Occupational medicine is changing, especially in
the countries of the western world where exposure
to toxic substances has generally been greatly
reduced over the years and this has had a considerable
effect on the types of occupational diseases
which are now seen. These days occupational physicians
need to know a great deal about stressrelated
illnesses; they will need a good knowledge
and understanding of epidemiology and the manifestation
of disease in populations; they will be
required to know about the causes of museuloskeletal
disorders; their knowledge of toxicology will
have to encompass the effects of low levels of
potentially toxic materials on the central nervous
system, on reproduction and on genetic material.
They will also need to be informed about the
effects of industry on the general environment
and on the health of the general population. In
this context we, the editors, note that many
departments of occupational health are now in
the process of renaming themselves as departments
of occupational and environmental health.
This is a trend which we feel is bound to continue.