Talk:Miasma theory

What about Hahnemann's miasma theory? His ideas seem to be confirmed by today's epigenetics. His theory is far from obsolete! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 79.237.81.7 (talk) 18:34, 19 August 2010 (UTC)

This theory is totally true and stuff, we should all try to do our part to clean up the air!!!

common methods of prevention and treatment during 350 A.D. -1450A.D.

Miasma theory did NOT include the spread of cholera through water. It was bad air. That's why no one believed John Snow. Definatly worth changing

Homeopathy

I think that miasma is also a homeopathic concept differnt than simple airboune filth as a cause of disease. I'm not yet infomed enough to add to the article, perhaps someone else is.--Tjc 13:42, 10 February 2006 (UTC) ==

you're right I'm no expert, either, but I think you are right. When homeopaths use the term, it has a different meaning. But I think a homeopath should add that usage of the word

Here's a link on it www.homeopathic-natural-medicine.com --Calan 10:40, 11 February 2006 (UTC)

move

This should be at Miasma hypothesis of disease.Geni 21:23, 11 December 2005 (UTC)

Nonsensical?

If miasmatic theory "began" in the Middle Ages, how is it possible that "Abaris the Hyperborean...cleaned Sparta under Mount Taygetus from miasmata coming downhill". Was he a time traveller from the Middle Ages?Sladek 14:13, 17 April 2007 (UTC)

Damn good question. This is, overall, an excellent and informative article (disregarding the fact that all the main info is in the leader) but that sentence makes absolutely no sense and if no one steps in to make sense of it, it should just be removed. --203.2.182.254 23:45, 26 September 2007 (UTC)

Dudes.. maybe it's informative but it is certainly not an excellent article. It's very poorly written (English as second language?) and full of redundancies. That was far from the only nonsensical sentence; I just cleaned up at least four or five more, and I only worked on two small paragraphs. Mostly, I just deleted stuff. It reads as though it was written by a high school student trying to meet a minimum word count. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 174.115.221.135 (talk) 14:41, 9 August 2011 (UTC)

Should Science Take Another Look?

The general success of this theory prior to the discovery of the actual microbe may not be related to simply "kill the germs!" wherever smell was found. Germs are legion even in the cleanest areas of nature; furthermore; it stands to reason that the human organism has evolved sensory mechanisms to detect unhealthy areas, this is why feces smell bad! Perhaps the converse of the miasma theory bears looking into; unpolluted areas that do not smell bad and are rife with nature may be full of competing germs that, while they may give you mild diarrhea if you are not acclimated, act to prevent the establishment of more seriously pathogens! Zaphraud 15:16, 5 August 2007 (UTC)

Hippocratic background missing

The article currently provides the ancient background to miasma with a rather arcane and idiosyncratic reference to Abaris the Hyperborean, who may not ever have existed, and a quote from the Roman architectural writer Vitruvius, who, since he writes in Latin, does not use the word miasma, but rather the equivalent nebula. I mention this because nebula will also be found in the medieval and Renaissance treatises, most of which are written in Latin. However, the actual Greek theoretical background is missing, one important document of which is On Airs, Waters, and Places in the Hippocratic Corpus. This is a far more significant and medically influential document. It was regularly edited and also translated into Latin during the 16th century, and disseminated through the new medium of the printing press. Merits a sentence, at least. Perhaps the ancient background should be moved into a paragraph under its own section heading after the lead? Cynwolfe (talk) 12:11, 22 April 2010 (UTC)

"Fresh smelling"?

This article has a couple of eccentricities, such as Florence Nightingale being responible for making hospitals "fresh smelling", and also what the hell does effluvia mean? Latin shouldn't just casually be thrown in to an English language encyclopedia. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.119.249.53 (talk) 02:59, 3 September 2010 (UTC)