Cholera

• Repeated cholera epidemics in the 19th century
• Arrived in england in 1831. there were epidemics in 1831, 1848, 1854 and 1866
• The cholera bacteria was carried in contaminated water, although this was not understood
• People thought that cholera was cause by:

  • Miasma
  • Punishment from god
  • Passed through touch
• Attempts to prevent cholera became more effective as understanding of the disease improved and the goverment took action
• 1846 cholera bill instructed residents to connect their homes to sewers in order to reduce miasma. However, this only increased the flow of waste to rivers, spreading cholera futher
• During 1854 epidemic, John Snow discovered that cholera was spread by contaminated water and could be prevented by changing the water supply. But his conclusions were widely ignored.
• Following the great stink of 1858, parliament granted £3 million to joseph Bazalgette to improve the sewers. 1300 miles of sewers was built in london. these sewers allowed waste to be taken out on the tide.