Medicine Through Time (Early Modern)

• Medicine in 18th- and 19th-century Britain saw great change, especially following the publication of Louis Pasteur’s germ theory, leading to significant changes in surgery and better prevention of disease in the late 19th century.
• Britain experienced more changes in the 18th and 19th centuries than in any period before, as a result of the Industrial Revolution, developments in science and technology, and a change in the government's attitude towards its role in the everyday lives of the population.
• The Industrial Revolution was the process that transformed manufacturing from handmade to machine-made, mass-produced goods using water, steam and coal power transported by canal, rail and steamship, and Britain was the first country to have an Industrial Revolution.
• Changes in medicine during the 19th century were influenced by Louis Pasteur and his germ theory, Robert Koch and bacteria, changes in care and treatment, including hospitals and surgery, case studies such as Edward Jenner and vaccination, John Snow and cholera, changes in the prevention of disease, including improving public health.
• The Industrial Revolution had a significant impact on medicine, bringing about changes in surgery, better prevention of disease, and improvements in public health.
• Medicine in 18th- and 19th-century Britain saw great change, especially following the publication of Louis Pasteur’s germ theory.
• Louis Pasteur's discovery led to significant changes in surgery and better prevention of disease in the late 19th century.
• Robert Koch is known for his work on bacteria.
• Changes in care and treatment in the 19th century included improvements in hospitals and surgery.
• Edward Jenner is known for his work on vaccination.
• These cities could become overcrowded, and often the growing workforce was accommodated in poor-quality housing.
• Without fresh water and a sewerage system, disease spread easily.
• Louis Pasteur and germ theory revolutionised medicine in the late 19th century.
• From this point on, the national government began to pass legislation to force local authorities to improve living conditions and prevent the spread of disease and illness.
• By 1750, the Church and classical ideas had lost their dominant influence and scientific ideas were much more accepted.
• This means people thought it was not the government’s role to interfere in everyday life.
• By 1900, London had a population of 4.5 million.
• Further improvements in travel, such as the development of the railways, then enabled these ideas to spread quickly throughout Britain.
• Other cities also grew much larger across Britain, including Birmingham, Glasgow, Liverpool and Manchester.
• The use of new instruments such as microscopes, chemicals and scientific equipment proved many new theories.
• Throughout most of the 18th and 19th centuries, the government adopted a laissez-faire approach to medicine.
• With the growth of new technology, scientists continued to experiment and challenge old ideas.
• Cities became the main centres of production.
• By the late 19th century, this began to change as people began to accept that it was part of the government’s role to look after the health of its people.
• The streets became filled with waste.
• John Snow is known for his work on cholera.
• Robert Koch and bacteria
• Medicine in modern Britain, c.1900-present
• Medicine in medieval England, c.1250-c.1500
• The medical Renaissance in England, c.1500-c.1700
• Factors influencing medicine in the 19th century
• Medicine in Britain overview - Edexcel
• Medicine on the British sector of the Western Front, 1914-1918
• Changes in the prevention of disease in the 19th century included improvements in public health.
• Medicine in 18th- and 19th-century Britain saw great change, especially following the publication of Louis Pasteur’s germ theory.
• This led to significant changes in surgery and better prevention of disease in the late 19th century.
• Louis Pasteur argued that bacteria were the cause of disease, but was not able to identify the specific bacteria which cause individual diseases.
• Robert Koch was able to successfully identify some of the different bacteria that cause common diseases.
• Robert Koch developed a new method of growing bacteria using agar jelly.
• Robert Koch used a dye to stain the bacteria so that it could be seen clearly under a microscope.