On Tue, 31 Jan 2012 02:08:22 -0500, Ed Huntress
wrote:

On Mon, 30 Jan 2012 23:00:55 -0800 (PST), ignator
wrote:

On Jan 30, 12:38*am, Ed Huntress wrote:
On Mon, 30 Jan 2012 01:14:22 -0500, "Existential Angst"
[...]

Ed the OSHA web site calls it metal fume fever.
http://www.osha.gov/doc/outreachtrai.../weldhlth.html
And their description follows;
Zinc is used in large quantities in the manufacture of brass,
galvanized metals, and various other alloys. Inhalation of zinc oxide
fumes can occur when welding or cutting on zinc-coated metals.
Exposure to these fumes is known to cause metal fume fever. Symptoms
of metal fume fever are very similar to those of common influenza.
They include fever (rarely exceeding 102o F), chills, nausea, dryness
of the throat, cough, fatigue, and general weakness and aching of the
head and body. The victim may sweat profusely for a few hours, after
which the body temperature begins to return to normal. The symptoms of
metal fume fever have rarely, if ever, lasted beyond 24 hours. The
subject can then appear to be more susceptible to the onset of this
condition on Mondays or on weekdays following a holiday than they are
on other days.

I find it interesting they made comment to it's effects relative to
Mondays or holidays. Someone in OSHA has a sense of humor.
ignator

Ha-ha! Yes, that's funny.

The description sounds familiar. Fortunately for me, I didn't get a
bad dose of it. I didn't have a fever, but it felt like the flu
otherwise.

Same reason as workers in explosive factories get headaches on Mondays
or after holidays: One develops tolerance to nitroglycerine which is
quickly lost. Same with metal fumes.

Michael Koblic,
Campbell River, BC