecdotal, that is, it depends upon a good occupational history. Updates?
"[14], Prevention of metal fume fever in workers who are at risk (such as welders) involves avoidance of direct contact with potentially toxic fumes, improved engineering controls (exhaust ventilation systems), personal protective equipment (respirators), and education of workers regarding the features of the syndrome itself and proactive measures to prevent its development.
Organisms commonly producing this infection are Streptococcus pyogenes; staphylococci (inhabitants of the skin and of pimples, carbuncles, and many other pustular eruptions); the anaerobic streptococci, which flourish in devitalized tissues such as may be present after long and injurious labour and unskilled instrumental delivery; Escherichia coli and Clostridium welchii (inhabitants of the lower bowel); and, rarely and fatally, the bacillus of tetanus.
Diagnosis of metal fume fever can be easily missed because the complaints are non-specific, resemble a number of other common illnesses, and presentation occurs typically 2–10 hours after the exposure. The signs and symptoms are generally flu-like. Puerperal infection is most commonly of the raw surface of the interior of the uterus after separation of the placenta (afterbirth), but pathogenic organisms may also affect lacerations of any part of the genital tract. By whatever portal, they can invade the bloodstream and lymph system to cause septicemia (blood poisoning), cellulitis (inflammation of cellular tissue), and pelvic or generalized peritonitis (inflammation of the abdominal lining).
"Metal fume fever: A case report and review of the literature", "Prevalence and association of welding related systemic and respiratory symptoms in welders", "Welding, Cutting, Brazing | Environmental Health & Safety - The University of Alabama", "Cadmium and you - working with Cadmium - are you at risk? This organism is also the cause of scarlet fever, which over the same period also declined markedly in severity and incidence.
2. The effects of particularly toxic compounds, such as nickel carbonyl, are not considered merely metal fume fever.
Cadmium is often replaced by other metals.
Zinc or nickel plating can be used instead of cadmium plating, and brazing filler alloys now rarely contain cadmium. Season's Greetings to Our Friends and Family!!! Cain and Fletcher (2010) report a case of metal fume fever that was diagnosed only by taking a full occupational history and by close collaboration between primary and secondary health care personnel. [13], Treatment of mild metal fume fever consists of bedrest, keeping the patient well hydrated, and symptomatic therapy (e.g. In the case of non-allergic acute lung injury, standard or recommended approaches to treatment have not been defined. [citation needed], In 2018, there were 259 cases of metal fume fever reported to the United States Poison Control Center. His efforts led to a substantial reduction in the incidence of puerperal fever, and by the second half of the 20th century the infection was very rare in developed countries. Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Barrel_Fever&oldid=981258129, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Glen's Homophobia Newsletter Vol. Metal fume fever, also known as brass founders' ague, brass shakes, zinc shakes, galvie flu, metal dust fever, Welding Shivers, or Monday morning fever, is an illness primarily caused by exposure to … A sweet or metallic taste in the mouth may also be reported, along with a dry or irritated throat which may lead to hoarseness. Flu-like symptoms normally disappear within 24 to 48 hours. Barrel Fever and Other Stories is a 1994 collection of short stories and essays by David Sedaris.
NiCd rechargeable batteries are being replaced by NiMH.
[10], An interesting feature of metal fume fever involves rapid adaptation to the development of the syndrome following repeated metal oxide exposure. Chest X-ray abnormalities may also be present. The most famous of the essays is "SantaLand Diaries", the essay that made Sedaris famous when he read it on National Public Radio in 1992.
3, No. The essay tells of his experiences working as an elf at Macy's. This phenomenon of tolerance is what led to the name "Monday Fever".
Omissions? This tolerance, however, is transient, and only persists through the work week. [citation needed].
Exposure has also been reported in use of lead-free ammunition, by the harder steel core stripping metal from the jacket of the bullet and barrel of the rifle. Other common sources are fuming silver, gold, platinum,[3] chromium[4] (from stainless steel), nickel, arsenic, manganese, beryllium, cadmium, cobalt, lead, selenium, and zinc.[5].