The epidemiology of toxic stews

'Toxic stews' is a term which refers to the innumerable manmade chemicals to which we are exposed today. Neither their composition nor their toxicity in humans and the environment is sufficiently understood. Little interest has been aroused thus far by synergisms between these substances. The sources of toxic stews are many and diverse: chemical products and associated impurities; industrial and household waste water; emissions from combustion, incineration and other industrial processes; exhaust fumes from traffic and power plants; etc. These negative aspects of modern life contribute to the development of chronic diseases such as cancer, allergies, and diseases of the respiratory tract and central nervous system. There are severe obstacles to, and deficiencies, in official monitoring of pollutants, including problems of data access, chemical analysis, and toxicological and epidemiological research. It is urgent that the role of the physician as guardian of human health be expanded to include a stronger emphasis on environmental protection as an important component of preventive medicine.