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Miasma theory of disease
(Redirected from Miasma)
The miasma theory of disease held that diseases such as cholera were caused by a miasma (Greek language: "pollution"), a noxious form of "bad air".
The miasma theory was consistent with the observations that:
- disease was associated with poor sanitation (and hence foul odours) and that
- sanitary improvements reduced disease,
but not with the observations of microbiology that led to the germ theory of disease.
Although incorrect, the miasma theory helped motivate major improvements in sanitation.
Prominent supporters of the miasma theory included:
- Abaris the Hyperborean, who famously cleaned Sparta under Mount Taygetus from miasmata coming downhill
- William Farr
- Florence Nightingale
So far as cholera is concerned, the miasma theory was disproved by John Snow (physician) following an epidemic in Soho, central London in 1854.
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09-23-2007 01:00:40
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The contents of this article is licensed from www.wikipedia.org under the GNU Free Documentation License. Click here to see the transparent copy and copyright details