[The effects of a novel local ventilation system to reduce the health hazard to students during gross anatomy courses].
Formaldehyde or formalin is indispensable not only as a preservative but also as a disinfectant of cadavers for gross anatomy. It has recently attracted a great deal of attention as a health hazard for students and lecturers. To reduce the concentration of formaldehyde gas (FAG), we improved a novel local ventilation system of the push-pull type. This is the first report dealing with the effects of this ventilation system on the health of students before (over 1 ppm) and after (0.1 ppm) the installation. The percentages of students with lacrymal symptoms or airway irritation were reduced to a third of what they were before the installation. In particular, the number of those with continuously strong symptoms was reduced to a sixth of the pre-installation levels. This local ventilation system draws in fresh air from outside, and directs it to the breathing zone of the students, effectively reducing their symptoms.
Matsuda
Seiji
S
Department of Anatomy, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Toon, Ehime 791-0295, Japan.
Hasegawa
Masanori
M
Muro
Hiroaki
H
Asano
Hiroshi
H
Hamada
Fumihiko
F
Shimokawa
Tetsuya
T
Miyawaki
Kyojy
K
Nabeka
Hiroaki
H
Wakisaka
Hiroyuki
H
Hamai
Meiko
M
Kobayashi
Naoto
N
D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D000715:Anatomy / Q000193:education*; D005557:Formaldehyde / Q000032:analysis* / Q000506:poisoning; D006801:Humans; D013337:Students, Medical; D014691:Ventilation / Q000379:methods*
D000393:Air Pollutants; D005557:Formaldehyde