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Our doctor doesn't know metal fume poisoning

I am looking for a doctor in Tennessee who knows something about metal fume poisoning. I have a friend who welded a galvanized pipe and became ill with vomiting, dizziness, weakness, and difficulty breathing. This has continued off and on for months now and the primary care physician has treated with inhalers, steroids, and said it led to asthma and slight emphysema. We need to find a doctor who knows about this.

Joyce Miller
Construction - Dover, Tennessee, USA !
2003

2003

Most authorities believe metal fume fever to be a very short term ailment which has no lingering after effects. I wouldn't claim that myself as it would seem that anything that makes you feel that bad can't be good for you in the long term.

See if your local poison control center can refer you to a doctor. There are occupational health doctors to whom metal fume fever would not be new and strange as perhaps it might be to a G.P. You might also see about having your friend visit a teaching hospital.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey

One of the (few) things I remember from a welding course of long ago was: Do not weld galvanize. To quote from the textbook, the fumes "are not compatible with life ... destroy lung tissue on contact." In light of the above, the "asthma and slight emphysema" sound like he got off easy!

Tom Gallant
- Long Beach, California, USA
2003

Not necessarily calling you wrong, Tom, but can you attribute that book as it contradicts widely disseminated info on metal fume fever from experts (www.aws.org/technical/facts/FACT-25.PDF). Zinc is an essential nutrient, not a toxin (which is not to say an overdose isn't bad for you)

However, if Joyce's friend was welding cadmium plated materials, the problem could be cadmium pneumonitis (www.chestjournal.org/cgi/content/abstract/86/5/789), which is a much more serious problem that is sometimes originally misdiagnosed as metal fume fever.

My feeling is that inhaling any welding fumes (or anything other than pure air) is bad for you and you should be equipped in such a way that you don't inhale anything.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey

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