Industrial

Ideas about the Cause of Disease – Overview: What was the main feature of ideas about disease c1700–1900?

Mix of continuity and major change; old ideas lasted but Germ Theory eventually transformed understanding

Ideas about the Cause of Disease – Overview: Why was there continuity in early Industrial ideas?

People still believed in miasma and had no scientific proof of bacteria

Ideas about the Cause of Disease – Ideas that stopped: Which ideas declined after 1700?

Four Humours, God as a cause of disease, and superstition like astrology

Ideas about the Cause of Disease – Ideas that stopped: Why did belief in God as cause of disease decline?

Decline in Church influence and rise of scientific thinking

Ideas about the Cause of Disease – Ideas that stopped: Why did Four Humours disappear?

It had no scientific evidence and was replaced by new medical thinking

Ideas about the Cause of Disease – Ideas that stopped: What happened to superstition and astrology?

It became less important in medical diagnosis

Ideas about the Cause of Disease – Ideas that continued: Which theory remained dominant for most of the period?

Miasma theory remained widely believed

Ideas about the Cause of Disease – Ideas that continued: Why did miasma remain popular?

Cities were dirty and smelly so people linked bad air to disease

Ideas about the Cause of Disease – Ideas that continued: What event strengthened belief in miasma?

The Great Stink of 1858

Ideas about the Cause of Disease – New Ideas: What was Spontaneous Generation?

Idea that microbes appeared from decaying matter and caused disease

Ideas about the Cause of Disease – New Ideas: Why was Spontaneous Generation believed?

Microscopes showed microbes on decaying matter so scientists misunderstood their origin

Ideas about the Cause of Disease – New Ideas: Who disproved Spontaneous Generation?

Louis Pasteur in 1861

Ideas about the Cause of Disease – New Ideas: What did Pasteur prove?

That microbes in the air cause decay and disease

Ideas about the Cause of Disease – New Ideas: Who developed Germ Theory further?

Robert Koch

Ideas about the Cause of Disease – New Ideas: What did Koch prove?

That specific bacteria cause specific diseases like TB and cholera

Ideas about the Cause of Disease – Acceptance: Was Germ Theory accepted immediately?

No, it took decades and was not widely accepted until around 1900

Ideas about the Cause of Disease – Change vs Continuity: How far did ideas change?

Significant change due to Germ Theory but earlier ideas lasted for a long time

Germ Theory – Overview: What is Germ Theory?

The idea that microbes cause disease

Germ Theory – Pasteur: What did Louis Pasteur do?

Disproved Spontaneous Generation and proved microbes cause disease

Germ Theory – Pasteur: What experiments did he do?

Experiments on air, milk, and sterilisation

Germ Theory – Pasteur: Why was he important?

Provided first strong scientific proof of microbes causing disease

Germ Theory – Koch: What did Robert Koch discover?

Bacteria causing anthrax, TB, and cholera

Germ Theory – Koch: What method did he develop?

Growing bacteria using agar jelly and petri dishes

Germ Theory – Koch: Why was this important?

Allowed identification of specific disease-causing bacteria

Germ Theory – Impact: What was the short-term impact?

Limited acceptance; many doctors rejected it at first

Germ Theory – Impact: What was the long-term impact?

Revolutionised medicine, leading to vaccines, antiseptics and antibiotics

Germ Theory – Surgery: How did it improve surgery?

Led to antiseptics and aseptic surgery

Germ Theory – Public Health: How did it improve public health?

Led to clean water, sanitation, and government responsibility

Germ Theory – Prevention: How did it improve prevention?

Encouraged vaccination and hygiene

Germ Theory – Overall significance: Why is it important?

It explained the true cause of disease and transformed medicine

Surgery – Overview: What was surgery like in 1700?

Dangerous due to pain, infection and blood loss

Surgery – Problems: Why was surgery dangerous?

No anaesthetic, no antiseptics, poor hygiene

Surgery – Anaesthetics: What are they?

Drugs that stop pain during surgery

Surgery – Anaesthetics: Who discovered chloroform?

James Simpson in 1847

Surgery – Anaesthetics: Why was chloroform important?

Allowed pain-free and more complex surgery

Surgery – Antiseptics: What are antiseptics?

Substances that kill bacteria and prevent infection

Surgery – Antiseptics: Who developed carbolic acid?

Joseph Lister

Surgery – Antiseptics: Why was it important?

Reduced infection and death rates

Surgery – Aseptic Surgery: What is aseptic surgery?

Preventing bacteria entering wounds using sterile conditions

Surgery – Progress: How much did surgery improve?

Significant progress in pain and infection control but blood loss remained

Surgery – Limitation: What problem remained?

Blood loss during surgery

Florence Nightingale – Overview: Who was she?

Nurse who improved hospitals during the Crimean War

Florence Nightingale – Impact: What did she improve?

Hospital cleanliness, ventilation, and hygiene

Florence Nightingale – Impact: What happened to death rates?

They dropped from 40% to 2%

Florence Nightingale – Nursing: What did she do for nursing?

Created formal nurse training

Florence Nightingale – Hospitals: How did she change hospitals?

Promoted pavilion design with clean, airy wards

Public Health – Overview: What were conditions like in industrial cities?

Overcrowding, dirty water, poor sanitation, disease outbreaks

Public Health – Chadwick: Who was Edwin Chadwick?

A reformer who studied living conditions in 1842

Public Health – Chadwick: What did he recommend?

Clean water, sewers, and government action

Public Health – 1848 Act: What did it do?

Allowed but did not force councils to improve sanitation

Public Health – Cholera: Why was cholera important?

Highlighted poor sanitation and need for reform

Public Health – John Snow: What did he discover?

Cholera spread through contaminated water

Public Health – John Snow: What did he do?

Removed handle from Broad Street pump

Public Health – John Snow: Why was he important?

Challenged miasma theory and supported waterborne disease theory

Public Health – 1875 Act: What did it do?

Made clean water, sewers and sanitation compulsory

Public Health – Overall impact: How did public health change?

Government became responsible for sanitation and disease prevention

Vaccination – Jenner: Who was Edward Jenner?

Doctor who created first vaccine for smallpox

Vaccination – Jenner: What did he discover?

Cowpox protected against smallpox

Vaccination – Jenner: What is vaccination?

Injection of mild disease to build immunity

Vaccination – Impact: Why was it important?

Prevented deaths from smallpox

Vaccination – Limitations: Why was it controversial?

Religious opposition and lack of understanding

Vaccination – Long term: What was the impact?

Smallpox was eventually eradicated

Care and Hospitals – Overview: How did hospitals change?

Shift towards treatment and improved care

Care and Hospitals – Nightingale: What did she improve?

Hygiene, nursing, and hospital design

Care and Hospitals – Hospitals: What new hospitals appeared?

Cottage hospitals, infirmaries, and specialist hospitals

Care and Hospitals – Care: Where were most people treated?

Still at home for many, especially the poor

Care and Hospitals – Continuity: What stayed the same?

Home treatment remained common