Chemistry and physics in relation to hygiene.

  • International Congress of Hygiene and Demography.
Date:
1892
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Chemistry and physics in relation to hygiene. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service. The original may be consulted at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service.

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    SECTI^ V. CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS IIT RELATION TO HYGIENE. Tuesday, 11th. August, 1891. The President, Sir Henry Roscoe, M.P., LL.l)., F.R.S., in the Cliair. Presidential Address BY Sir Henry Roscoe, M.P., F.R.S., LL.D., D.C.L. The branch of the great subject of Hygiene with which we in this section hace to deal, viz., that of the relation in Avhich -it stands to the sciences of chemistry and physics, is one of primary importance and interest. Indeed, taken in its most general sense, the relation of the science of health to chemisti’y and physics will be found to include almost all the varied subjects which come under the cognisance of this Congress, for all vital processes are regulated by chemical and physical laws, and physiology may be defined as the chemistry and physics of tlie animal body. Hence the preservation of a normal condition, or of health, being dependant upon these laws, it is clear that our Section js the most important of all, for it is by obeying chemical and idiysical laws that health is maintained, whilst by neglecting to follow them we court disease and death. But whilst as chemists and physicists we may claim credit for laying the foundations of the edifice of Hygienic Science, we gladly admit that portions of the building have been raised by other hands, and heartily do we welcome the successful efforts which the liiologist, the physician, the engineer, and the statesman have made to help us to complete the buTlding up of a condition of things by which the amount of preventible disease is reduced to its possible minimum, and that of health and well-being increased to the maximum possible under the necessary circumstances of our lives. As to the progress which during the last half century has been made towards the attainment of this end—he who runs may read. Those who can carry their minds back 50 years will be free to confess that at that time, whether in England or abroad, the principles of Sanitary Science were recognised only by a very few men of light and leading, and that luiy attempt to carry out these principles were, indeed, few and