Contextualising our clamour for ‘progress’ versus that of the Romans | Letters

The “civilised Romans”, despite their baths and sewage system, have been assessed as no freer from disease than the barbarians they scorned (Lice, fleas and tapeworms: the horrible history of the Romans, 8 January). I wonder whether modern Britain would fare any better if judged by academics in a couple of thousand years. Will they find that our obsession with cleanliness, evidenced by myriad shampoos, cleansers and deodorants, left us prey to the fearful ravages of the ubiquitous trisclosan; that the sewage sludge which found its way on to agricultural land exposed us to the noxious effects of heavy metals; or that gender mutations caused by synthetic hormones had undreamt-of implications for our fertility? We shall never know.Sally KnightsBristol• Join the debate – email [e-mail] Continue reading...

Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - January 13, 2016 Category: Science Authors: Letters Tags: Infectious diseases Roman Britain UK news Medical research Microbiology Science Fertility problems Health Society Source Type: news