Document 7RmJ280J5REjGJgEXgeDqvk1V

1 1/------- 0c C=fl Industrial Hygiene Digest September, 196 I BOOKS, PAMPHLETS AND NOTICES I 827 Hearing Loss. J. Sataloff. 404 pp. (Aug. 1966). AVAILABLE FROM: J. B. Lippincott Co East Washington Square, Philadelphia, Pa. 19105. PRICE: $14.00. In this book, an outstanding otologist presents in practical but comprehensive form the princip and procedures for determining the presence and causes of hearing loss. Clinicians in every field of medicine can use this book as authoritative guide needed for the everyday diagnosis ani appraisal of hearing loss--one of the most common chronic physical impairments in the Unitec States. Included in the introductory part of the book are descriptions of hearing loss classific proper methods of diagnosing with a tuning fork; outlines for tests which may be used and con elusions which may be drawn from these tests are pointed out: teat evaluations'concerning thei place in every day practice; description of proper technics for reading and interpreting an aud: gram. Following chapters discuss types of hearing loss; diagnostic criteria for determining dysfunction; detailed discussion of possible etiologies and analysis program; and tinnitus and vertigo as symptoms in a wide variety of hearing disorders. A series of tables summarizing the information necessary for confident differential diagnosis is presented. The logical and systematic methods of otologic history are covered--using an otologic examination which pro vides the most valuable information for diagnosis and prognosis. There is a group of chapters on the theory and administration of hearing tests prefaced by essential information on the phys of sound and its electronic measurement. Standard methods for performing audiometric exam nation are presented along with aids for avoiding common pitfalls in audiometry. There is dis cussion of masking and bone conduction tests, special tests, including the measurement and interpretation of recruitment, diplacusis, tone decay, functional losses, and others; handicapp effects of hearing loss; effects of the condition on other areas of performance such as speech development; modern advances in rehabilitation. The final sections of the book deal with recog nition and prevention of occupational hearing loss and hearing loss in children. This book is an invaluable guide to the understanding and diagnosis of hearing impairments for all clinicians It will allow every physician to provide his patients with the benefits of modern progress in the management of hearing loss. 828 Emphysema in Industry, Industrial Hygiene Foundation of America, Inc. 'Medical Series Bull. No. 10. 127 pp. (July, 1966). AVAILABLE FROM; Industrial Hygiene Foundation of America, Inc., 4400 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pa, 15213. PRICE: $2. 50 to members; $5. PC to non-members. Emphysema and chronic bronchitis involve the population as a whole, and there is reason to be lieve that neither disease is peculiar to industry alone. For this reason, factors common to the general population must continue to be studied as potential causes or aggravants of these diseases. Why should industry be actively interested in the problem? First, with respect to chronic bronchitis, there are strong suggestions that pollutants in respired air influence and perhaps play a causal role in this disease. With respect to emphysema, such an association ha less support at this time. Second, the socio-economic consequences of these two diseases are borne by industry. They are a multibillion dollar burden with incalculable costs in terms of th< loss of individual and family rights to freedom from the burden of avoidable illness. Third, so of the needed studies of both a retrospective and prospective or longitudinal nature require populations and conditions that exist virtually only in industry. Some method must be found whereby the personnel of representative industries can be made the subject of repeated long term observation at the same time that adequate records as to factors that are potentially sus pect as influencing health can be kept. It would be of great help to be able to compare populatio who have been exposed in various ways as for example in the foundries, chemical works, the handling of vegetable materials such as cotton processing and grain handling, etc. ,in regard to certain clinical manifestations and physiologic measurements in order to learn whether or not any particular kind of environment is prone to be associated with a greater or lesser incidence of evidences of chronic diffuse airway obstruction and chronic bronchitis. For such purposes, studies at one point in time are useful. Of equal importance would be to observe the same indi viduals under the same environmental conditions over a long period of time in order to learn svhether or not such persons change in an abnormal fashion with the passage of time each man acting as his own control. Such studies gain in value if one is able to follow the cohorts who leave the industry, perhaps because of some specific health problem of importance. In most instances industry confines its attention in terms of monitoring the air to those substances know to be toxic. When one is dealing with diseases as poorly understood as chronic bronchitis and emphysema, it becomes necessary to monitor things that we may think are innocent, because it is only with time and study that one learns whether or not these materials are in fact innocent One of the great costs of doing thorough research lies in the accumulation of a great deal of information which ultimately is shown to be irrelevant. Just as it is necessary to study large 3. 03122232