title: Damaged goods: return to sender. A review of the historical medical records of repatriated Chinese miners.
abstract: After the Anglo-Boer (South African) War (1899-1902), there was a shortage of unskilled labor on the South African gold mines. Chinese men were imported to make up for the deficit. This article reviews the records of indentured Chinese mine workers examined for repatriation in 1905. The records tell of high proportions of social disorders, respiratory diseases, musculoskeletal disorders, opium addiction, and injury. These reflect the social and physical conditions to which these men were exposed in the mines.
authors.affiliation: National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg.
authors.forename: Ntombizodwa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ndlovu
authors.forename: Jill
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Seopela
mesh_terms: D044466:Asian People / Q000193:education / Q000208:ethnology / Q000266:history / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology; D002681:China / Q000208:ethnology; D004651:Employment / Q000191:economics / Q000266:history; D006046:Gold / Q000191:economics / Q000266:history; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D008499:Medical Records / Q000191:economics; D008906:Mining / Q000191:economics / Q000193:education / Q000266:history; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000208:ethnology / Q000266:history; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000208:ethnology / Q000266:history; D009892:Opium / Q000266:history; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000208:ethnology / Q000266:history; D012920:Social Behavior Disorders / Q000208:ethnology / Q000266:history; D013019:South Africa / Q000208:ethnology; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000208:ethnology / Q000266:history
chemical_list: D006046:Gold; D009892:Opium