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Hazards of air pollution
The Journal o[ P E D I A T R I C S
613
Letters to the Editor
Hazards oJ air pollution
To the Editor: The editorial in your November, 1963, issue pointedly exposes the hazards of smoking by 36 per cent of the youth population. Those of us with the opportunity for counseling these children find it obligatory to condemn the use of tobacco. I would strongly advocate that the Academy of Pediatrics publicly condemn procrastination in legislation in respect to smog, and insist that air pollution is a great hazard. It is now time to direct our energies toward the abatement of atmospheric poisoning along with warnings to the tobacco user. It is well known that the nascent respiratory epithelium of the younger generation has been bombarded with noxious irritants for the past 18 years. And since we as pediatricians are charged with the health and
welfare of these same children, we have been derelict in our duty, to the extent that we have permitted such hazardous exposure to produce the increasing numbers of respiratory diseases we now attribute to air pollution. I for one 'cart vouch for the dangers of air pollution every time I see an epidemic of respiratory disease in the community. I am sure practicing pediatricians can bear witness to the increased incidence of respiratory symptoms during and shortly following any increase in the level of air toxicants. The dangers are with us, and unless we curtail them now we may be responsible for shortening the beautiful lives we have so academically prognosticated for our children. ARTHUR
I~f. GROSS~[AN~ M.D.~ F.A.A.P.
8712 WILSHIRE BOULEVARD BEVERLY HILLS~ CALIF.
Mineral oils in bathtub toys
To the Editor: As is well known, some of the severest and most difficult-to-treat pneumonias in children are those caused by t h e aspiration of petroleum products, particularly very light mineral oils. At the present time there are on the market floating plastic nursery toys containing, liquids, which are designed as playthings for the bath. Some of these toys, containing very light mineral oils, develop cracks as they are used which permit the contents to escape slowly. These situations thus present a potential aspiration hazard. T h e use of a vegetable oil in such toys would
provide adequate buoyancy and eliminate the aspiration hazard. Some of these toys in the past contained kerosene. The manufacturers have eliminated the fire hazard, but have created a new one by the use of an injudicious alternative.
tIAROLD JACOBZ1NER~ M.D. A S S I S T A N T COM 1VIISSIO2q ER~ N E W Y O R K CITY DEPARTIViENT OF H E A L T H .
125 W O R T H STREET~ N~w YORK, ~. Y. 10013.
613
Letters to the Editor
Hazards oJ air pollution
To the Editor: The editorial in your November, 1963, issue pointedly exposes the hazards of smoking by 36 per cent of the youth population. Those of us with the opportunity for counseling these children find it obligatory to condemn the use of tobacco. I would strongly advocate that the Academy of Pediatrics publicly condemn procrastination in legislation in respect to smog, and insist that air pollution is a great hazard. It is now time to direct our energies toward the abatement of atmospheric poisoning along with warnings to the tobacco user. It is well known that the nascent respiratory epithelium of the younger generation has been bombarded with noxious irritants for the past 18 years. And since we as pediatricians are charged with the health and
welfare of these same children, we have been derelict in our duty, to the extent that we have permitted such hazardous exposure to produce the increasing numbers of respiratory diseases we now attribute to air pollution. I for one 'cart vouch for the dangers of air pollution every time I see an epidemic of respiratory disease in the community. I am sure practicing pediatricians can bear witness to the increased incidence of respiratory symptoms during and shortly following any increase in the level of air toxicants. The dangers are with us, and unless we curtail them now we may be responsible for shortening the beautiful lives we have so academically prognosticated for our children. ARTHUR
I~f. GROSS~[AN~ M.D.~ F.A.A.P.
8712 WILSHIRE BOULEVARD BEVERLY HILLS~ CALIF.
Mineral oils in bathtub toys
To the Editor: As is well known, some of the severest and most difficult-to-treat pneumonias in children are those caused by t h e aspiration of petroleum products, particularly very light mineral oils. At the present time there are on the market floating plastic nursery toys containing, liquids, which are designed as playthings for the bath. Some of these toys, containing very light mineral oils, develop cracks as they are used which permit the contents to escape slowly. These situations thus present a potential aspiration hazard. T h e use of a vegetable oil in such toys would
provide adequate buoyancy and eliminate the aspiration hazard. Some of these toys in the past contained kerosene. The manufacturers have eliminated the fire hazard, but have created a new one by the use of an injudicious alternative.
tIAROLD JACOBZ1NER~ M.D. A S S I S T A N T COM 1VIISSIO2q ER~ N E W Y O R K CITY DEPARTIViENT OF H E A L T H .
125 W O R T H STREET~ N~w YORK, ~. Y. 10013.