The correlation of prolonged (> 7 days) respiratory disease incidence in women working in electronics plants was studied with various pollutant indices. A three-year study of plants in 7 cities was conducted. Mean incidence was significantly correlated with suspended particulate sulfate (r = 0.964, 5 cities). No similar trend was found for benzene-soluble organic matter (OM), acetone-soluble OM, nitrates, Cu, Ti, Bi, Cd, Fe, Pb, Sn, Cl, or Zn. Similar trends for Ni and V, however, were noted. Various factors (e.g., age, socio-economic class, children, weather) were not thought to affect this conclusion. Pollution may prolong illness due to viral disease.
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F. Curtis Dohan (1961) studied this question.