Myelopathy among zinc-smelter workers in Upper Silesia during the late 19th century. Neurology 2014 Apr 01;82(13):1175-9
Date
04/02/2014Pubmed ID
24688096DOI
10.1212/WNL.0000000000000270Scopus ID
2-s2.0-84898736092 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 13 CitationsAbstract
Zinc-induced myeloneuropathy was recently (re)discovered and its pathophysiology elaborated as resulting from secondary copper deficiency. However, myelopathy was a recognized problem among European zinc-smelter workers in the late 19th century, although these early reports have been overlooked in recent studies and reports. The purpose of this article is to translate and review German-language reports of myelopathy among zinc-smelter workers in Upper Silesia (now southern Poland) by Schlockow from the 1870s. Disease manifestations among zinc-smelter workers developed after sustained zinc exposure over many years. The earliest symptoms were sensory and included paresthesias, dysesthesias, allodynia, and formication in the lower extremities, particularly the feet. Workers ultimately developed a clinical picture resembling subacute combined degeneration of the spinal cord with a spastic-ataxic gait with prominent proprioceptive impairment, sensory disequilibrium, and rombergism.
Author List
Lanska DJ, Remler BAuthor
Bernd F. Remler MD Professor in the Neurology department at Medical College of WisconsinMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
Chemical IndustryHistory, 19th Century
Humans
Occupational Exposure
Poland
Spinal Cord Diseases
Zinc
