Air

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Bachler, Kate – Earth Radiation, Kate Bachler Wordmaster Ltd, Manchester, England.

Bennett, Steven J. and Freierman, Richard – Save the Earth at Work, Bob Adams Inc., Halbrook, USA.

Berkow, Robert – Merck’s Manual (Sixteenth edition), Merck Research, New York, USA.

Caplan, Ruth – Our Earth – Ourselves, Bantam Books, New York, London, Toronto, Sydney.

Coleman, Vernon – The Health Scandal, Sedgwick and Jackson Limited, London, England.

Dudley, Nigel – Good Health on a Polluted Planet, Thorsons HarperCollins, London, England.

Fochler-Hauke, Gustav – De Aarde en haar Levensvormen, Het spectrum, Antwerpen, Belgium.

Hamaker, John D. – The Survival of Civilisation, Hamaker Weaver Publications, Potterville, USA.

Hoogendijk, Willem – De Grole Aandrijver, Dedriehoek, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Kinnersley, David – Troubled Water, Hilary Shipman Publications, London, England.

Porritt, Jonathan – Save the Earth, Dorling Kindersley, London, England.

Roborgh, Michel – Ik word ineens zo raar, Boom, Meppel, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

W.W.F. Wereld Natuurfonds – Europa’s Natuurlijk Erfgoed, Wereld Revue B.V., Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

BACK IN THE 1950s when I was a student, I used to babysit to supplement my grant. Of all the families I used to babysit for, my favourite was that of a science professor connected with the university where I studied. I was regularly asked by him to look after his young family while he and his wife went out. I spent many an evening in his home, poring over my books after the children had been put to bed. I did a lot of studying during those peaceful evenings, but I always looked forward to the return of the professor and his wife. This was not because I was in such a hurry to return to my own digs, because they were not too comfortable and, when I was out babysitting, I not only earned money, but could also save considerably on my heating bill. No, I always looked forward to the end of the evening because when the professor and his wife returned, I was always invited to share a drink with them before I left. This was the best part of the evening, because he was an extremely interesting man to listen to and I enjoyed our talks enormously.

On one of these occasions, he presented me with a little book, which I have treasured ever since. That little book changed my way of thinking and gave me a different perspective on life. The book was about life in the universe, written by Gustav Fochler-Hauke. Without going into great scientific detail, the writer explained about the creation of the universe, the planets and what life on earth was all about. Many times in later years the explanations of certain phenomena given in that book have helped me in my general understanding of ecological and even medical problems, and have stood me in good stead when answering questions at seminars. Because the book deals in simple language with some basic scientific issues, it has also been of great value in helping me respond to patients’ enquiries. It is so easy to overawe people with scientific language, but that would not endear me to the average patient, because few of them hold a scientific degree.

When I started collating material for this book, on the miracle and creation of air, I turned again to this little book given to me by the professor. The difficult question I faced was ‘What is air?’ and I have come to the conclusion that it is virtually impossible to answer this question.

The universe, or the cosmos, is a complete and orderly system of harmony that permits life as we know it. The words ‘universe’ and ‘cosmos’ describe the total entity of the earth, other planets and all strata that make up the atmosphere. The outer part of the earth’s atmosphere is the ionosphere, which consists of changing layers characterised by its electron and ion content. This ionosphere surrounds what is called the ecosphere, which is that part of the universe, especially the earth, in which life can exist. Even at very considerable height, the atmosphere is sufficiently dense to make any light movement possible, although the air quality is such that humans would not be able to sustain life. The composition of the air is less dense, which means that there are fewer gas molecules.

Yet another part of the atmosphere is called the hydrosphere, which accounts for the moisture in the seas and oceans surrounding the earth. The relationship of the hydrosphere with the lithosphere – the solid rocky part of the earth – and the interaction between the elements of the lithosphere and of the hydrosphere, has influenced the crust of the earth. The element production in the hydrosphere, contributing to the lithosphere and the atmosphere, has undergone an enormous change.

All forms of life, according to Gustav Fochler-Hauke, are completely dependent on the atmosphere, which in turn is influential in changing atmospheric gases into liquid and colloidal bodies.

Great changes and developments in the atmosphere have taken place in recent decades and these cannot fail to have had an impact on the forms of life as we know them on earth. For me, the most interesting aspect is how atmospheric interference has influenced the health and well-being of mankind.

In her book Our Earth – Ourselves, the American author Ruth Caplan points to the possible effects of global interference on our health and warns us of things yet to come as a result of global warming. She claims that if people are still alive in the year 2034, they will suffer the aftermath of today’s ecological ignorance. I emphasise that it is indeed ignorance, because we persistently fail to pay heed to the danger signs, insisting instead on waiting for irrefutable, and possibly irreversible, proof.

It would take endless hours to explain how air really works. What interests me most of all are the three forms of energy man lives by, namely food, water and air, and how we can ensure that these be kept as pure as possible. We all know that the third of these – air – is the most problematic in this respect. Food is in our own hands and we can make a conscious decision to eat only natural food or, even better, organically grown food. To a certain extent the quality of the water we drink is in our own hands. We can decide if we want to drink tap water or whether to drink mineral water, which at least contains no added fluoride. But it is very difficult to control the quality of the air we breathe. We can only apply pressure to the Government and scientists, urging them to take action when the quality of our air is under threat. Sometimes I am asked if I feel that we have reached the point of no return. I always respond by saying that we must accept the responsibility for the purity and cleanliness of our food and water, in order to help our immune system to withstand the attack of air pollution.

It appears that it is man’s interference that has caused the ‘greenhouse effect’, a phenomenon which has received much publicity in recent years. In simple terms I will try to explain how this has come about. The sun rays penetrate the earth’s atmosphere and reach its surface, where they are absorbed by land and water. In turn, the surface of the earth radiates energy back into the atmosphere and the bulk of this energy passes through the main components of the atmosphere, namely nitrogen and oxygen, and escapes into outer space. If the atmosphere were to contain no other gases than these, the earth would be a very cold place – something like fifty degrees colder. However, because the atmosphere contains a small percentage of molecules that block and absorb some of the escaping energy, a certain amount of heat is retained. This miraculous atmospheric property allows solar radiation to enter freely, but partially blocks the returning radiation, thereby trapping the heat. A comparison can be made with the role played by the glass in a botanical greenhouse.

The problem of the greenhouse effect is caused by the balance of gases present in the atmosphere, these include carbon dioxide (the most significant), chlorofluorocarbons, ground-level ozone, methane, nitrous oxide and water vapours. A certain amount of ‘greenhouse’ gases in the atmosphere has made it possible for earth to sustain life as we know it today. Without those gases too much of the sun’s heat would radiate directly back into space and the earth’s temperature would be cooler; conversely, a higher level of atmospheric gases would cause the earth to become warmer.

As Ruth Caplan explains in her book Our Earth – Ourselves, since the Industrial Revolution in the last century, humans have been releasing an increasing amount of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Scientists say that the earth’s average temperature has risen by about one degree since the 1850s and the planet has experienced a series of climatological swings that have ranged from the ice age to an extreme heat. It is really only since the 1980s that the scientific community has become aware and has started to alert us about the risks of overloading the atmosphere with greenhouse gases and upsetting our planet’s climatological balance. It was recorded in the United States that 1988 was the hottest year on record, and I remember that when I was in Toronto in Canada in 1990, daily newspapers contained frequent warnings about the increased temperature and the possible atmospheric effects on people’s health in that year. Also during the 1980s, unusually high temperatures were experienced in Greece, resulting in a significant loss of life.

Carbon dioxide – CO₂ – which is a colourless, odourless substance, is the most prevalent greenhouse gas. Industrialisation in the North has made a great contribution to CO₂ emissions and we now live with the threat of increased CO₂ emissions from the developing Third World also. None of this is helped by cutting down trees leading to the deforestation of large areas in order to cultivate crops. Indeed, we should all be made to recognise the value of trees in our battle against global warming. These forests have an essential role in maintaining the delicate ecological balance of our atmosphere. A tree takes in CO₂, returning oxygen to the air in its place. When a tree is cut down, not only does it no longer absorb carbon dioxide, but when it is burned the carbons stored in it are released into the atmosphere. It is a tragic fact that trees are being cut down the world over without due regard to the resulting damage being inflicted on the atmosphere and, in turn, on people’s health.

Methane is another colourless and odourless substance, and it is estimated that it accounts for 18 per cent of the warming of the atmosphere. Methane enters the atmosphere from a variety of sources, and natural gas consists largely of this gas. Methane is released as a by-product of coal mining, oil and gas drilling, petrol refining and burning wood, as well as from garbage dumps. Methane levels in our atmosphere have been rising by approximately 1 per cent each year for nearly a decade.

Chlorofluorocarbons – better known as CFCs – are one of the newer entries in the grim global-warming sweepstakes. Since their development in 1928 CFCs have contributed about 14 per cent to the warming of the atmosphere. This group of substances is all around us. It is in our refrigerators and air-conditioning systems; it is used in the manufacture of plastics, computer chips, aerosols and spray cans; in all cases it contributes to the greenhouse effect. The scientific community has stated that the atmospheric concentrations of CFCs have been growing at about 5 per cent a year. Fortunately, at an international conference in 1987 it was agreed to cut CFC production by half by 1999, based on the 1986 levels.

Nitrous oxide – shortened to NO_x – is yet another colourless but sweet-smelling substance, referred to popularly as ‘laughing gas’ and is used as a mild anaesthetic. This gas represents 6 per cent of the global warming produced by the greenhouse effect. It occurs as a by-product from the burning of fuel, deforestation, bacterial reactions and the breakdown of the widely used nitrogen fertilisers.

There are still other contributors: for example, approximately 30 per cent of atmospheric warming is due to naturally occurring water vapour. However, scientific intervention and the ever-growing demand for progressive and easy methods of production and manufacture, have been the major contributors to the greenhouse effect. The time has come for everybody to acknowledge this and to pay heed to the warnings in order to protect life on earth.

The efficient use of energy is most important. There are more than 150 million cars registered in the United States but, unfortunately, I doubt if there are any statistics available on the number of motorised vehicles in use worldwide. The use of cars could be considerably reduced, and there are many ways in which they could be run more efficiently. Simple steps can be taken to reduce the consumption of petrol, such as adhering to speed limits, giving the car a regular service and keeping it in good working order. In a country like the Netherlands, which is densely populated, it makes much more sense to buy a bicycle than to take the car for short shopping expeditions. Sometimes my patients laugh at me when I point out that their legs were not designed as extensions to car pedals, and that it would be much better to use those legs for walking, swimming or cycling.

Much energy is used for heating and, here again, proper insulation can pay off handsomely in massive energy savings.

Keeping the air as clean as possible is a major task for which we are all responsible. Never forget the laws of nature, because were are born into nature and we belong to nature, and for that simple reason we are obliged to obey the laws of nature. Plants, trees and flowers enhance our lives and are atmospherically beneficial. It is of great importance to keep every tree we have, unless of course they are diseased and become dangerous. When planting or laying out a garden plan carefully for positions where trees may be allowed to peacefully mature, so that these trees will not have to be cut down later, unless there is a very good reason for it.

Personally, I had to make a difficult decision and battled with my conscience over whether or not to have some beautiful trees cut down. These living creatures, after several hundred years, were still in a good and healthy state. It took days of worry before I reached the decision that I had no choice: they would have to come down because they endangered the foundations of my house. It caused me plenty of heartache and it upset me greatly. Make sure that, wherever possible, you help to fight against the needless felling of trees.

The responsibility is in our own hands. Look at how we have damaged the quality of air through the use of herbicides, fungicides and toxic substances in the ground. I remember giving a lecture in Australia and afterwards I was approached by a group of young people who volunteered to fight against the use of DDT. It was wonderful to see how successful they were when they took their mission to the Government and were instrumental in the acceptance of the Act of Toxic Substances Control. I touch on this subject often in my lectures and seminars and never fail to be encouraged by the general response.

Unknown to many, commercial air-fresheners can do much damage to the nasal passages. Just think about the many ways to freshen the air in our home in a more responsible way which must be better than using a spray. A mixture of dried herbs or flowers in a stone container is not only effective, but ornamental at the same time; or certain aromatic plants, which will spread a natural fragrance through the house. We should share our knowledge with our friends, emphasising that we are committed to preserving that which was entrusted to us from the days of Creation. I never fail to emphasise this responsibility on my travels throughout the world, in my lectures and also in meetings with health officials. We should support organisations that aim to protect the means for a healthy life. We should battle alongside them in order to provide the most beneficial environment for future generations.

The World Health Organisation has a laudable motto: ‘Health for All by the Year 2000’. This is only a few years away, but can we actually see this outcome as a real possibility the way things are at present? Much more positive action will be necessary – and we all have a part to play. At large public meetings I often hear the view that specific organisations are looking into certain problems and that it is much better to leave it to them because they know what they are talking about. This attitude is not good enough. Accept the commitment to play your part in this monumental task, for only by joint action may we expect to minimise the harm already done, and eventually to eliminate some of the after-effects which have attacked our health.

FROM MY SCHOOLDAYS in the Netherlands I still remember a little poem I learned by heart. Unfortunately, it is difficult to translate but its content is very relevant to the subject in hand. It was a simple little poem about the air that is all around us, tasteless and odourless, and totally invisible. Yet the effect of this invisible air can be clearly felt in a breeze or when the wind blows. Listen to the noise of the wind on a windy day. We notice the chest expanding when we breathe in, and feel the air escaping from the nose and the mouth when we exhale. Air is a fundamental part of the great design for the world, and people, animals and plants all need air in order to live. Air will give life and breath everywhere, to all living creatures in the world.

Think how enjoyable it is to take the dog for a walk in the fresh air, to take a walk in the fields or along the beach. Make sure that at least some time during the week you take some exercise out of doors. You will feel refreshed, brighter, and more mentally alert, especially if you know that the air you breathe is good, clean and invigorating air. This breath of fresh air depends on many factors and also on one’s attitude. Nowadays, patients sometimes ask me if there still is such a thing as healthy and invigorating air, and where they can find it. Visualisation is a wonderful thing: imagine walking in a park or garden, smelling the fresh air. Better still, imagine a walk in the early morning when the night has lifted away all the petrol fumes, and has left a special freshness. Because nature cleanses itself most of us can enjoy good clean fresh air in the morning, if only we have the inclination.

In the 1970s awareness of air pollution was steadily growing and fortunately some people started to assume responsibility and took some action. It was then that the Clean Air Act was adopted. However, subsequent progress has been slow. One major victory was related to the pollution caused by cars and a decrease in the levels of lead released into the atmosphere was achieved when lead-free petrol was introduced. That was indeed a victory, but so many other factors are still ignored. Walk around any big city on a hot summer’s day and you are likely to suffer the effects of the fumes. Common reactions include breathing difficulties, burning eyes, headaches and feelings of nausea. Children especially are susceptible to these particular effects and I often wonder about parents who park the car beside the road for a picnic. It would be so much better to go to the seaside or a country park, where fresh air can be easily enjoyed. Roadside picnic places are often reminiscent of rubbish dumps, and are rarely my idea of a picturesque place for an outdoor lunch.

AIR