[Longitudinal study of the relation between environmental conditions and the health of patients in a long-stay hospital]. / Etude longitudinale sur les relations entre les conditions d'environnement et la santé des pensionnaires d'un hôpital de long séjour.

A longitudinal survey has been conducted for a 30-month period in the long-term care hospital of Ivry, in Paris urban area. 1500 people were medically monitored daily by the doctors who were in charge of each unit of the hospital; each individual pathological event was exactly recorded, with complete development. This follow-up permitted to report 6300 acute illnesses. Environmental physical parameters (NOx, SO2, particulates, temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure) were recorded indoors and outdoors during the whole period. The relation of environmental conditions to health has been studied with the cross-correlations method, applied to respiratory disease incidence rates and physical parameters series. It appeared that only NOx was significantly related to an increase of respiratory disease incidence rates.

[Influence of atmospheric pollution by sulfur products and dusts on public health. I. - Method problems (author's transl)]. / Influence sur la santé publique de la pollution atmospherique par les dérivés soufrés et les poussières.

Since the great atmospheric pollution accidents from sulfur oxides and suspended particulate matters, the concentrations of these pollutants have notably reduced. The experimental concentrations which are necessary to obtain results are even more important than these "historical" concentrations. Among the aggregate of epidemiologic surveys regarding these problems, some find a relationship between strong concentrations of pollution and morbidity and mortality. Such results are explained by references to experimental and metrologic knowledge. As far as epidemiological problems are concerned infectious and meteorological factors have to be eliminated to determine which is the place of atmospheric pollution. But such a place in all respects being so small, has to be defined in a more precise way. One cannot be certain whether the improvement of epidemiological and metrological methods may give more conclusive results, taking into account the foreseeable reduction of the pollution in the years to come.