Pulmonary Function in Workers with Chronic Exposure to Cadmium Oxide Fumes

Detailed pulmonary function studies were carried out on 11 workers of middle age, who had been exposed for 7 to 11 years to moderate concentrations of cadmium oxide. Minor abnormalities of lung volumes, intrapulmonary mixing and lung compliance were found in a few cases; no airway obstruction was present. The lung diffusing capacity and the blood gases were normal. The chest roentgenogram showed a normal vascular pattern at the periphery of the lung. It is concluded that emphysema was absent in the group studied.