The breasts, to increase their size, It is not a minor
operation and should be performed only by an experienced plastic surgeon after
thorough discussion of the pros and cons. Surgery is available for the removal
of excess breast tissue and the correction of pendulous breasts.
CHRONIC BRONCHITIS AND EMPHYSEMA
Most people are aware of the serious problem of cancer ofthe lung. But the major single cause of disability of pulmonary origin in the United
States is not lung cancer but emphysema. In and of itself, emphysema causes a
significant, number of deaths each year. In addition it is often a contributing
factor to deaths occurring after surgery, deaths from heart disease, from other
lung diseases, and from many other disorders.
Emphysema and chronic bronchitis
are ailments for which preventive medicine has particular relevance for two
reasons:
1. They take a long time to develop into destructive,
disabling diseases. In part, this is due to the tremendous reserve possessed by
the lungs. There often has to be 50 to 75 percent deterioration of lung
function before such symptoms as shortness of breath and wheezing become
manifest.
2. Many factors are known to pre- dispose to emphysema and
bronchitis. Chief among them is cigarette smoking. It is rare for the disorders
to occur among those who have never smoked cigarettes, and often severity of
disease is directly related to the number of cigarettes smoked. Recent evidence
indicates that cigarette smoking for even a short period affects health
adversely. It has been shown, for example, that adolescents, with not many
years of smoking behind them, have increased respiratory problems such as
cough and colds, and take more sick leave than non- smokers.
There is also experimental evidence of the harmful effects
of smoking in animals in which lung changes mimicking those of human chronic
bronchitis and emphysema have been produced by exposure to cigarette smoke. Airpollution and exposure to industrial fumes of certain types increase the
severity of respiratory symptoms. It is well known that patients with chronicbronchitis and emphysema can become severely ill when there are high levels of
air pollution.
Recently, an inherited defect in the production of a certain
enzyme has been detected in some patients with emphysema. It is particularly
common among those who are seriously affected by the disorder at a younger age
than most. The finding may have important implications. If a simple screening
test can be developed to disclose the enzyme defect, individuals particularly
susceptible to emphysema could be identified and firmly counseled against
smoking and against jobs in industries that would expose them to irritatingfumes, dusts, or excessive smog.
