Mule spinner's disease is scrotal cancer that occurred in cotton textile workers due to long-term exposure to mineral oils while operating a "mule" spinning machine.
Here's a breakdown:
- Cause: Prolonged skin contact with mineral oils used in the cotton textile industry, specifically while working on mule spinning machines.
- Effect: Development of squamous cell carcinoma (scrotal cancer).
- Occupation Risk: Predominantly affected cotton textile workers operating mule spinning machines.
- Historical Context: This disease is associated with the industrial era, when machinery used lubricating mineral oils, and workers had frequent skin contact. For example, a 66-year-old cotton textile worker with a history of frequent scrotal contact with mineral oils developed multiple squamous cell carcinomas.
