[Occupations and the sense of smell]

Olfactometric fitness examinations in relation to the place of work are required since the olfactory organ has support and protective functions. Smelling disorders result at work from trauma, hypersensitivity, acute and chronic intoxications, but most frequently from chemical and physical substances taken up by inhalation. They are different due to their expression (slight hyposmia till to anosmia, parosmia), latency, localization (respiratory, epithelial, nerval, central), and a combination with other disorders. In order to examine rhinologically the patient, the nasal mucosa has to be assessed. Its lesion does not necessarily correlate to the smell disorder. 475 patients were exposed to a total of 10 different substances or classes of substances. It was demonstrated that disorders of the whole nasal physiology can be caused by toxic and nontoxic substances, e.g. calcium carbide when taking effect for a longer period, even below their legally required "maximum absorption concentration". The treatment is started after ending the exposition. The expert's opinion is based on the clinical findings, a standardized investigation of smelling, the patient's history incl. the history of occupation, and an analysis of the place-of-work conditions. The degree of bodily defect is related to the single types of disorder. In case of a complete anosmia it is 20%. It is assumed that a growing number of occupation-related smell disorders become known and, hence, have to be assessed.