Improvements in public health Flashcards
What were the public health problems people faced in Industrial Britain ?
- Low life expectancy in cities
- Cholera epidemics
- The Great Stink of 1858
What was the life expectancy of working call people in Liverpool in industrial england ?
Working class people in Liverpool lived to an average age of 15
How many people did the Cholera epidemics kill during 1848-49 ?
The epidemic of 1848-49 killed over 50,000 people.
There were four major epidemics between 1831 and 1868
Why did the Great stink if 1858 scare Londoners ?
This scared Londoners as many people believed that bad air carried disease (Miasma)
What were the causes of low life expectancy in the cities ?
- Overcrowded living conditions
- Lack of sewage systems - human waste ended up in the river
- Lack of clean water supply
What was the causes of the Cholera epidemics ?
- Drinking unclean water - germs from cesspits infected the water supply
- In cities, many people got their drinking water from the river - this was where they dumped their rubbish
What was the causes of the great stink of 1858 ?
- A very hot summer - a thick layer of sewage lay in the water in the River Thames and the smell of the river became unbearable
Before the Germ theory, people did not know that germs infected the water supply. What did this mean for the methods used to prevent the spread of cholera ?
Responses to cholera were therefore a familiar mix is common sense and supernatural remedies
What were the methods to prevent Cholera ?
- To protect against bad air: burning barrels of tar, inhaling vinegar and smoking cigars
- Praying to God or wearing lucky charms
- Burning the clothes and bedding of victims
- Quarantine- guards stopped poor people from entering the city
What did Edwin Chadwick do ?
- Produced reports in the 1840s that
linked low life expectancy with
poor living conditions - Argued that people should pay higher taxes to improve sewage systems, remove rubbish from the streets and provide clean water supplies.
What impact did Edwin Chadwick’s reports and ideas have ?
- Faced a lot of opposition. (especially from taxpayers)
- However, after the 1848 cholera epidemics. the government did pass a public health act
What did John Snow do ?
- Produced a book (in 1849) in which he argued that cholera spread through water, not ‘bad air’
- In 1854, he produced a repost into over 500 feathers from cholera around Broad street (in London). He linked all the feathers to a water pump in the street (where a nearby cesspool was leaking into the drinking water)
What impacts did Snow’s book and report have ?
- Snow provided the link between the water and cholera but could not explain why there was a link. (The link was not made until Pasteur published his germ theory)
- His work showed the importance of using data to study epidemics and added to the pressure for clean water supplies
What did Octavia Hill do ?
- Campaigned for laws that would force local
councils to improve housing - Brought three London slum houses in 1865 and cleaned them to show landlords how to provide health homes
- Went on to buy and improve over 2000 houses
What impact did octavia Hill have ?
- Similar schemes were set up in other twins and cities
- In 1875, the government passed the Artisans’ Dwelling Act. This gave councils power to knock down slum
housing if it was believed to be unhealthy
What is the acronym to remember when and why public did public health finally improved ?
SEW AGE
In the early 1800s, there were many problems:
S - Sewers
E - Epidemics
W - Water
In the second half of the 1800s, things started to improve:
A - Acts
G - Germ Theory
E - Engineering
How were seers a problem in the early 1800s ?
Sewers were open and rubbish was thrown into rivers and streets
How were epidemics a problem during the early 1800s ?
Epidemics such as cholera were very common and killed thousands of people
How were water supplies a problem during the early 1800s ?
Water supplies were unclean - many people got their water from the nearest river or water pump. Some
water pumps were very close to cesspits where human waste was dumped
How did acts help to improve public health in the seconds half of the 1800s ?
Acts (laws) were introduced by the government. The public Health act in 1843 encouraged change, but it did not force councils to act. Most local councils did little. However, the 1875 Public health law forced local councils to improve sewers, provide fresh water supplies and appoint inspectors to check the new facilities
How did the germ theory help
improve public health during the second half of the 1800s ?
The Germ theory and the great sink acted as a trigger for action - they changed attitudes and encouraged councils to make improvements.
How did Engineering help to
improving public health during the second half of the 1800s ?
Engineering improvements were used to build a new sewage system for London. Joseph Bazalgette designed 83 miles of larger underground sewers. Pumping stations were built at regular intervals to pump the sewage out of the city.
