[Fwd: [TheForge] Forging of Chrome plated steel]

[Mike Sweany]

 When I was suffering from the effects of the weld fume fever or what ever you want to call it, and yes I had those syptoms. I was sent by my MD to a specialist that gave me a colonoscopy, cat scan,  etc. The results of all these tests were inconclusive. Yet I continued to worsen. Oh yes heavy metal test too, but chrome is not heavy metal. Yes ,blood work too. SO. How do you test for this?  I finally went to a lady that looks in your eye (I forget the name of the practise)  She put me on vitamins and supplements, told me to quit welding and probably saved my life.      
  Phlip <phlip@99main.com> wrote: OK, guys, this is Randy's response. Randy is an MD in internal medicine in
NYC, and is also a teacher at one of the Med Schools there. He knows his
stuff ;-)

Phlip

Randy Goldberg MD wrote:

> I don't have the resources to identify specific products of the forging
> process. I can tell you that:
>
> Chromic oxide (CrO) is relatively insoluable and can be disregarded.
> Chromium trioxide (CrO3), however, is very soluable, can easily be
> absorbed through the lungs, and is very very very toxic. From
> Ellenhorn's _Medical Toxicology_: "Ingestion of hexavalent compounds
> (including chromium trioxide) usually leads to abdominal pains,
> vomiting, diarrhea, and intestinal bleeding. Death may ensue during the
> initial circulatory collapse. If the patient survives the initial phase,
> some renal tubular damage may occur. Hepatic failure, severe
> coagulopathy, or intravascular hemolysis have been observed." I would
> expect both CrO and CrO3 to be liberated during the forging of metals
> containing chromium.
>
> On zinc: Again from Ellenhorn: "Inhalation of zinc oxide is the most
> common cause of metal fume fever. This syndrome resembles a flulike
> illness. Onset occurs in 4 to 6 hours, generally on the evening after
> exposure to fumes. Fatigue, chills, fever, myalgias, cough, dyspnea,
> leukocytosis, thirst, metallic taste, and salivation characterize this
> self-limited illness, with resolution of symptoms appearing in 36 hours.
> The chest x-ray usually is clear. Tolerance develops in workers, but may
> be lost over the weekend (``Monday Morning Fever''). Metal fume fever
> can also follow exposure to fumes of copper, magnesium, aluminum,
> antimony, iron, manganese, and nickel in welding, galvanizing, or
> smelting operations." Again, I would expect zinc oxide to be liberated
> during the forging of zinc-containing metals.
>
> I would not recommend playing with either of these without (a) a
> breathing mask, preferably one with an independant air supply and (b) an
> EXCELLENT ventilation system.
>
> Cheers,
> Randy

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