"My flying machine was out of order".
Why did the founders of this organization-which was established in 1884 as the American Climatological Association-want to study climatology and respiratory diseases? In particular, where did the idea of treating tuberculosis with pure air and sunlight come from? How effective was this treatment for a disease that in 1880 afflicted a third of the population of Colorado? Why did this Association not acknowledge technological advances such as weather forecasting or large 20(th) century population movements? This paper seeks to answer those questions in order to inform the Association's possible study of the effects of global climate change on human health, an issue that is arguably comparable to what the founders faced. Recent governmental reports suggest that the medical and health care communities have not yet become engaged. If the ACCA does not, then who will?
Lindberg
Donald A B
DA
National Library of Medicine, 8600 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA. lindberg@nlm.nih.gov
Howe
Sally E
SE
D002980:Climate; D057231:Climate Change; D014943:Global Health; D006370:Heliotherapy / Q000266:history; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D012958:Societies, Scientific / Q000266:history*; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000266:history / Q000628:therapy; D014481:United States