Bernardino Ramazzini’s “De Morbis Artificum Diatriba”. Am J Publ Health 2001;91:1380-1382

This article presents the seminal work of a 17th Century Italian physician and points out its relevance to today’s Public Health works. Bernardino Ramazzini (1633-1714) was Professor of Medicine in Italy and a pioneer in Public Health. He is considered the Father of Occupational Health for his pioneering work in this field. Ramazzini’s clinical description of diseases and their relation to work is presented in his famed treatise De Morbis Artificum Diatriba. Little attention has been paid to the preventive aspects of his work. Ramazzini not only investigated workers' illnesses, but also emphasised the need for examinig the work environment, studying the work process and identifying hazards. He observed that preventive measures should be implemented to eliminate hazards by adopting engineering controls, protective devices and by limiting the exposure time to chemicals and to ergonomics hazards.In foreseeing the importance of measures aimed at the prevention of injuries, Ramazzini’s treatise is remarkably up-to-date. His work presages the modern concept of focusing on preventive needs of workers and promotes occupational health and safety as an integral component of public health