Boils and Infected Hands: an Epidemiological Investigation

Abstract

Factory surgery records and "particulars . . . supplied by the safety engineers" from 3 factories were analyzed for data relating to the incidence of sepsis of the hands, and of boils, carbuncles, and styes. Included as instances of septic hands were lesions recorded as " '' whitlow,'' ''septic'' or ''infected'' finger or hand, and ''inflamed cut. '' " The number of cases of septic hands reported in the three factories varied from 93 to 234 per 1000 workers; the percentage of these cases that resulted in lost time varied from 5.4 to 9.2. Records were available for one of the 3 factories from April, 1943, and showed a definite rise in the incidence both of septic hands and of boils, from 37.6 and 28.2 to 48.6 and 68.8 per million man-hrs., respectively. After adjustment to allow for this secular trend, the rates for the different quarters of the yr. were clearly highest in the Oct.-Dec. quarter. This seasonal variation seemed to be common to different years and different areas, and to both types of sepsis.