Mortality among miners receiving workmen's compensation for silicosis in Ontario: 1940-1975.

We investigated mortality among 1,190 Ontario miners who received Workmen's Compensation awards for silicosis from 1940 through 1975. In comparison with the general population of Ontario these men had elevated all-cause mortality rates, with deaths attributed to nonmalignant respiratory diseases and tuberculosis being primarily responsible. The group of miners receiving their compensation awards between 1940 and 1959 has experienced more than twice as many lung cancer deaths as expected while men receiving compensation awards after 1959 have had lung cancer rates similar to the general population. It is concluded that silicosis is not a benign disease and that efforts must be continued to prevent its occurrence.