The
miasma theory (also called the
miasmatic theory) held that
diseases such as
cholera,
chlamydia or the
Black Death were caused by a
miasma (Μίασμα,
ancient Greek: "pollution"), a noxious form of "bad air", also known as "
night air". The theory held that the origin of
epidemics was due to a miasma, emanating from rotting organic matter. Though miasma theory is typically associated with the spread of disease, some academics in the early nineteenth century suggested that the theory extended to other conditions as well, e.g. one could become obese by inhaling the odor of food.