Public Health

• 19th century Public Health was a time of rapid development in industry and lots of change in people's work and lives
• The Industrial Revolution was a time of rapid development in industry and lots of change in people's work and lives, particularly in Britain
• Time period of the Industrial Revolution

  Between about 1700 and 1750 and the end of the 19th century
• Population of the UK grew from 11 million in 1750 to about 40 million in 1900
• People tended to move to cities to work in factories during the Industrial Revolution
• As cities grew, poor quality housing was built quickly and cheaply, leading to overcrowding
• Towns were filthy during the Industrial Revolution due to sewage and rubbish piling up
• Government was initially against taking action to improve public health during the Industrial Revolution
• Problem number one during the Industrial Revolution was overcrowding and slums
• The Great Stink occurred in 1858 during the Industrial Revolution
• Cholera was a significant problem during the Industrial Revolution
• Population growth

  Consequence: Increase in the number of people living in cramped areas
• Population growth

  Consequence: Development of slums with poor living conditions
• Population growth

  Consequence: Old sewage systems could no longer cope
• Population growth

  Consequence: Factories emitted smoke and soot, creating smog
• Great Stink of 1858


  Caused by severe overcrowding and poor sewage systems
• Cholera


  Deadly disease originating in India and brought to British ports during the Industrial Revolution
• Cholera symptoms

  1. Severe explosive diarrhea

  2. Vomiting

  3. Dehydration due to fluid loss
• Effects of cholera

  • Severe often explosive diarrhea
  • Vomiting
  • Dehydration
  • Agonizing cramps
  • Painful joints
  • Shrunken and pale faces
  • Coma
  • Death
• Cholera provided a very undignified and painful death for its victims
• Cholera usually killed in a matter of days, occasionally in hours
• Cholera was a horrifying and fearful way to go
• Cities affected by cholera included Newcastle, Exeter, Liverpool, and London
• In London, cholera was one of the worst hit
• Most people in power thought cholera was caused by bad smells (miasma theory), but it was actually caused by sewage getting into drinking water
• Cholera spread due to sewage getting into drinking water
• Overcrowding and bad sanitation caused the stink of sewage in the Thames
• Overcrowding caused dirty water, which in turn caused cholera
• Overcrowding, bad sanitation, and cholera were all linked
• Inadequate sewers to cope with the population was a significant problem linked to overcrowding
• Dr. Jon Snow correctly identified that cholera was caused by dirty water in 1854
• Dr. Jon Snow noticed a deadly cholera outbreak centered on the Broad Street pump in London
• Dr. Jon Snow removed the handle from the pump, and the outbreak stopped
• Dr. Jon Snow's idea that cholera was caused by dirty water was not accepted within his lifetime
• Dr. Jon Snow partially solved the problem of cholera by identifying its cause
• Edwin Chadwick, a politician, changed his mind about government interference after investigating living conditions in 1842
• Investigations into living conditions changed his mind

  1842
• In 1842, he visited working-class populations and wrote a report called the sanitary conditions of the laboring population
• In the report, he argued that disease was made worse by or caused by filth and dirt, overcrowded and poor quality houses, and that these conditions cause disease because of the smells they caused
• Chadwick believed in miasma