People’s health industrial (1750-1900)

Life expectancy

Manchester: 27
Liverpool:28

Food at this time

Poor diet in towns, impossible to grow food in slums, income was so low for sustainable amount of food

Poor ate bread,butter, potatoes and tea

In towns quality of food was an issue, had no fridges or cans so food went off quick

Meat was poor quality and had stuff added to ( chalk)

Copper was added to butter

Housing at this time

Lodging houses which were filthy and overcrowded

Many packed into small rooms and slept on floor or shared beds

Typhus was common

Back to back housing, built quick, had damp walls

Water at this time

Usually whole street share single pump

Landlords only payed basic provision to water companies

Some areas didn't have water companies so drank from river or from streams far from where they lived

Typhoid was common

Waste at this time

Pools of stinky water filled streets

Back to back housing shared privies

Some cesspools were watertight or leak into ground around

If leaking cesspool was near to pump which supplied water it could be fatal

Diseases at this time

William Farr required all doctors to state cause of death on certificate

Tuberculosis, influenza, diphtheria, typhoid, typhus

What was cholera?

1831
Symptoms: vomiting, diarrhoea, skin turned blue, pulse weakened, die in 24 hours

Beliefs and attitudes about cholera

Gods punishment
Miasma
Cause by contact

1854: cholera germ identified by Dr Pacini, his work was overlooked

1861: germ theory by Louis Pasteur challenged miasma theory, germ theory not excepted by scientists until 1880s

Reactions to cholera

Burning tar barrels
Rubbish removed from streets
Chloride of lime added to sewers to make them smell better

Cholera hospitals set up in some cities

Gov sought Gods help: national day of fasting, humiliation and prayer on 2nd March 1832

Local government at this time (Leeds)

1833 report published by Dr Robert baker who made links between poor, dirty living conditions and spread of cholera. He also recorded cases of cholera and produced a map using dark shading to show dirty parts of town.

Leeds board of health published advice on preventing spread of cholera

Cholera hospital set up

By end of 1832 702 people died of cholera

What was the women's co-operative guild at Hebden Bridge ?

1833
Fought for gov action in health matters for maternity care

Free school meals for poor kids

Better housing and clean water

What was Civic pride?

Local council spent money of building schemes that showed power

Late 1870s Manchester didn't have adequate supply of clean water. Made a plan to build a dam in Lake District. Constructed 96 mile aqueduct to carry water to central city. Took 3000+ men and 8 years to do

By 1900 majority it people had clean water supply pipes into homes. 1885 in Manchester they demolished bad slums

National government at this time

1848- public health act
1860- pure food act
1867- working class men got vote
1872- Disraeli promised promised "pure air, pure water and inspection of unhealthy houses" when he was prime Minister
1875- public health act

Who was Edwin Chadwick

Believer in miasma

1842 Edwin was employed to do a survey on poverty

His report concluded that is was due to poor conditions and wanted to improve their health

In his publication "The sanitary conditions of the Labouring Population" Chadwick showed clear links between poor living conditions and health

This investigation inspired Public health act of 1848 and general board of health

Who was Dr. John Snow?

He assumed cholera was airborne and didn't except miasma theory he published ideas in "On the mode of communication of Cholera" in 1849

He proved this theory due to in August 1854 cholera outbreak happened in Soho he plotted cases on a map and identified it was the water pump that caused it

He had handle on pump removed and cases of disease declined

His theory was not widely excepted

Who was Joseph Bazalgette ?

By 1866 most of London was connected to sewer network by Bazalgette

He channeled waste through miles of sewers which was pumped into tidal Thames from where it went to sea

He trained young civil engineers and gave advice to cities. 1868 pumping system installed in north England and pumped 3 million gallons of water per day

What was the great stink?

1858 very hot summer the Thames dried up so u could smell sewage which was unbearable

House of Commons soaked curtains in chloride of lime to get rid of smell