Fur hat maker, 1938

A fur hat factory worker in a Connecticut plant is “blocking” a hat under a stream of running water. Blocking involves shaping a hat using a block, hat cone in the basic shape of the final hat, and water. This man isnot wearing a protective filtered breathing mask, goggles, or gloves. Working with newly processed fur, which had been “carroted”, or fixed with mercury nitrate, workers could be exposed to airborne mercury, thereby, suffering the detrimental neurologic consequences from its inhalation. Using steam, which was integral to the hatters’ industry, the airborne dissemination of this neurotoxic element was facilitated.