Prevention is far better than cure. Revisiting the past to strengthen the present: the lesson of Bernardino Ramazzini (1633-1714) in public health

Doctor at the court and academic of the Modena and Padua Universities, Bernardino Ramazzini (1633-1714) lived in the second half of the seventeenth century. Without renouncing to his vocation as a doctor, he visited the craft workshops to identify the threats to health, examined the diseases of workers and proposed a variety of preventive measures. Aware of the need to avoid extremes of all kinds, he recommended moderation in all types of behaviour. The expression «prevention is far better than cure» summarises his precept. Through the description of the context in which he lived and the analysis of his observations and proposals, the essay explores Ramazzini’s main works by revisiting his thinking in a contemporary way, highlighting the modernity of his anticipatory reflections and focusing on his visionary ideas.