Medicine In The Industrial Perdiod Flashcards
Describe spontaneous generation
Microbes were caused by disease in something called spontaneous generation.
Believed that microbes were a symptom of disease and developed randomly, creating bacteria.
Spreading disease
Contagionists, believed disease was spread through contact
Ant-contagionist, spread through miasma.
Pasteurs germs in the air
He found that sterile water remained sterile if the flask was closed. But wasn’t once the flask was opened. This suggested that there were germs in the air
Pasteurs germs theory
In 1861, he published the theory that germs were causing infections. Microscopes eventually allowed Pasteur to see the micro organisms that he described.
Pasteur faced opposition
Famous doctor Charlton Bastian supported spontaneous generation, contradicted Pasteurs theory.
Pasteurs research focused on liquids, people did not think that small germs could cause that harm to humans.
Impact of Germ theory
Everyday medical treatment
People gradually started to believe and treat people in line with Germ theory.
Most of the gains from germ theory came in the 20th century.
Impact of Germ Theory
Implications
Disease was not spread by miasma, spontaneous generation was wrong, 4 humours was wrong
Impact of Germ theory
Safer medical treatment
In 19th century, survival rates in surgery increased, hospitals became cleaner and vaccinations became more popular.
Technological development meant that diseases could be identified and stopped more effectively. Drugs were developed and became popular
Robert Koch showed that germs weren’t all the same.
He identified different microbes that caused disease. Begining of bacteriology.
Ex tuberculosis in 1882 and cholera in 1883 by injecting animals with the diseases. He also dyed bacteria to view under a microscope.
Research continued by other scientists.
Germ theory in the UK.
John Tyndall gave lectures on Germ Theory to British doctors and disputed Bastian’s ideas.
Cheyne translated Koch’s work and highlighted that not all microbes caused harmful disease.
Koch and Pasteur created generation of microbe hunters.
Charles Chamberland
In 1879 Pasteur accidently showed that vaccination could prevent disease.
After Charles Chamberland left out a cholera culture over the weekend, they discovered that weekend cholera germs could make a chicken immune from later bouts of cholera.
Pasteurs vaccine
1881, anthrax for sheep vaccine
1884 rabies.
First Public Health act
1848 set up a Central Board of Health to improve public health.
Towns were asked to set up their own local board of health.
Towns were given the power to spend money on improving street cleanliness
Result was mixed. Some cleaned their streets some didnt
Was shut down in 1854
👃😩
The great stink of 1858
River Thames was full of sewage and it was hot. Parliament noticed the stench. Prompted them to fix London’s sewage system.
Bazalgette
Completed the new sewage system within a year. Still used today.
