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ziamento a tutte le colleghe e i colleghi che hanno condiviso le loro riflessioni,
contribuendo con testi che, ne siamo certi, aiuteranno a mantenere viva la luce
accesa oltre tre secoli fa da Bernardino Ramazzini: il primo vero Medico del
Lavoro e fondatore, a livello mondiale, di questa fondamentale disciplina.

Roberto Lucchini e Alberto Modenese

INTRODUCTION

Bernardino Ramazzini is a symbolic and deeply cherished figure for anyone
approaching Occupational Medicine, as well as Social Medicine, environmental
protection, the defense of nature, and the promotion of health—particularly for
the most ‘vulnerable’ individuals.

His commitment was especially directed toward the more humble members
of society, often disadvantaged by fragile socioeconomic conditions and thus
more exposed to the health and safety risks associated with work.

The life and work of Ramazzini have fascinated entire generations and
continue to serve as a source of inspiration for those to come, thanks to the
ever-relevant message they convey. His decision—radical at the time—to vi-
sit workplaces to understand their dangers marked a significant turning point.

Ramazzini was a renowned physician and professor at prestigious universities
and could have chosen to frequent royal courts and dedicate his efforts to the
health of the powerful. Instead, he chose to focus on the health of the working
population, daily exposed to unhealthy and hazardous working conditions. Dri-
ven by a genuine thirst for knowledge and a deep intellectual independence,
Ramazzini firmly upheld the moral values in which he believed—even at the
cost of clashing with colleagues and institutions that opposed the changes his

ideas and writing inevitably provoked. The dissemination of his works, translated
into various languages, helped spread his thinking far beyond Italy’s borders.
To honor this extraordinary legacy and pass it on to future generations, we

organized a historical reenactment event in Modena, accompanied by expert

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