Fumifugium facts for kids
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 special book published in London in 1661. It was written by John Evelyn. This book is one of the very first works ever written about air pollution. Even after more than 350 years, it is still seen as a very important book on the topic.
John Evelyn wrote this letter specifically for King Charles II of England. It talked about the air pollution problems in London, which had been going on since medieval times. Evelyn even mentioned ancient Greek thinkers who believed air was essential for life and the soul. But then, air pollution started making people sick.
Contents
Why John Evelyn Wrote It
John Evelyn became a member of the new Royal Society. Both the Society and his book were praised in a song from 1663 called "Ballad of Gresham College". One part of the song describes how Evelyn showed that:
[...] it's the sea-coal smoke
That always London does surround,
If you heard our Sunday coughing in Church.
Which chokes our lungs and spirits,
Spoils our clothes, and rusts our iron.
Don't make fun of Fumifuge
The "sea-coal" Evelyn talked about was named that because it arrived in London by sea from Newcastle. When this coal was burned, it smelled terrible. This was because it had a lot of sulfur in it. Burning sea-coal released harmful gases like sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide, and nitric oxide. It also released soot and tiny bits of organic matter into the air.
In his book, Evelyn suggested burning wood instead, especially wood that smelled nice. He believed this would be less harmful to people's lungs. He also recommended moving some of London's most polluting businesses outside the city. These included places that made lime and breweries.
What the Book Covers
Fumifugium is divided into three main parts. These parts explain the problem of air pollution, suggest a solution, and offer ways to make London's air better.
Part One: The Problem
The first part of Evelyn's book explains the details of London's air pollution problem. It also describes how this pollution affected people's health. He wrote that many thinkers believed air was most important for the soul and for the Earth. We need clean air to breathe and survive.
Part Two: The Solution
The second part of the book suggests a way to fix the air pollution problem. Evelyn recommended moving all businesses that caused pollution out of the capital city.
Part Three: Improving the Air
In the third part of his book, Evelyn described ways to improve London's air quality. He suggested planting many trees, sweet-smelling flowers, and other plants near the city.
Why Fumifugium Is Important
Fumifugium is seen as a very important step in understanding air pollution. Peter Brimblecombe, a historian, called it an "outstanding work." He said it shows that Evelyn was a person with amazing observation skills.
William M. Cavert, who studies early British environmental history, believes it is "the most detailed, smart, and ambitious study of city air pollution made anywhere during that time." Todd Andrew Borlik, an expert in old literature, says Fumifugium is "one of the first strong arguments against air pollution." He adds that it not only points out the problem but also suggests a clever plan for city design to fight it.
However, some historians have different ideas. Mark Jenner, who studies early modern history, thinks it's "too simple" to just see Fumifugium as an early example of environmental concern. He believes Evelyn's book was also very much about politics. It was connected to King Charles II's return to power. According to Jenner, Fumifugium was full of political symbols. It was also part of a growing scientific interest in studying air, which included the work of scientists like Robert Boyle.
See also
