THE PLACE OF THE TROPICS IN WESTERN MEDICAL IDEAS SINCE 1750

The idea of 'the tropics' as a region distinct from the 'temperate' wo rld has a long history and derives from European expansion and environ mental theories especially from about 1750 onwards. Although the tropi cs were ascribed some positive attributes, the dominant concept was a negative one and the idea of distinctive tropical diseases and the cor responding need for a separate specialty of tropical medicine largely grew out of this.