Which occupational lung disease affected coal miners during the Industrial Revolution?

• A. Silicosis
• B. Tuberculosis
• C. Pneumoconiosis
• D. Bronchitis

Answer: (C)

During the Industrial Revolution, coal dust inhaled by miners built up in the lungs and caused a scarring, inflammatory disease known as pneumoconiosis. This condition, often called coal workers’ pneumoconiosis or black lung, results from long-term exposure to fine coal dust and leads to coughing, breathlessness, and reduced lung function as the lung tissue becomes fibrotic. Pneumoconiosis is the umbrella term for lung diseases caused by inhaling dust, which is why it’s the best answer here.

Silicosis comes from silica dust exposure (like in stone cutting or silica-rich mining) and isn’t the specific hallmark of coal mining. Tuberculosis is an infectious disease, not an occupational dust-related lung condition, and bronchitis is a broad airway inflammation that isn’t uniquely tied to mining.