Fumifugium

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Fumifugium, or, The inconveniencie of the aer and smoak of London dissipated together with some remedies humbly proposed by J.E. esq. to His Sacred Majestie, and to the Parliament now assembled is a pamphlet published in London, 1661, by John Evelyn. It is one of the earliest known works on air pollution.

Evelyn was appointed to the newly formed Royal Society, and both Society and pamphlet are celebrated in the 1663 ""Ballad of Gresham College". Stanza 23 (given here in modern English) describes how Evelyn

[...] shows that 'tis the sea-coal smoke
That always London does environ,
Which does our lungs and spirits choke,
Our hanging spoil, and rust our iron.
Let none at Fumifuge be scoffing
Who heard at Church our Sunday's coughing.

The pamphlet suggests that burning wood, particularly aromatic woods, will be less harmful to the lungs and recommends relocating some of London's more polluting industries outside the capital, in particular lime-burning and brewing.

[edit] References

Synopsis of Fumifugium. Early English Books Online project by the University of Michigan and University of Oxford. Full text of pamphlet available to participating institutions. Retrieved 4 April 2006.
"Ballad of Gresham College". Original text.