ABSTRACT
The treated surface that is in most contact with skin is fabric. Consider clothes worn day and night, sheets and blankets, and fabric in rugs and upholstery. The fabric environment may have been assumed safe in the following exposure problems. Brown (1) and Armstrong et al. (2) reported separate cases of phenolic disinfectants in hospital laundry causing death of infants and sickening in others. Toxic compounds in clothing such as diapers were spread over a large surface area on a skin site with potential absorption. Both parameters (large surface area and application to the urorectal area) enhance absorption (3). If the diaper was covered with rubber pants or more clothing, this could enhance absorption. Dermatitis is reported for chemical finish in textiles (possible pesticides in raw cotton, chemicals in the manufacturing process, chemicals added for correct color and sheen). These must involve chemical transfer from fabric to skin. The clothing of field workers is filled with pesticides from spraying, the work of Snodgrass (4) suggesting that it may not launder out, but remain bioavailable. The pesticide ‘‘bomb’’ in the house settles on rugs, fabric chairs, etc., and the baby crawls over it. Finally, it should be noted that insecticide sprayed into the uniforms of Desert Storm personnel might have transferred from the fabric into and through the soldiers’ skin. Both soldiers and civilians have the added threat of sprayed chemical warfare agents, which will settle on uniforms or clothing then diffuse to the skin and eventually into the body.
