Recently our intensive attention has been drawn to the effects of the air pollution on the respiratory organs. The authers have studied the vital capacity and timed vital capacity of the adults and children living in the Spa (hydrogen sulfide containing acid Spring Kusatsu) and the sulfur mine where the atomospheric air contains a small quantity of H₂S under 2ppm in spa and SO₂ under 1ppm in spa, and following results were obtained;
1. There was no significant difference in height and body weight among the children in the mine, the spa and the control district.
2. In the mine, many children complained of subjective symptoms concerning the respiratory organs.
3. Elevated vital capacity was found in the mine children.
4. There was no significant difference in the timed vital capacity between the control and the spa children.
5. In the control and the spa, the height showed the highest correlation to the vital capacity with men and the body weight to the vital capacity with women.
Concerning the partial correlation except the age factor, there was a higher correlation between the vital capacity and body weight than between the vital capacity and the height both with boys and girls.
6. Our results supported the Hewlett-Jackson's fomula in regression equation which can be used to predict the vital capacity.
7. There was no significant difference in the vital capacity of the residents between the two mines, which have different environmental and occupational conditions each other.
8. Concerning the timed vital capacity, there was no significant difference between these mines, but it was lower in the mine workers than in the office workers of the mine.
9. No significant difference in the timed vital capacity was proved between the smoker and non-smoker in the mine.