title: [The contribution of Louis-Bernard Guyton de Morveau (1737-1816) to public health and the adoption of his ideas in the Netherlands].
abstract: In the early 19th century the concept of miasmata played a leading role in the explanation of contagious diseases and epidemics. Furthermore the new chemistry, developed by Lavoisier and his colleagues, facilitated the introduction of a new way of disinfecting the air and destroying contagious substances. These facts facilitated the introduction of a new way of fighting disease carriers, whatever their nature might be, by means of fumigations. These treatments were carried out by means of disinfecting vaporous agents, produced by mixing mineral acids with sodium chloride and manganese peroxide. In 1801 Guyton-Morveau published a book on this subject, which in 1802 appeared in a Dutch enlarged edition. The Netherlands were in urgent need of an effective means of fighting disease carriers, since its coastal areas were frequently stricken by epidemics. The French government, incited by the Institut National, the Conseil de Sante and the Ecole de Médecine de Paris, gave top priority to the introduction of Guyton's salutary operation in France. In 1814 the Dutch Society of Sciences held a contest about the applicability and effects of the fumigations invented by Guyton-Morveau. In 1823, two entries were received, one of which was awarded the gold medal. It turned out to have been written by the translator of Guyton's book, published in 1801.
authors.forename: Teunis Willem
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Van Heiningen
mesh_terms: D002621:Chemistry / Q000266:history*; D005602:France; D005651:Fumigation / Q000266:history*; D049671:History, 18th Century; D049672:History, 19th Century; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009626:Terminology as Topic