Bernardino Ramazzini (; 4 October 1633 – 5 November 1714) was an Italian physician. He has been considered as a founder of occupational medicine with his book on occupational diseases, De Morbis Artificum Diatriba ("Diseases of Workers") published in 1700. Ramazzini, along with Francesco Torti, was an early proponent of the use of cinchona bark (from which quinine is derived) in the treatment of malaria.
Life Ramazzini was born in Carpi on 4 October 1633 according to his birth certificate. His parents were Bartolomeo Ramazzini and Caterina Federzoni. He studied medicine from the age of 19 at the University of Parma, where his interest in occupational diseases began. He then moved to Rome and attended the lectures of Antonio Maria de Rossi. He practiced medicine in Viterbo. where he suffered from malaria.
Career He was invited by Marquis Alfonso Molza as court physician to Duke Francis II in 1671. He was made chair of theory of medicine at University of Modena in 1682 alongside Francesco Torti. Here he became interested in the relationships between climate and epidemics. In 1693 he was elected to Caesarean-Leopoldine Academy with the title of Terzo Ippocrate ["Third Hippocrates"]. He then served as professor of medicine at the University of Padua from 1700 until his death. He is often called "the father of occupational medicine"
Occupational medicine
His book on occupational diseases, De Morbis Artificum Diatriba (Diseases of Workers) outlined the health hazards of chemicals, dust, metals, repetitive or violent motions, odd postures, and other disease-causative agents encountered by workers in more than fifty occupations. This was one of the founding and seminal works of occupational medicine and played a substantial role in its development. A PDF copy of the article. The article contains excerpts from the English translation by Wilmer Cave Wright (Chicago: University of Chicago Press; 1940) based on the Latin text of 1713, and includes a biographical note, Bernardino Ramazzini: The Father of Occupational Medicine, by Giuliano Franco, MD and Francesca Franco MD, MPH
He proposed that physicians should extend the list of questions that Hippocrates recommended they ask their patients by adding, "What is your occupation?".
Ramazzini saw prevention as being better than cure. In his Oratio given in 1711, he suggested that "it is much better to prevent than to cure, and so much easier to foresee future harm and avoid it rather than have to get rid of it after having fallen prey".
Malaria In regards to malaria, Ramazzini was one of the first to support the use of the quinine-rich bark cinchona. Many falsely claimed that quinine was toxic and ineffective, but Ramazzini recognized its importance. He is quoted, "It [quinine] did for medicine what gun powder did for war."
Cancer In 1713, Bernardino Ramazzini said that nuns developed breast cancer at a higher rate than married women, because they did not engage in sexual intercourse, and the "unnatural" lack of sexual activity caused instability of the breast tissues that sometimes developed into breast cancer.
Death Ramazzini died in Padua on 5 November 1714. History (of Occupational Medicine) with notes on the life of Ramazzini.
Acknowledgement In a lifestyle article "Sitting can lead to an early death", the writer acknowledged Ramazzini's pioneering study of this field in the 17th century.Han, Esther (28 March 2012) Sitting can lead to an early death . Sydney Morning Herald
The honor society Collegium Ramazzini is named after him.
References
Works
Bibliography Essai sur les Maladies de Disseus. Original translation from Latin in "De Mortis Artificum" by M. De Foureau
Franco G, Franco F. Bernardino Ramazzini: The Father of Occupational Medicine. Am J Publ Health 2001;91:1380–1382 Franco G, Fusetti L. A. Bernardino Ramazzini's early observations of the link between musculoskeletal disorders and ergonomic factors. Appl Ergonom 2004;34:67–70. Franco G. Ramazzini and workers’ voice disorders. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2008;139:329 Franco G. Work-related musculoskeletal disorders. A lesson from the past. Epidemiology 2010;21:577–579 Franco G. Health disorders and ergonomic concerns from the use of microscope: A voice from the past. Am J Clin Pathol 2011; 135:170–171 Franco G. Bernardino Ramazzini and women workers’ health in the second half of the seventeenth century. J Public Health 2012;34:305–308 Franco G. A tribute to Bernardino Ramazzini (1633–1714) on the tercentenary of his death Occ Med 2014;64:2–4 Carnevale F, Iavicoli S. Bernardino Ramazzini (1633–1714): a visionary physician, scientist and communicator. Occup Environ Med 2015;72:2–3. Franco G. La lezione di Bernardino Ramazzini, medico sociale e scienziato visionario. Acc. Naz. Sci Lett. Arti di Modena - Memorie Scientifiche 2015;18:49–62 Franco G. Prevention is far better than cure - Revisiting the past to strengthen the present: the lesson of Bernardino Ramazzini (1633-1714) in public health. YCP Publisher (2020) (Contents, Preface, Overview)
External links
Ramazzini Collegium The Collegium supplies information on risks and prevention of injury and disease attributable to the workplace and the environment. Some places and memories related to Ramazzini. Presentations and publications on Ramazzini's famed work "De Morbis Artificum Diatriba" Celebrazioni del tricentenario della morte Bernardino Ramazzini, a pioneer of public health - Presentation given on the occasion of the event "Bernardino Ramazzini, three-centenary from death". University of Padua, 18 October 2014 Tercentenary of the death De fontium mutinensium admiranda scaturigine; tractatus physico-hydro-staticus. - full digital facsimile at Linda Hall Library Franco G. Meglio prevenire che curare – il pensiero di Bernardino Ramazzini, medico sociale e scienziato visionario. Narcissus, 2015