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Data on the prevalence of smoking among doctors in Europe could be retrieved from 22 countries. Only in the UK, Finland, Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands surveys have been carried out systematically over many years. Marked decreases in the percentage of smokers among doctors have been noted, particularly in the UK and the Scandinavian countries. Only about 13 to 15% of physicians at present smoke in these countries, down from 60 to 70% in the 1950s. The highest percentages of smokers among doctors--about 40%--are found in Italy, Greece and Spain.

Health standard in terms of maximal aerobic power has been assessed in representative samples of school children in four European countries, with the object of testing the hypothesis that factors associated with the present days urbanization hamper the developmental process. In Norway and Iceland the exercise fitness of urban living children was stronger than that of children living in scarcely populated areas. In West Germany and Czechoslovakia there appeared a tendency in the same direction though the health standard in some ages was similar for urban and rural living children. The conclusion is consequently clear in as much as no evidence was found that supports the widespread concept that urbanization affects the exercise fitness during growth. On the contrary, urban living seems to enhance the developmental process most likely because the urbanized society stimulates children to vigorous play and sport, thus increasing habitual physical activity. Children living in rural environment become socially isolated, adopt sedentary living habits which subsequently hamper the development of functional characteristics. The maximal aerobic power of the boys and girls in these four European countries was similar when compared on basis on where they are living (urban/rural) except for the Norwegian boys who were considerably superior to the others.

The negative association between water hardness and cardiovascular disease found by several authors in different countries has also been found in the present investigation. All cases of myocardial infarction were registered in a standardized way at 15 WHO Collaborating Centres in Europe; information on the hardness of drinking water used by the population studied was also collected. Higher rates of myocardial infarction were usually found in towns served by softer water.

The negative association between water hardness and cardiovascular disease found by several authors in different countries has also been found in the present investigation. All cases of myocardial infarction were registered in a standardized way at 15 WHO Collaborating Centres in Europe; information on the hardness of drinking water used by the population studies was also collected. Higher rates of myocardial infarction were usually found in towns served by softer water.

Cardiovascular diseases are often found to be associated with certain physicochemical characteristics of the environment - namely, the hardness of the water and the types of rock and soil underlying the area. Areas supplied with soft water usually have higher cardiovascular death rates than do areas supplied with hard water. Evidence linking cardiovascular diseases with the geochemistry of rocks and soils is more limited. The nature of these associations is still speculative but it is possible that certain trace elements are involved, some being beneficial and others harmful. Further epidemiological studies to identify these various trace elements are desirable.

Cardiovascular diseases are often found to be associated with certain physicochemical characteristics of the environment-namely, the hardness of the water and the types of rock and soil underlying the area. Areas supplied with soft water usually have higher cardiovascular death rates than do areas supplied with hard water. Evidence linking cardiovascular diseases with the geochemistry of rocks and soils is more limited. The nature of these associations is still speculative but it is possible that certain trace elements are involved, some being beneficial and others harmful. Further epidemiological studies to identify these various trace elements are desirable.