Commentary: Epidemiology still ascendant.

briefly for several decades is now nearly gone, leaving behind some knowledge of disease prevention, a few controversial alarms, and a collection of techniques for assessing the health consequences of people’s actions. Among the legacies is the demise of major 20th-century epidemics attributable to tobacco, dietary fats and some carcinogens in the workplace and environment. For many, however, epidemiology was an unpleasant science, providing frequent reminders that we are born into a dangerous world where no action is without some risk. Most of us have been persuaded to discard the belief that our modern world is a safe harbour, but now we shall have to muddle along with little specific knowledge of the risks we face. It is a small comfort, at least, that the methods devised by epidemiologists during the latter part of the 20th century will endure to serve some future generation with sufficient curiosity to apply them. References 1 Graunt J. Natural and Political Observations Mentioned in a Following Index and Made Upon the Bills of Mortality. New York: Arno Press, 1975 (Reprinted edition). 2 Smoking and Health: report of the Advisory Committee to the Surgeon General of the Public Health Service, Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1964. (DHEW publication no. (PHS) 1103). 3 Kuhn TS. The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. 2nd edn., Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1970. 4 Planck M. Scientific Autobiography and Other Papers. New York: Greenwood Press, 1949. 5 Smith AZ. Memoirs of an Epidemiologist. New York: Augur Press, 2002. 6 MacMahon B. Strengths and limitations of epidemiology. In: The National Research Council in 1979: current issues and studies. Washington. D.C.: National Academy of Sciences, 1979; pp. 91–104.