CONNECTIVE-TISSUE DISEASE DUE TO INTENTIONAL INHALATION OF SCOURING POWDER

There have been reports in the literature of acute and chronic silicos is and connective tissue disease induced by occupational exposure to s ilica in factories producing scouring powder, Reports of connective ti ssue diseases induced by intentional inhalation of such a powder are r are and perhaps underestimated. We report the case of a young woman wh o developed Sharp's syndrome 5 yrs after diagnosis of acute silicosis due to scouring powder inhalation. The frequency of diseases from scou ring powder as wed as physiopathological and therapeutical issues of t he associatition of pneumoconiosis and connective tissue disease are d iscussed.