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Epidemiological studies are performed in some towns and large industrial regions of the country, in order to establish the changes in the health state of the population, due to atmospheric pollutants. The attention is directed to regions with national industrial branches, most intensively polluting the atmospheric air (metallurgy, chemistry, petroleum-chemistry, cellulose-paper industry) and such, where the air pollution is related first of all to transport across the border-line. The unfavourable effect of the atmospheric pollution on the exposed population is proved. It is however, the reason for increased morbidity according to a number of nozologics and on first place--of respiratory and allergic diseases. Parallel to that are interpreted the results of the performed inquiries and paraclinical studies, revealing the presence of prior to the disease changes in the population of the examined regions.

In one of the studied towns with a large plant for cellulose and paper and another for fodder yeasts the ambient air was polluted by specific contaminants--hydrogen sulfide and mercaptans considerably higher in town R than in town B after data of the Principle Hydrological and Meteorological Administration. A higher incidence was established both in the general morbidity and the nosological units, probably etiologically determined by the defined pollutants in town R. Both the allergic reactivity and the clinico-laboratory indices, which characterise the functional state of the exposed pollution, were raised. The results give grounds to believe, that the ambient air pollution in town R is a risk factor for the health of the population.