In the Preface he emphasized the importance of industry to the state and its impact on the maladies of the workmen. This work showed Ramazzini’s thorough acquaintance with the diseases and the relation of the trades to civilization. Throughout the entire book there is a continuous plea for the introduction of safety measures for the workmen and the necessity of their being medically inspected. In 1713 Ramazzini published the second and enlarged edition of his treatise that included a supplement of 12 chapters beginning with diseases of printers and ending with the diseases of soap boilers. First translated into English in 1705, not less than 25 editions and translations (20 authentic issues and five plagiarized versions) have appeared since 1700. Today it is out of print, but may be acquired through rare and out-of-print booksellers including Abebooks.com. The New York Academy of Medicine holds a 1940 copyright of the edition published by the University of Chicago Press. This text was also published as a “special edition” (copyright 1983) in The Classics of Medicine Library, Division of Gryphon Editions, New York, NY.

An historical recounting of the life of Dr. Alice Hamilton with a new forward (it is a reprint of the 1943 edition). Dr. Hamilton’s commitment to making her life count led her to combined roles as scientific researcher, skillful negotiator, labor organizer, and vocal and tireless crusader for social reform (433 pages, illustrated, paperback, ISBN 1883595045).

This book not only includes the history of the field of occupational medicine, but also interweaves the background of the American College of Occupational Medicine from its inception in 1916 as the American Association of Industrial Physicians & Surgeons and the Industrial Medical Association. Although this book is out of print, used copies are available from booksellers such as Barnes & Noble (www.bn.com) or Amazon.com (523 pages, hardcover, ISBN 0814311210).

A badly needed classic since neurologic exams are often absent or inaccurate (131 pages, illustrated, hardcover, ISBN 0397503687).

This book details the tragic Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire that occurred in 1911 at New York’s largest blouse factory and took the lives of 146 people, primarily young women immigrants. It was the deadliest disaster in a workplace in New York until 9/11. The book describes how the fire exposed hazardous working conditions in sweatshops and led to increased workplace regulations, strengthened labor, and affected New York’s politics (352 pages, paperback, ISBN 080214151X; hardcover, ISBN 0871138743).