An introductory text to the scientific principles behind the study of the causes of disease occurrence. The book argues that, in searching for occupational causes of diseases, epidemiological principles should be used, even at factory level.

Preface; Introduction; PART 1 - CONCEPTS OF EPIDEMIOLOGY: Problems and possible solutions; Detectives on the job; Is there a problem?; Observed and expected; Who, where, and when; Do the diseased have anything in common?; What distinguishes the diseased from the non-diseased; The case-control study; The study plan; Study base; Information; The follow-up study; The ongoing follow-up study; Selecting exposed and non-exposed; Healthy worker selection; Follow-up time; The historical follow-up study; Important considerations; Problems; Selection; Information and misclassification; Confounding; The cross-sectional study; Mortality studies; The proportional mortality study; Monitoring and record keeping; PART II - EPIDEMIOLOGY IN PRACTICE: An occupational flu-epidemic; Case study of infertility in males; A small cluster of spontaneous abortions; Byssinosis and chronic bronchitis in - flax-mill; Case study in a power plant; Setting and problems; New studies; Conclusion; Lung cancer mortality among workers exposed to manufacture of chromate pigments; PART III - GLOSSARY: References; Further reading; Index.

'The simple, if occasionally simplistic, approach to the subject will lead the most timid reader to a sound understanding of the basic principles and in particular their application to day to day problems of medical practice...should be compulsory reading for all those who produce articles or programmes for the media on work-related and environmental health issues.' Journal of the Royal College of Physicians