Resource Tag: OCCUPATIONS. CHEMISTS

This retrospective cohort study examines mortality & cancer incidence among 3686 men & women employed as chemists in 1959. Among female chemists, deaths due to all causes & suicide occured more frequently than expected. Possible explanations for these unexpected findings are presented. (31 refs)

Studies of female ACS members from 1925 to 1979 have found 5 times the expected rate of suicide. Walrath, Li, & Mead of the National Cancer Institute report findings from separate studies. The most common method used was cyanide poisoning (39%).; only 6.4% of females in the general population used this method. Mortality rates from […]

A mortality odds ratio analysis of cause of death among 347 white female members of the American Chemical Society revealed a 5-fold excess of suicide, notably by cyanide poisoning. Risk was also elevated for all cancers combined & for cancers of the breast, ovary, stomach, pancreas, & lymphatic & hematopoietic system. The excess breast & […]

A survey of 3647 death certificates for members of the American Chemical Society revealed the relative frequency of suicide (11%) among 115 women to be much higher than expected. No excess occurred among men, suggesting that stresses underlying suicide may be unusual among women in this profession. Chemists who died by suicide often ingested cyanide, […]