Pneumoconiosis in pottery workers and its trends in north Staffordshire from the point of view of the Medical Boarding Centre (Respiratory Diseases), Stoke-on-Trent.

Classification of pottery workers' pneumoconiosis and the procedure followed for claims to disablement benefit for this condition have been outlined. Review of the newly diagnosed cases of pneumoconiosis in pottery workers in North Staffordshire as experienced by the Medical Boarding Centre (Respiratory Diseases), Stoke-on-Trent, show that the number of such cases has dropped from the peaks of nearly 300 cases per year in the mid-1950s to about 10 cases per year in the last 12 years. The percentage of people aged 60 and above among the newly diagnosed cases has increased from 35% in the 1960s to about 70% in the 1980s. Only a minority of cases has been diagnosed following exposure under 20 years and most described exposure for over 30 years. As a point of interest, age at death of not strictly comparable groups of pottery workers at different times over the last 100 years has been compared. The longevity, probably not surprisingly, appears to have improved considerably during that period. Although our data do not denote the true incidence of pneumoconiosis in pottery workers in North Staffordshire perhaps it may be concluded that our figures do point to a declining incidence of this condition.