History of Medicine and Public Health (1848–1948)

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the evolution of medical theory, public health legislation, major scientific discoveries, and the establishment of the NHS as described in the lecture notes.

Theory of the Four Humours

A medical theory developed by Hippocrates suggesting the body contains blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile; illness occurred when these humours became unbalanced.

Miasma Theory

A widely accepted nineteenth-century explanation for disease claiming that illness was caused by bad smells and poisonous air produced by dirty environments.

Spontaneous Generation

The belief that living organisms, such as maggots or microorganisms, could appear naturally from non-living matter.

Edwin Chadwick

An investigator who published a report in 1842 highlighting poor urban sanitation; his work influenced the 1848 Public Health Act.

Public Health Act (1848)

The first major government intervention in public health which introduced Local Boards of Health but was optional for local authorities to follow.

John Snow

A doctor who provided evidence during the 1854 Soho outbreak that cholera was waterborne by mapping victims and identifying the Broad Street water pump as the source.

The Great Stink (1858)

A period in London where a hot summer made the smell of sewage in the River Thames unbearable, forcing Parliament to act on city sanitation.

Joseph Bazalgette

An engineer who designed London's new sewer system, building over 1,300 miles of street sewers to reduce water contamination.

Florence Nightingale

A nurse who improved hospital hygiene and ventilation during the Crimean War and used statistics to show that disease killed more soldiers than battle wounds.

Germ Theory (1861)

A theory developed by Louis Pasteur stating that microorganisms exist and cause decay/disease, disproving spontaneous generation.

Swan-Neck Flask Experiment

An experiment by Pasteur using curved flasks to prove that microorganisms come from the air and do not appear naturally in liquids.

Robert Koch

A German scientist who identified the specific bacteria responsible for tuberculosis (1882) and cholera (1883), proving one disease is linked to one bacterium.

Joseph Lister

A doctor who introduced antiseptic surgery by using carbolic acid to kill germs on instruments, bandages, and wounds during operations.

Aseptic Surgery

A method of surgery focused on preventing germs from entering wounds through the use of sterilized instruments, masks, rubber gloves, and sterile gowns.

Elizabeth Garrett Anderson

The first qualified female doctor in Britain (1865) who qualified through the Society of Apothecaries and challenged gender discrimination in medicine.

Medical Act (1876)

Legislation that officially allowed women to qualify as doctors and enabled medical authorities to license female applicants.

Public Health Act (1875)

A law that made public health improvements nationwide and compulsory, requiring local authorities to provide clean water, sewers, and refuse collection.

Artisans' and Labourers' Dwellings Improvement Act (1875)

An act allowing local authorities to remove unhealthy slums and replace them with improved housing to reduce overcrowding.

Infectious Disease Notification Act (1889)

A law requiring doctors to report cases of certain infectious diseases, such as cholera and typhoid, to local authorities.

National Insurance Act (1911)

A 'Three-Way Contribution System' involving workers, employers, and the government to provide free medical treatment and sick pay for workers.

Ministry of Health (1919)

A government department created to coordinate healthcare, housing, and disease prevention across Britain.

Wilhelm Röntgen

A German scientist who discovered X-rays in 1895, allowing doctors to identify broken bones and internal injuries without surgery.

Karl Landsteiner

The scientist who identified the A, B, AB, and O blood groups in 1901, making blood transfusions safe by ensuring compatibility.

Paul Ehrlich

A scientist who developed the 'magic bullet' concept and created Salvarsan 606 (1909) as the first effective chemical treatment for syphilis.

Alexander Fleming

A scientist who discovered penicillin in 1928 after noticing that Penicillium mould killed bacteria in a petri dish.

Howard Florey and Ernst Chain

Scientists who purified penicillin and enabled its mass production in time for D-Day in 1944.

Harold Gillies

Known as the 'Father of Modern Plastic Surgery,' he developed skin grafts and reconstructive techniques for soldiers with facial injuries in WWI.

The Beveridge Report (1942)

A report by William Beveridge identifying five 'Giants' (Want, Disease, Ignorance, Squalor, Idleness) and proposing a 'cradle to grave' welfare state.

Aneurin Bevan

The Minister of Health who established the National Health Service (NHS) in 1948 by negotiating with opposing doctors and politicians.

National Health Service (NHS)

A healthcare system established on 5 July 1948 based on the principles of being free at the point of use, available to everyone, and funded through taxation.