industrial medicine

• disease

  natural explanations were believed more; belief in religious causes declined after Germ theory (1861)
• impact in Britain

  Henry Bastian didn't believe in Germ theory and they still believed in spontaneous generation. Robert Koch identified specific bacteria like the bacteria that cause Anthrax, TB, Cholera; this lead to prevention of disease through vaccinations. Louis Pasteur developed vaccinations for Cholera, Rabies and Anthrax. This lead to the first chemical cures for diseases e.g. magic bullet in 1909 by John Snow; who proved cholera was caused by contaminated water in 1851.
• surgery

  • early 1800s- surgery was limited, surgery was operated without effective anaesthetic and there was a risk of infection. Nitrous Oxides were used as painkillers.
  • james simpson- discovered that chloroform could be used as an anaesthetic
  • joseph lister- used carbolic acid as an antiseptic to kill germs during surgery; cleaned surgical equiptment and developed A-septic surgery
  • 1900- anaesthetics and antiseptic allowed surgeons to operate for longer and carry out more complex surgery deeper into the bodywith a reduced risk of infection.
• public health: the great stink (1858)

  joseph Bazalgette's plans for a new sewer systems were approved; 1300 miles of sewers and pumping stations were beside the river Thames
• public health: Cholera epidemics (1832->1867)

  John Snow made the link to cholera and dirty water, public health acts of 1848 and 1875; working class men in towns and cities used their vote to put pressure on the government to improve their living conditions.
• living conditions

  • clean water shortafe
  • slum housing- cramped, over crowded and diseases (cholera) spread easily
• key individuals

  • Edward Chadwick's report (1842) highlighted poor living conditions and influenced the government to pass the 1848 public health act
  • John Snow- proved cholera was caused by contaminated water
  • Joseph Bazelgette- designed a new sewage system for London
• 1848 public health act

  set up a general board of health and allowed the towns to set up their own local board of health but was voulentry
• 1875 public health act

  made local councils responsible for ensuring: clean water, public toilets, rubbish removal, sewers and drains