Public Health Reform Flashcards
When was the Public Health Act?
1848
What was the catalyst for reform?
The anxiety caused by the new cholera epidemic sweeping Europe
What were the acts provision based on?
The findings and recommendation made by Edwin Chadwick in his Report On thé Sanitary Conditions of the Labouring population of Great Britain
What did the act create ?
Central General Board of Health
What is the central General Board of health ?
A provisional body which would be responsible for advising on epidemics and disease and prevention and had responsibility for local board of healths
Why was the General Board of Health ineffective?
It had no power to compel them to implement the provisions of the act
An example of an inspection
In Durham, the city council, the cathedral, the university and the medical professions petitioned for an inspection because the morality was too high
What was the result of the public health act of 1848?
it established a Central Board of Health whose job it was to improve sanitation and living standards in towns and populous areas in England and Wales
The 1848 Public Health Act put the General Board of Health in charge of?
water, sewage, drainage, cleaning, paving, and environmental health regulation
Who was Edwin Chadwick?
one of the people behind the 1834 Poor Law, which first led him to investigate the issue of sanitation amongst the poor whilst he worked as a secretary to the Poor Law Commissioners
What did Edwin Chadwick argue?
the more the state did to help the poor, the fewer of them would seek out those provisions from the state and especially applied to places of work as much of these state provisions were paid out to families of men who had died due to unsanitary workplaces. In order to benefit long term, the state ought to invest in the short term
what were the most important aspects of public health conditions to improve?
- drainage and provisions of sewers
- the removal of all refuse from houses, streets and roads
- the provision of clean drinking water
- the appointment of a medical officer for each town
Why was the Public health Act important?
Until 1848, the government intervening for citizens health was not widespread nor commonly agreed upon and although the law was very limited ut can be seen as an ear of public health reforms that were to lead all the way up to the creation of the NHS in the 20th century
What did Chadwick’s recommendations mean for rich citizens?
that councils would have to increase the rates and this would be unpopular with the better off citizens
In the Cholera epidemic in 1848, how many people died?
- over 3000 people died in Glamorgan
- 350 in Cardiff
- 1389 in Merthyr Tydfil
What did Edwin Chadwick suggest about middle class?
Chadwick claimed that middle class people lived longer and healthier lives because they could afford to pay to have their sewage removed and to have fresh water piped into their homes
What was the average age of death for the professional class compared to the working class?
In liverpool, average death age was 35 for professional class and 15 for the working class
Why did Chadwick criticise private health companies?
Chadwick argued that these services should be supplied by public organisations and pointed out that private companies were only willing to supply these services to those people who could afford them, whereas public organisations could make sure everybody received these services.
What did Chadwick propose to do for the sewage?
The government needed to provide a supply of piped water and an entirely new system of sewers
Who opposed Chadwick?
- the owners of private companies who in the past had made very large profits from supplying fresh water to middle class districts in towns and cities
- prosperous householders who were already paying higher taxes and were worried that Chadwick’s proposal would mean them paying higher taxes
lassiez - faire
a belief that government should not interfere in the free market and argued that it was up to individuals to decide what goods or services they wanted to buy
what did George Hudson, the conservative MP state in the House of commons?
‘the people want to be left to manage their own affairs; they do not want parliament… interfering in everybody’s business’
What was the Health of Towns Association?
an orgnaisaton formed by doctors who began a propaganda campaign in favour of the Public Health Bill
When did the Health of Towns association send parliament a petition in favour of the Public Health Bill
June 1847
