8
some reports about increased frequency of unknown disease among miners appeared
in Agricola’s writings. It took more than 350 years before this disease was diagnosed as lung cancer. At that time, however, it was not clear what caused this disease. It was only in 1925 when the so-called Schneeberg lung cancer was recognized
as one of occupational diseases.
Agricola spent 4 years (1527–1531) in Jáchymov, where he worked as an urban
doctor and pharmacist. Even after returning to Saxony, he quite often visited the
town to collect and refine his knowledge of mining, metallurgy and mineralogy.
Agricola’s famous book, reflecting his lifetime work, was De Re Metallica libri
XII—Twelve books on mining. The work presented 289 detailed woodcut
illustrations; one of them depicting prospecting work is shown in Fig. 5b. For the
Fig. 4 The Joachimsthaler, minted in Jáchymov, at that time the Kingdom of Bohemia, had (a) a
picture of St. Joachim on one side and (b) the Czech lion together with the name of King Ludovicus
on the other side (Wikipedia 2018)
Fig. 5 Georgius Agricola (a) and one of many drawings from his famous book on mining showing
prospecting work (b)
J. Sabol
some reports about increased frequency of unknown disease among miners appeared
in Agricola’s writings. It took more than 350 years before this disease was diagnosed as lung cancer. At that time, however, it was not clear what caused this disease. It was only in 1925 when the so-called Schneeberg lung cancer was recognized
as one of occupational diseases.
Agricola spent 4 years (1527–1531) in Jáchymov, where he worked as an urban
doctor and pharmacist. Even after returning to Saxony, he quite often visited the
town to collect and refine his knowledge of mining, metallurgy and mineralogy.
Agricola’s famous book, reflecting his lifetime work, was De Re Metallica libri
XII—Twelve books on mining. The work presented 289 detailed woodcut
illustrations; one of them depicting prospecting work is shown in Fig. 5b. For the
Fig. 4 The Joachimsthaler, minted in Jáchymov, at that time the Kingdom of Bohemia, had (a) a
picture of St. Joachim on one side and (b) the Czech lion together with the name of King Ludovicus
on the other side (Wikipedia 2018)
Fig. 5 Georgius Agricola (a) and one of many drawings from his famous book on mining showing
prospecting work (b)
J. Sabol