Darkroom Disease Essay

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Due to the constant symptoms from Radiograph Technologist, multiple studies have been performed to correlate these lifelong issues with the chemicals they use daily. A long list of harmful chemicals is used daily in order to process x-ray film. Harmful tools mixed with the lack of ventilation and precaution has turned into a variety of side effects including (bad taste in their mouth, nausea, skin issues, headaches and nose bleeds). Although processing of film is nearly gone away with and moved on to digital, one has to wonder what lifelong damage has been caused due to the years of exposure. Darkroom Disease People who work around chemicals suffer more than 190,000 illnesses and 50,000 deaths …show more content…

Numerous studies have been performed to try and relate common symptoms that radiography technologists are experiencing with the chemicals they work around daily. What was originally grouped together with multiple chemical sensitively, was finally given its own name (Darkroom Disease) in 1980. Discovery Darkroom Disease is a very complex disease mostly due to the wide range of symptoms and mistaken diagnosis. What comes off as cold or allergic reaction is a lifelong intolerance to certain harsh chemicals. Some common symptoms include metal taste in the mouth, sore throat, nose bleeds, skin rash , nausea and serious headaches (Al Zabadi, Hamzeh; Nazzal, Yaser.(2014)). Another level of difficulty in discovery is not all radiographers experiences every symptom. Thanks to a Technologist named Marjorie Gordon, who would eventually have her disease diagnosed and named. Due to exposes to the chemicals, multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) was discovered in 1952 when certain patients had reactions to chemicals. According to “The journal of environmental protection and ecology” roughly 5% of the USA population has permanent MCS symptoms and skin damage. This means that whenever the person smells or is engaged in

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