The health of the public--from Cos to Maastricht.

The medical profession above all others has reason to be grateful that health has been and remains of vital importance to the individual and the public. Throughout history, health and hygiene have been recurrent topics in literature and philosophy, even featuring in early mythology: the Greek god Asclepios had a large family, most of whom had health and medical functions. One daughter, Hygeia, was the deity of health. Another daughter was Panacea who represented treatment. It is a tribute to their sagacity that the ancient Greeks separated the concepts of health and sickness, of prevention and cure.