Asthma, along with its brothers in arms--nasal catarrh, atopic exzema, and urticaria--have always been seen as indicators of civilization: There is a direct correlation between deterioration in air quality and the number of sufferers.
氣喘，與它的「難兄難弟」﹘﹘過敏性鼻炎、異位性皮膚炎及蕁麻疹等過敏病一向被視為文明國家的寒暑表﹘﹘空氣品質的惡化程度與「氣喘族」人數成正比。