Module 2: 19th Century Theories of Disease Causation Flashcards

Flashcards covering 19th-century theories of disease causation based on Sylvia Noble Tesh's book 'Hidden Arguments'.

The lecture titled "Hidden Arguments" is based on a book written by __________.

Sylvia Noble Tesh

The presentation on 19th-century disease causation theories was delivered by __________.

L. Treiber

The four main 19th-century theories of disease causation covered are Contagion Theory, Supernatural Theory, Personal Behavior Theory, and __________ Theory.

Miasma

This historical public notice issued by order of the Sanitary Committee advises temperance in eating and drinking to prevent __________.

Cholera

The 19th century represented the height of __________ capitalism, during which clean air and water laws were enacted.

laissez-faire

19th-century public health reforms were aimed at eliminating what are now called __________ diseases.

infectious

A major barrier to using sweeping reforms to eliminate chronic diseases today is that we are not sure exactly what is __________.

toxic

Contagion theory grounds disease prevention in the idea that illness is contagious and requires keeping the __________ away from the well.

sick

Under contagion theory, one practice used to eliminate contagion was fumigating __________.

bed linens

To isolate infected towns under contagion theory, authorities established military __________.

cordons

Quarantine households kept sick family members with their relatives until they either recovered or __________.

died

During severe contagion outbreaks, people were loaded into death carts while still __________ to get rid of them.

alive

Handshaking was abandoned in Philadelphia during the yellow fever epidemic of __________.

1793

During the 1793 yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia, people abandoned their own families, prompting an outcry calling for more __________.

humanity

Prejudicial attitudes embellished contagion theory during the plague by blaming __________.

Jews

Under contagion theory, prejudicial attitudes led to women being blamed as "__________".

witches

Russian peasants blamed the __________ class for cholera, seeing it as a new form of oppression.

wealthy

In 1546, Girolma Fracastoro coined the term "__________".

contagion animulum

When Anton van Leewenhoek observed bacteria and protozoa through his microscope, he referred to them as "__________".

Little animals

Jacob Henle wrote about the connection between microorganisms and illness in the year __________.

1840

Contagion theory failed because many people became ill regardless of their __________ from human contact.

isolation

A key problem with contagion theory was that many people did not become ill despite nursing the sick or carrying bodies to the __________.

graveyard

Leaders debunked contagion theory as superstitious largely because quarantine was bad for __________.

business

Opponents claimed quarantine was bad because it interfered with individual freedom and self-interested __________.

capitalism

In Supernatural Theory, disease is attributed to evil spirits or __________.

demons

In simple societies following Supernatural Theory, recommendations to combat disease included ceremonies, prayer, and being __________.

righteous

The idea that "filthy wicked people get what they deserved" was used as a justification for berating the poor for __________ behavior.

sinful

Andrew Jackson argued that the roots of poverty and sickness stem from __________ conditions.

social

Andrew Jackson proposed helping the poor climb out of poverty by using __________.

democracy

Personal behavior theory posits that disease results from wrong __________ behaviors.

personal

Personal behavior theory was democratic and __________ in its intent because it gave individuals responsibility to control their own lives.

anti-authoritarian

Sylvester Graham encouraged eating natural grains and vegetables and invented __________ to counter unhealthy diets.

Graham crackers

Under "every man his own doctor" ideologies, wealthy spa-goers enjoyed __________ cures.

water

Personal behavior theory differed from supernatural theory because it blamed bad habits and inadequate education rather than __________.

sin

Personal behavior theory suggested that staying well depended on adopting __________ class values.

middle

Miasma theory holds that disease is caused by foul air or stench originating from decomposing or __________ materials.

rotting

This 19th-century illustration represents a monstrous embodiment of disease spread associated with the __________ theory.

Miasma

Hippocrates believed that the air was corrupted by weather, climate change, wind, and __________.

earthquakes

Unlike personal behavior theory, miasma theory separates disease from individuals and their __________.

actions

15th-century Typhus is caused by a rickettsiae (a gram negative bacillus) carried by __________.

ticks

Cholera is an infectious gastroenteritis that causes rapid diarrhea, leading sufferers to die of __________.

dehydration

The plague is caused by the bacteria yersina pestis, which is carried by __________.

fleas

In a person infected with plague, the __________ starts to decay while they are still alive.

skin

The Thames River caused "The stink of London" in the 1850s because __________ was being pumped directly into it.

sewage

19th-century sanitary reforms successfully reduced disease because decaying materials like feces contained harmful __________.

bacteria