1633-1714 · Physician, Founder of occupational medicine

Bernardino Ramazzini

Italian physician credited with establishing the field of occupational medicine through De Morbis Artificum Diatriba (Diseases of Workers), first published at Modena in 1700. In it he noted that cancerous breast tumours seemed more frequent in nuns than in other women and suggested their celibate life as a possible cause.

Milestones

1700 Ramazzini links breast cancer in nuns to celibacy

Sources

Ramazzini B. De Morbis Artificum Diatriba. Modena: Typis Antonii Capponi; 1700. Chapter XX (De Nutricum Morbis). Wellcome Collection digitised copy (work vh8er3wf), public domain.
Source
Horn J, Vatten LJ. Reproductive and hormonal risk factors of breast cancer: a historical perspective. Int J Womens Health. 2017;9:265-272.
PubMed DOI
Lukong KE. Understanding breast cancer - The long and winding road. BBA Clin. 2017;7:64-77.
PubMed DOI
Franco G. Bernardino Ramazzini and women workers' health in the second half of the XVIIth century. J Public Health (Oxf). 2012;34(2):305-8.
PubMed DOI