HISTORICAL TIES BETWEEN OTOLARYNGOLOGY HEAD AND NECK-SURGERY AND AVIATION AND SPACE-MEDICINE

Otolaryngology-head and neck surgeons have been involved in the develo pment of aviation and space medicine since the beginning of this centu ry More than 75 years ago, otolaryngologists revised the physical exam ination for pilots, organized ''boards of medical examiners'' to test pilot applicants, coined the term ''flight surgeon,'' and helped organ ize the first medical research laboratories at Hazelhurst Field in New York. These laboratories were transformed in 1922 into the School of Aviation Medicine at Brooks Field, Texas, which in turn subsequently w as relocated to Randolph Field, Texas. During World War II the Directo r of Research at the school was Colonel Paul A, Campbell, MD, an otola ryngologist. In 1959, the school moved back to Brooks Air Force Base a nd was renamed the Aerospace Medical Center. Since manned space flight began in the 1960s there have been many joint research efforts betwee n principal investigators in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery and NASA, Several otolaryngology-head and neck surgeons have served or cur rently serve as consultants and advisors to many of NASA's standing co mmittees. The space environment offers a new frontier for development and research in the specialty and for better understanding of vestibul ar function and related disorders.