18th and 19th Century Flashcards
continuity in theory of causes of disease
few new ideas
spontaneous generation - germs produced by decay
miasma, becoming less popular
microscopes
developed
(1700) cloudy images of bacteria/germs seen
(1850) tiny images seen clearly
essential - enabled breakthroughs
germ theory - Louis Pasteur
1861 - published suggesting that : spontaneous generation is wrong bacteria caused disease and microbes in the air caused decay
Robert Koch
used Pasteur's work discovered: specific microbes cause specific diseases tb - 1882 cholera - 1883
influence of Pasteur and Koch
Pasteurs germ theory:
little impact on medicine in Britain
spontaneous generation still believed in
yet some used his work
Koch: more impact inspired others to research other microbes took time to accept theory no impact yet on prevention/treatment
Florence Nightingale
nursing:
little training
not respectable job
she attended the first training school
asked to lead nurses during Crimean War
believed in miasma, emphasised hygiene/fresh air etc
work widely reported - newspapers
changes in hospital care
new hospitals opened first GP middle and upper classes could be treated at home cleanliness/organisation improved nurses had a bigger role, assisted doctors more homely atmosphere tried to be created infirmaries, for the poorest in society specialist hospitals (asylums ect)
search for an anaesthetic
before 1800, alcohol/opium had little effect easing pain
1844, laughing gas, still pain
1846, ether, lasted long time + unconscious, but could cause them to cough, sick, and flammable
1847, chloroform, effective, few side effects, difficult to get right does and could kill if wrong
cocaine, local anaesthetic 1884
1905 novocaine, less addictive
james simpson
chloroform
experimented with chemicals
very effective, used during child birth
John Snow made an inhaler to regulate dose, reducing danger of death
aseptic surgery
listers work inspired others to search for methods to prevent the spread of infection in hospitals
by 1900:
operating theatres and wards thoroughly cleaned
using aseptic technique
sterilised clothing worn
sterilised instruments
opposition to anaesthetics
thought being unconscious increased chances of death
very religious, believed God made pain for a reason
and shouldn’t be interfered
long time to believe in the Germ Theory and accept Listers discoveries
impact of anaesthetics and antiseptics
surgery became pain free
surgeons could take more time and be more careful
more complex surgery possible
infection reduced - because of more successful operations
led to aseptic surgery
surgery black period
as patients were asleep surgeons attempted more complex operations carrying infection further into the body more loss of blood number of people dying increased
development of vaccinations
Pasteur published germ theory
discovered a weakened version of a disease could create immunity
admired Jenner, called it a vaccination, tribute to jenner
developed vaccines for animals against anthrax, rabies etc
inspired others to make ones for human diseases
1875 Public Health Act
city authorities must provide: clean waters sewers public toilets street lighting public parks
lodging houses inspected for cleanliness
monster building of new houses - damp, overcrowded
check quality of food
public officer of health to monitor disease
reasons for the Public Health Act
previously the government didn’t believe it’s role was to improve conditions, but to interfere in peoples lives
attitude began to change
due to several epidemics e.g. cholera
increasing scientific evidence, that poor conditions caused disease
smallpox
18th century
killed more children than any other disease
thousands of adults died too
disease spread quickly from person to person
Edward Jenner
born in 1749
trained in London as a surgeon and apothecary
worked at St George’s Hospital
returned to Gloucestershire to work as a GP
then made his discovery
vaccination and smallpox
inoculating had been done since the 1720’s
yet could still kill, but only rich could afford it
Jenner collected evidence of failures of smallpox innoculations, regularly treated people for cowpox, and saw they never caught smallpox
carried out experiments, none caught smallpox that he had infected with cowpox
printed his findings in An enquiry into the causes and effects of the various vaccine in 1798
the royal society refused
1800, 100,000 had been vaccinated worldwide
took time to become popular In Britain
1802 Royal Jennerian Society set up to promote it
when were vaccines compulsory in Britain
1840, government paid for vaccines
1852, they were compulsory
1979, WHO, announced smallpox had been wiped out
was Jenner important?
proved scientific methods could lead to a disease being wiped out
yet:
he didn’t know why it worked
link between cowpox and smallpox was unique, couldn’t lead to other vaccines
other diseases were still killing people
opposition to Jenner
thought it was wrong to give people an animals disease
interfered with God’s plan
doctors lost money as gov provided it for free
some doctors didn’t vaccinate properly, didn’t work
attempts to prevent the spread of cholera
believed it was caused by miasma/spontaneous generation
homes kept clean
clean streets and rubbish
clean water supplies suggested by public health act, but not compulsory, so few did it.
cholera
affected mainly the poor areas, some wealthy also
severe diarrhoea and vomiting
led to dehydration
no treatment, those who caught it died
