19th century public health

• The Industrial Revolution was a time usually considered to be between about 1700 and 1750 and the end of the 19th century when there was a rapid development in industry and lots of change in people's work and lives particularly in Britain
• The population of the UK Grew From 11 million in 1750 to about 40 million in 1900
• Consequences of population growth


  • People tended to move to cities to work in factories
  • Cities quickly became overcrowded
  • Poor quality housing was built quickly and very close together
  • Towns were filthy with sewage and rubbish
• The government was initially very against doing anything about the problems caused by the Industrial Revolution
• Main problems of the Industrial Revolution


  • Overcrowding and slums
  • The Great Stink of 1858
  • Cholera
• Miasma Theory


  The belief that disease was caused by bad smells
• Cholera was a deadly disease that originated in India and was brought back to Britain aboard trading ships
• Cholera usually killed in a matter of days, sometimes even hours
• Dr John Snow


  The first man to correctly identify that cholera was caused by dirty water
• Dr John Snow's ideas were not accepted within his lifetime, even though he demonstrated the cause of cholera
• Edwin Chadwick


  A politician who investigated living conditions and argued that disease was made worse by filth and dirt, but still believed in the miasma theory
• Chadwick's investigations helped bring the issue of slum housing to the fore, but the laws he helped introduce had very little enforcement
• Joseph Bazalgette


  An engineer who was asked to build a brand new sewer system in London after the Great Stink of 1858
• Bazalgette's sewers solved the Great Stink and also helped prevent the return of cholera by keeping sewage separate from drinking water
• Acts of Parliament


  • 1848 Public Health Act
  • 1866 Sanitary Act
  • 1875 Public Health Act
  • 1876 Artisans Dwellings Act
• 1848 Public Health Act


  Recommended that local councils take control of public health problems, but did not force them to take action
• 1866 Sanitary Act


  Extended council powers to improve drainage and sewage, and compelled councils to address nuisances to public health
• 1875 Public Health Act


  Compelled councils to charge rates and taxes to appoint a local Board of Health, a medical officer, and inspectors to ensure improvements were made
• 1876 Artisans Dwellings Act


  Compelled councils to forcibly buy and demolish slum housing, replacing it with higher quality housing
• Some slum housing remained through to the middle of the 20th century, despite the progress made in public health during the 19th century