Modern world: influences of progress Flashcards
How has societal perception and understanding of illness evolved from industrial times to the modern day?
Throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, researchers have looked deeply at how lifestyle factors like diet and exercise have causal links to illnesses such as a cancer and diabetes.
The importance of diet and exercise have been rational hunches linked as far back as Ancient times, but we have now proved this with scientific methods.
How has science and technology influenced the progress of modern medicine?
By the start of the 1900, the work of Robert Koch had made the belief in germs universal.
Vaccines led to the understanding that the body produces antibodies to fight disease, so a cure should do this artificially.
As the 20th century progressed, better understanding of the connection between disease and genetic pathways developed. For example, the Human Genome Project (1990-2000) allowed much greater understanding of hereditary disease.
How has the government become more involved in public health in the modern world?
In 1919, the government set up the ministry of health.
In 1942, the Beveridge report suggested that the government had a duty to provide for the general welfare of the whole population. The NHS was part of a list of suggestions.
In 1948, the Labour government created the NHS.
By the 1960s, NHS hospitals existed throughout the United Kingdom.
This meant that the poor no longer had to rely on charity, but could rely on the government to help their general welfare.
