Public Health Flashcards
What was the problem of cholera
Arrived in Sunderland in 1831 Feared disease Bad symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhoea Very quick to kill Killed everyone
Who was Edwin Chadwick and the Poor Comission
Made money writing essays and was hired by important person to be literacy assistant
Investigated the effectiveness of the Poor Laws
Became interested in sanitation and thought draining would help people
Contributed to the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act
What was the 1842 Report by Chawick
Investigated sanitation
Published a report in 1842 called ‘The Sanitary Conditions of the Labouring Population
Showed the link between poor living standards and life expectancy
His report asked for better conditions and came up with a solution
What was the 1848 Public Health Act
Act influenced by report from Chadwick It was permissive Provided a medical officer Enabled authorities to borrow money Disbanded in 1878
Limitations to 1848 Public Health Act
Permissive Terms were temporary cost of improvements were high Chadwick had a bad personality Attitudes slow to change
What was the Broad Street Pump and John Snow
He was a London Doctor who proved cholera was spread via water
First case in 1832 and saw the poor sanitation in the area
Formulated a theory about cholera and didn’t believe it was miasma
In 1849 he published his theory and proved his theory in 1854
Saw the cases concentrated around the pump and when he took the handle the cases stopped
Limitations to Snow’s work
Very little was done to improve Public Health
Too disgusting for Parliament
People still believed in miasma
What was the 1858 Great Stink
Hot weather caused the Thames to lower
Exposed the rubbish causing a bad smell
Convinced people that Public Health was important
MP’s passed an act for a new sewage system
Other reasons for change
Snows Work on Cholera
Germ Theory
Government collected statistics on things such as births
Cholera outbreak in 1866
Working class men used their voices after getting the vote in 1867
What was the 1875 Public Health Act
It consolidated all other Public Health Acts
Made things mandatory
Authorities were forced to provide clean water, take away waste and make food safe to eat
Other Acts for Public Health
1875 Artisans Dwelling Act
1875 Food and Drugs Act
1876 River Pollution Prevention Act
1889 Infectious Diseases Act
Other Improvements
Park Hospital opened in 1897 - dealt with infectious diseases
Chamberlain became Mayor of Birmingham in 1873
Cadbury family built workers a village
Limitations to Change by 1900
Basic services were owned by private companies
Many people lived in bad conditions
Infant mortality increased in 1881
No system for tackling poverty
