PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - A. Bouhuys AU - F. Hartogensis AU - H. J. H. Korfage TI - Byssinosis Prevalence and Flax Processing AID - 10.1136/oem.20.4.320 DP - 1963 Oct 01 TA - British Journal of Industrial Medicine PG - 320--323 VI - 20 IP - 4 4099 - http://oem.bmj.com/content/20/4/320.short 4100 - http://oem.bmj.com/content/20/4/320.full SO - Br J Ind Med1963 Oct 01; 20 AB - Previous evidence suggested that byssinosis in flax workers is caused by the inhalation of dust of biologically retted flax. In the present study no cases of byssinosis were found among workers in a flax plant which produces yarn by chemical degumming instead of biological retting. The absence of byssinosis in this plant could not be attributed to differences in the quantities of dust developed as compared with the conventional retting procedure. These findings support the view that the agent in flax dust which causes symptoms of byssinosis originates during biological retting of flax and is absent from unretted flax. Chemical degumming of flax appears to be superior to biological retting procedures with respect to the health of the workers.