Cholera

• What year did the first cholera outbreak occur that killed around 50,000 people?

  1813
• What were the symptoms experienced by cholera victims?

  Victims suffered painful diarrhoea, and their skin and nails turned black before falling into a coma and dying.
• What was the public's reaction to the cholera outbreak in terms of burial practices?

  Cemeteries had to close because they were full, with bodies starting to poke out of the ground.
• What was the common belief about the spread of disease during the cholera outbreak?

  Many people believed that disease was spread by miasma, or infectious fumes from rotting animals and waste.
• What did towns do in response to the belief that cholera was spread by miasma?


  Some towns began to clean their streets.
• What was the outcome of the cholera epidemic after a few months?

  The cholera epidemic passed, and some thought it would never return.
• What prompted the government to take action after the cholera outbreaks in 1837 and 1838?

  Chadwick's report on living conditions and health of the poor shocked Britain.
• Who was in charge of the inquiry into living conditions in Britain in 1839?

  Edwin Chadwick was the main government official in charge.
• What did Chadwick's 1842 report reveal about the average age of death for working-class men in Leeds compared to the national average?

  The average age of death for working-class men in Leeds was 19, while the national average was 38.
• What was the public's attitude towards government intervention in the 1800s?


  Many believed politicians had no right to meddle in the private lives of citizens, known as 'laissez-faire'.
• How did the cholera epidemic influence government action regarding public health?

  The cholera epidemic changed politicians' minds, leading to the passing of the Public Health Act in 1848.
• What powers did the Public Health Act of 1848 give to town councils?

  The act gave town councils the power to spend money on cleaning up their towns.
• What was the response of some towns to the Public Health Act of 1848?

  Some towns, such as Liverpool, Sunderland, and Birmingham, made huge improvements.
• How many towns had set up Boards of Health by 1853?

  By 1853, only 103 towns had set up Boards of Health.
• How many people died of cholera in 1848 and 1854?

  60,000 people died in 1848 and 20,000 died in 1854.
• What did John Snow discover about the source of cholera in 1854?

  John Snow found that all cholera victims in Broad Street got their water from the Broad Street water pump.
• What action did John Snow take to stop the cholera outbreak in Broad Street?

  He removed the handle of the water pump, forcing people to use another water source.
• What was the result of removing the handle from the water pump?

  There were no more deaths in the street after the handle was removed.
• What did Snow discover about a nearby street's water supply?

  He found that a street only 1 metre from the pump had a cracked lining that allowed polluted water to trickle into the drinking water.
• What was the significance of Snow's discovery regarding cholera?

  Snow proved that cholera was not carried through the air but was instead contracted by drinking contaminated water.
• What did the government have evidence of regarding cholera and water supply?

  The government had medical evidence linking cholera to the water supply.
• What event finally forced the government to take action regarding public health?

  The Great Stink of 1858 forced the government into action.