cholera epidemic of 19tg centurys

What is cholera?

A disease caused by drinking water contaminated with Vibrio cholerae bacteria, leading to vomiting, diarrhoea, dehydration, and death.

When did cholera first reach Britain

1831

Which areas were worst affected by cholera?

Crowded, poor, industrial towns with no clean water or sewer systems.

What did people think caused cholera before germ theory?

"Miasma" — bad air or smells from rotting matter.

Why did people believe in the miasma theory?

Because disease seemed to spread in smelly, dirty areas, and germs had not yet been discovered

Who was Edwin Chadwick?

A civil servant and social reformer who linked poverty and poor living conditions to disease. which inspired 1848 Public health act

What was the 1848 Public Health Act?

It set up a Central Board of Health and allowed local councils to improve sanitation — but it was not compulsory.

Why was the 1848 Public Health Act not very effective?

Many towns ignored it because improvements were expensive and optional.

Who was Dr John Snow?

A doctor who investigated the 1854 cholera outbreak in London

How did John Snow prove his discovery

He mapped cholera deaths in Soho and found they all used water from the Broad Street pump. When the pump handle was removed, the outbreak stopped.

What did John Snow discover

Cholera spread through contaminated water, not through miasma. though his discovery wasn't accepted immediently becausee Germ theory hadn't been discovered yet

When was germ theory discovered

1861 Louis Pasteur

What event in 1858 pushed the government to improve sanitation?

The Great Stink June 1858, when the River Thames smelled so bad Parliament couldn't meet.

Who designed London's new sewer system?

Joseph Bazalgette

What was the 1875 Public Health Act?

A law making it compulsory for local councils to provide clean water, build sewers, and appoint medical officers.

Why was the 1875 Public Health Act significant?

It marked a major turning point — the government finally took responsibility for public health, helping to end cholera outbreaks.

How did the cholera epidemics change attitudes toward public health?

They showed that poor sanitation caused deadly disease, forcing the government to act.

How did the cholera epidemics help develop medicine?

They encouraged scientific investigation, led to Germ Theory, and inspired major public health reforms.

What was the long-term impact of the cholera epidemics?

Britain developed cleaner cities, better sewer systems, and new laws protecting public health.

what long term impact did snow's work have

his findings influenced 1875 public health act, leading to improvements in clean water and sanitation

how does snow link to to "role of the individual?

used observation, data, and logic to challenge accepted ideas- showing one person can make major progress

How does Snow link to "science and technology"?

He used scientific investigation methods (data mapping and evidence-based reasoning), even though lab technology was limited.