上呼吸道在防御空气公害上的重要作用远在古代就有所认识,但对其生理机制的重大研究,到十九世纪后半叶才开始,并且主要的进展是近五十年的事。目前,对上呼吸道的正常功能已了解得相当多,然而在其功能发生变异时以致容易染受某种疾病的认识尚甚不足。应当把呼吸道看作是各部分互相关联的一个连续整体,并把有争议或很不了然的问题突出来初步推断上呼吸道功能失调与肺支气管疾病之间可能存在的关系。目前,已知的危害公众健康的全部因素中,空气传播的疾病占一大部分,而且这类疾病在人 The important role of the upper respiratory tract in defensive air pollution far has been recognized in ancient times, but major studies of its physiological mechanisms did not begin until the second half of the nineteenth century, and the major advances were in the last 50 years. At present, the normal function of the upper respiratory tract has been understood quite a lot, however, there is not enough awareness of the susceptibility to certain diseases when their functions are mutated. The respiratory tract should be viewed as a continuum of interrelated parts and highlighting controversial or ignorance to initially conclude the possible relationship between upper respiratory tract dysfunction and pulmonary bronchial disease. At present, the airborne diseases account for a large proportion of all the known factors that endanger public health, and these diseases are present in people