142. COMPARATIVE PATHOLOGY OF THE PNEUMOCONIOSES 



The term pneumoconiosis is used in a generic sense to include the deposition of any insoluble exogenous particles 

 in lung tissue, regardless of the presence or absence of sequellae. There are many more pneumoconioses than the 

 ones here listed, including those considered benign or asymptomatic [ I], and those manifestly of a mixed variety 

 in which silica is the more significant component. It must be strongly emphasized that the tabulation here 

 presented should be considered to apply to the respective pneumoconioses only when they are of moderate severity. 

 It is obvious that the amount of anatomic, physiologic, and immunologic alteration depends largely upon whether the 

 involvement by the particular pneumoconiosis is mild, moderate, or severe. Any other application of this tabulation 

 would be misleading and result in confusion. 



in Only in cases of progressive massive fibrosis. /2/ Except in the presence of diffuse alveolar fibrosis. /3/ The 

 propriety of classifying the increased incidence of pulmonary cancer under the heading of immunologic effect is 

 debatable; it is done here for the sake of convenience and simplicity. /4/ Total number of cases reported is too 

 small. 



Contributor: Gross, P. 



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