O-097 the Forgotten Historian: The Passion of Luigi Carrozzi (1880–1963) for Occupational Medicine’s Past

Abstract Introduction Luigi Carozzi (1880–1963) is known for his role as Head of the Industrial Hygiene Service at the International Labour Office (ILO) from 1920 to 1940 and as the secretary of the ICOH from 1906 to 1954. However, Carozzi’s interest in the history of occupational medicine remained in the background. Methods This study is based on the examination of largely unpublished documents from the ILO Historical Archives (Geneva), and his personal papers. Results and discussion During his career, Carozzi showed a profound interest in the history of occupational medicine. This interest was likely inherited from his mentor Luigi Devoto (1864–1936), who rediscovered the contributions of Bernardino Ramazzini (1633–1714). Carozzi’s dedication to the history of occupational diseases is evident in writings published in French and Italian in 1930. Notably, his major work, the 1930 Encyclopaedia of Safety, begins with a motto from Ramazzini, and references to the founding figure of the discipline are frequent throughout the text. Carozzi was keen on presenting a historical image on the first pages of the Encyclopaedia, such as the “Landscape with a Foundry” (c. 1525) by the Flemish painter Herri met de Bles (c. 1490–1566). In 1941, Carozzi published his main work dedicated to the history of silicosis. Finally, according to the testimony of his son, Albert (1925–2014), Carozzi worked in his last few years on an unfinished treatise on the history of occupational medicine. Conclusion Luigi Carozzi’s originality, depth of analysis, and methodology established him as one of the early modern historians of occupational medicine.