[A century of investigations and work connected with the potable water supply for Krakow]. / Stulecie badan i prac zwiazanych z zaopatrzeniem Krakowa w wode pitna.

The aim of the paper was to present the works and results of investigations connected with the control of water quality for the inhabitants of Krakow city. The investigations started in 1898 and were performed by K. Olszewski, being advised by O. Bujwid. The water--works started to operate in 1901, and ground water coming from several wells dug to create the water intake system. The increase of potable water demands of growing Krakow, and unacceptable pollution level of Vistula water decided to base the water intake for Krakow on rivers: Rudawa, Sanka and Dlubnia, but since 1986 also on Raba river.

[National Institute of Hygiene in Warsaw: an initiator of iodine prophylaxis]. / Panstwowa szkola higieny w warszawie--inicjator profilaktyki jodowej.

A well defined goiter area in Southern Poland has been known since 19th century. An iodine prophylaxis program initiated by the National Institute of Hygiene was realized in Krakow province and introduce at the level of 5 mg KI/kg of table salt in 1935. The program brought positive health results; the percentage of goitrous inhabitants of Southern Poland decreased. The goiter prophylaxis was suspended during the Second World War. After the war in the years 1945-46 epidemiological studies confirmed high incidence of goiter, especially in the Carpathian region. As the result of these investigations KI salt supplementation started in 1947. High goiter incidence was still noted, that is why the KI supplementation was intensified from the level of 3 to 30 mg/kg. Observed cases of severe iodine deficiency disorders disappeared and goiter in Southern Poland became mild. The National Institute of Hygiene carried out in early 90's investigations on the KI content in market samples of fortified salt. The results of these studies showed that the technological process of salt iodization was not proper; the concentration of KI in salt samples collected in Krakow province, i.e. territory of endemic iodine deficiency in the environment--was lower then recommended. Also the observed unsatisfactory clinical results of the iodine prophylaxis forced to correct the preventive action.

[The level of anti-HBs in blood serum of persons selected from a group of Krakow inhabitants]. / Poziom przeciwcial anty-HBs w surowicach krwi osób z wybranych grup mieszkanców Województwa Krakowskiego.

The aim of the study was to determine levels of anti-HBs antibodies in blood of 1490 adults coming from Cracow province. The first group of 1451 people did not suffer from viral hepatitis B in the past and were never vaccinated against hepatitis B; 86.2% of them did not demonstrate any protective level of anti-HBs antibodies, but 13.8%--presented antibody level equal to 10 IU/L or higher. The second group consisted of 14 individuals who did not suffer from virus hepatitis and who were vaccinated 1-5 years before examination (basic vaccination of three doses); they all demonstrated the protective anti-HBs antibody level (> or = 10 IU/L). In the third group there were 20 subjects who were post-hepatitis convalescents (they demonstrated symptomatic acute hepatitis 2-4 years before examination) and were never vaccinated; 7 of them did not present any protective level of anti-HBs antibodies, but the remaining 13 individuals demonstrated certain immunity status. The last group of 5 people, who suffered from acute hepatitis in the past and had received incomplete immunization (1 dose) previously demonstrated antibody levels of differentiated protective value.

The concentrations of nitrates and nitrites in food products and environment and the occurrence of acute toxic methemoglobinemias.

In the study it was intended to evaluate the concentration of nitrates and nitrites in some food products and samples of potable water collected in Kraków region and compile these results with frequency of recognised toxic methemoglobinemia cases. In the years 1991-1993 91 food samples, 288 samples of tap water from the central waterworks of Kraków and 399 samples of well-water from the country side of Kraków region were collected. In the chemical laboratories the nitrates and nitrites concentration has been defined. The clinical material of inpatients from 2 hospitals of Kraków and the data from the Poison Information Centre in Kraków have been analysed. The examined food samples did not present, in general, raised levels of nitrates and nitrites. Also the tap water samples presented a low concentration of these substances. The well-water samples demonstrated in considerable percentage increased levels of nitrates and nitrites and exceed the level permitted by sanitary law. In the Provincial Childrens Hospital during recent 14 years 8 infants with recognised methemoglobinemia were treated. All cases were connected with environmental pollution. At the Department of Toxicology, where only adults are treated, no methemoglobinemia cases resulting from environmental pollution during recent 26 years were hospitalized. The Poison Information Centre during recent 14 years consulted 239 cases of methemoglobinemia; 90% of them concerned children intoxicated because of environmental pollution.

The role of lead as an environmental pollutant in the period of growing ecological consciousness.

On the basis of the monitoring measurement results of Kraków's environment a long-time evaluation has been presented, with regard to lead presence. The pollution with lead in a last few years was displayed in atmospheric air, soil and drinking water samples, as well as in some vegetables and food products. It was concluded that a characteristic trend regarding lead pollution of the environment could be observed; a decrease of lead level in air and in vegetables was presented, in soil and milk as well as in dairy products--remained low. Only in lettuce and parsley leaves the exceeding of the permissible lead content was confirmed. At present, in spite of the decrease of the heavy metals level in the environment, lead is still present and the health hazard to men exists, but to a lesser degree.

[Iodine deficiency in the Carpathian endemic region and iodine prophylaxis in Southern Poland]. / Niedobór jodu na obszarze karpackiej endemii wola a profilaktyka jodowa w Polsce poludniowej.

The improvement of the health status of the population of Southern Poland resulted in great extend from the introduction of table salt iodination in 1935. This prophylaxis caused a decrease of serious iodine deficiency disorders. Twice was the salt fortification process interrupted (1939-1945 and 1980-1986); and this brought the increase of goiter incidence in the population. Laboratory examinations of water and food samples coming from goiter endemic area of Southern Poland presented a low iodine level. The unsatisfactory clinical results of the iodine prophylaxis and the unstable concentration of KI in salt, force to correct the previous action. Apart of the epidemiological studies to be performed in order to establish the optimal dose of KI in table salt, the improvement of the iodination technique and subsequent laboratory control of KI concentration in salt-is urgently needed. The fortification process should be not only restricted to table salt, but also the industrial salt used in the food production ought to be iodinated. Nutrition education should be strengthen to convince the population to use iodized salt in household food production.

[Incidence of endemic goiter--environmental factors and iodine prophylaxis in Southern Poland]. / Wystepowanie wola endemicznego--czynniki srodowiskowe i profilaktyka jodowa w Polsce Poludniowej.

In Southern Poland a well defined endemic goiter area has been known since 19th century. This region was characterized by low level of iodine in the environment. Iodine prophylaxis in Carpathian endemic area was introduced as early as 1935 at the level of 5 mg/kg of table salt. The goiter prophylaxis programme was interrupted during the Second World War. After the war in the years 1945-1946 epidemiological studies held in Southern Poland paid attention to high percentage of goiter in the population. As the result, potassium iodide salt supplementation started in 1947, but goiter incidence in subsequent years was still noted. As an effect of these observations, since 1956 potassium iodide salt supplementation was increased from 5 to 12 mg/kg of salt--in Carpathian and Subcarpathian regions. During over 30 years of iodide prophylaxis the severe symptoms of iodine deficiency disorders disappeared and endemic goiter in Southern Poland became mild. In 1980 the supplementation of kitchen salt was discontinued due to technical reasons. In 1985 an increase of goiter incidence in adults and children, as well as iodide deficiency disorders in newborns was noted. That is why in 1986 the salt supplementation was reintroduced at the level of 20 mg KJ/kg of kitchen salt. The potassium iodide content assessment in salt for human consumption in Krakow region was carried out in the years 1989-1994. The percentage of salt samples with the proper content of potassium iodide was 50, so it meant that the technological process of salt iodination was done incorrectly. Medical investigations are necessary to establish the optimal preventive dose of KJ.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[The place and importance of preventive medicine in the program of medical education]. / Miejsce i znaczenie medycyny zapobiegawczej w programie studiów lekarskich.

In 1993 an inquiry study among 224 students of the sixth year of the medical study was performed in Krakow. The control of the knowledge of selected preventive medicine problems presented an unsatisfactory level in the group of interviewed students. The answers given by the respondents proved that the subject of preventive medicine was still underestimated. In the field of prevention only the problem of proper feeding was recognized by the interrogated students as useful for the future doctors work and should be more extensively taught in the curriculum of medical schools. The important question of the prevention of hospital infections was distinctly neglected by the respondents.

Studies on the colonic bacterial flora during experimental carcinogenesis induced with N-methyl-N'nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine.

The study was carried out on 72 rats receiving during 7 weeks rectal infusions of N-methyl-N'nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG), a carcinogenic agent. During the follow-up of 52 weeks the changes were investigated in the quantitative composition of the aerobic and anaerobic bacterial flora of the large intestine, and the basic composition of the aerobic flora was established. It was found that MNNG modified the quantity and composition of the bacterial flora of the colon not only with a reduction in the number of bacteria in the faeces but also with a transient change in the composition and proportions of various bacterial species. Attention is called to the observation that the appearance and development of malignant tumours in the large intestine was connected with a rise in the number of micro-organisms correlated with the histological transformation of the colonic mucosa and the number of tumours in it.