Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Canadian Family Physician logoLink to Canadian Family Physician
. 1971 Nov;17(11):39–44.

Atmospheric Pollution and Chronic Chest Disease

Roy J Shephard
PMCID: PMC2370274  PMID: 20468698

Abstract

The author reviews possible relationships between chronic bronchitis and air pollution, drawing attention to the difference in incidence of chronic bronchitis between England and Canada, and the recent increase in mortality from respiratory diseases in Canada.

Neither air pollution nor smoking habits can fully account for these phenomena. Dr. Shephard describes methods of measuring pollution and concludes that Toronto is intrinsically as dirty as other cities of comparable size, and that although there have been substantial decreases of smoke over the past decade, levels of gaseous acid have shown little improvement. Urban/rural comparisons suggest that high concentrations of pollutants can double the prevalence of chronic bronchitis; however, the effect is much less obvious if comparisons are restricted to non-smokers of comparable social status. Longitudinal surveys suggest a worsening of condition in bronchitics during periods of intense pollution. Justification for air pollution control programs lies more in the prevention of damage to buildings and beauty then in a specific effect upon human health.

Full text

PDF
39

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. BATES D. V., WOOLF C. R., PAUL G. I. A report on the first two stages of the co-ordinated study of chronic bronchitis in the Department of Veterans Affairs, Canada. Med Serv J Can. 1962 Apr;18:211–303. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. BOREN H. G. CARBON AS A CARRIER MECHANISM FOR IRRITANT GASES. Arch Environ Health. 1964 Jan;8:119–124. doi: 10.1080/00039896.1964.10663639. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. BOYD J. T. Climate, air pollution, and mortality. Br J Prev Soc Med. 1960 Jul;14:123–135. doi: 10.1136/jech.14.3.123. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. BURROWS B., NIDEN A. H., FLETCHER C. M., JONES N. L. CLINICAL TYPES OF CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE LUNG DISEASE IN LONDON AND IN CHICAGO. A STUDY OF ONE HUNDRED PATIENTS. Am Rev Respir Dis. 1964 Jul;90:14–27. doi: 10.1164/arrd.1964.90.1.14. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. DOHAN F. C. Air pollutants and incidence of respiratory disease. Arch Environ Health. 1961 Oct;3:387–395. doi: 10.1080/00039896.1961.10663040. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. FLETCHER C. M. AN ACCOUNT OF CHRONIC BRONCHITIS IN GREAT BRITAIN WITH A COMPARISON BETWEEN BRITISH AND AMERICAN EXPERIENCE OF THE DISEASE. Dis Chest. 1963 Jul;44:1–10. doi: 10.1378/chest.44.1.1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. FLETCHER C. M. Chronic bronchitis. Its prevalence, nature, and pathogenesis. Am Rev Respir Dis. 1959 Oct;80:483–494. doi: 10.1164/arrd.1959.80.4P1.483. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Glasser M., Greenburg L., Field F. Mortality and morbidity during a period of high levels of air pollution. New York, Nov. 23 to 25, 1966. Arch Environ Health. 1967 Dec;15(6):684–694. doi: 10.1080/00039896.1967.10664987. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Glasser M., Greenburg L., Field F. Mortality and morbidity during a period of high levels of air pollution. New York, Nov. 23 to 25, 1966. Arch Environ Health. 1967 Dec;15(6):684–694. doi: 10.1080/00039896.1967.10664987. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. HOLLAND W. W., REID D. D., SELTSER R., STONE R. W. RESPIRATORY DISEASE IN ENGLAND AND THE UNITED STATES. STUDIES OF COMPARATIVE PREVALENCE. Arch Environ Health. 1965 Feb;10:338–343. doi: 10.1080/00039896.1965.10664005. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Kelsey J. L., Mood E. W., Acheson R. M. Population mobility and epidemiology of chronic bronchitis in Connecticut. Arch Environ Health. 1968 Jun;16(6):853–861. doi: 10.1080/00039896.1968.10665165. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. LOGAN W. P. Mortality from fog in London, January, 1956. Br Med J. 1956 Mar 31;1(4969):722–725. doi: 10.1136/bmj.1.4969.722. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. MILLS C. A. Rspiratory and cardiac deaths in Los Angeles smogs during 1956, 1957 and 1958. Am J Med Sci. 1960 Mar;239:307–315. doi: 10.1097/00000441-196003000-00007. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Rimington J. Chronic bronchitis, smoking and social class. A study among working people in the towns of Mid and East Cheshire. Br J Dis Chest. 1969 Oct;63(4):193–205. doi: 10.1016/s0007-0971(69)80019-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. SHEPHARD R. J., TURNER M. E., CAREY G. C., PHAIR J. J. Correlation of pulmonary function and domestic microenvironment. J Appl Physiol. 1960 Jan;15:70–76. doi: 10.1152/jappl.1960.15.1.70. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. SIM V. M., PATTLE R. E. Effect of possible smog irritants on human subjects. J Am Med Assoc. 1957 Dec 14;165(15):1908–1913. doi: 10.1001/jama.1957.02980330010003. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Spicer W. S., Jr, Reinke W. A., Kerr H. D. Effects of environment upon respiratory function. II. Daily studies in patients with chronic obstructive lung disease. Arch Environ Health. 1966 Dec;13(6):753–762. doi: 10.1080/00039896.1966.10664660. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Sterling T. D., Phair J. J., Pollack S. V., Schumsky D. A., DeGroot I. Urban morbidity and air pollution. A first report. Arch Environ Health. 1966 Aug;13(2):158–contd. doi: 10.1080/00039896.1966.10664528. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Williams M. K. Sickness absence and ventilatory capacity of workers exposed to sulphuric acid mist. Br J Ind Med. 1970 Jan;27(1):61–66. doi: 10.1136/oem.27.1.61. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Zeidberg L. D., Horton R. J., Landau E. The Nashville Air Pollution Study. V. Mortality from diseases of the respiratory system in relation to air pollution. Arch Environ Health. 1967 Aug;15(2):214–224. doi: 10.1080/00039896.1967.10664905. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Canadian Family Physician are provided here courtesy of College of Family Physicians of Canada

RESOURCES