The incidence of illness among young children in two communities of different air quality: a pilot study.

An epidemiological study of illness, causing an absence from school of grade one pupils, was conducted from January to June 1965 at two west coast areas, in order to study the community health effects of emissions from a large kraft pulp mill. Enquiry was made by telephone or home visit for each of the 2084 absences experienced by the 752 pupils and the symptoms, duration of illness, physician attendance and hospitalization were determined in each case. A series of indices of disease incidence and duration were prepared to account for school transfers and different communicable disease attack rates. In general the results were non-conclusive: the incidence of all illness and respiratory illness in the control community of Berryville lay midway between that of the two towns, Seaview and Upper Seaview, which comprised the study community; certain conditions, notably tonsillectomy, inflamed eyes, headache, feverishness and nausea, were, however, more frequent in the polluted area.