Disease, occupational
Generic Name:
Disease you get from work
Alternate Name:
Occupational Disease
Definition:
A disease due to a factor in a person's occupation. For example, lung disease in miners. Occupational medicine was founded by the Italian physician Bernardino Ramazzini (1633-1714). His De Morbis Artificium (On Artificially Caused Diseases) published in 1700 was the first systematic study of occupational disease.
Bernardino recognized the relationship between metals such as lead and antimony and the symptoms of poisoning in painters and other artisans exposed to them.
Bernardino also recognized diseases associated with a number of other occupations including lung disease in miners.
Term Type: