Hygiene manual

Although the development of hygiene as a scientific discipline only occurred in our century, its practical significance has already been recognized and practiced by the oldest cultures in public life. The first state formations arose from the need for a common defense against hostile attacks, and this need soon had to be acknowledged in relation to the threats posed by health-damaging influences on the community. To this day, hygiene has focused solely on understanding and combating all those influences that impair health. Health itself, meaning the normal harmonious functioning of all organic processes, cannot be positively enhanced where it exists; any improvement in well-being can only occur by preventing disruptive influences.