Medical Geography and Its Geologic Substrate

Abstract

Geographical associations between geochemical variables and the occurrence of certain human diseases have been pointed out for several decades.Associations between distributions of elements in soil and water and distributions of mortality from cardiovascular disease, multiple sclerosis, and certain cancers, have been particularly strong and persistent over time. Results of analytical studies have so far been inconclusive. Other relationships, apart from the geochemical, may be more important. A comparison of county distributions in Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands for a number of environmental variables, and prevalence of multiple sclerosis is presented. It is suggested that an ecological approach to the possible geochemical association with disease is critical, and that more attention could be given to that side of the relationship concerned with man. CONTENTS