Ramazzini and workers’ voice disorders

In the chapter XXXVIII of his work (De morbis quibus tentari solent phonasci, cantors, aliique hujus generis) (Figure) dealing with the diseases of voice-trainers, singers, and the like, Ramazzini reports thatquod satis experiuntur phonasci, cantores, oratores sacri, monachi, moniales quoque ob continuam in temples psalmodiam, rabulae forenses, praecones, anagnostae, philosophi in scholis ad ravim usque disputantes, et quotquot alii, quibus cantus, et vocis exercitatio artis loco est (this is the common experience of voice-trainers, singers, preachers, monks and nuns who are continually singing psalms and hymns in churches, bawling lawyers, criers, prelectors, philosophers in the schools who keep on debating till they hoarse, and others whose profession is singing and using the voice)4. In particular, Ramazzini describes the case of a famed singer, who …quea post exantlatos cantus labores, gravissima raucedine persaepe corripi solet, quem affectum sibi familiarem ait post diuturnos cantus (after the prolonged effort in singing…she very often had a severe attack of hoarseness and she said that after singing for a long time she regularly suffers like this)4. Acccording to the knowledge of that time,balnea ex aqua dulci ad vocem integram servandam, seu exasperatam emmolliendam (fresh-water baths will be a great help for keeping the voice in good condition and softening it when it has become rough)4, whereas unctiones, cerata and emplastra ridendae res sunt (other remedies such as ointments, cerates, and plasters are ridiculous)4. More in general Ramazzini concludes that …quo praesidii genere iis succurri posit, aliud non video, nisi temperantiam, et…ab hujusmodi vacare (the only sort of precaution that might help them is to avoid excess and take a rest from this sort of work…)4.