Health in the 1800sHealth in the 1800s

Disease in Towns in the 1800s Disease in Towns in the 1800s --

AimsAims::

Identify the main causes of poor Identify the main causes of poor health health

Examine the main killer diseases in Examine the main killer diseases in the 1800s.the 1800s.

Key QuestionsKey Questions

How can we tell if a country has a poor How can we tell if a country has a poor standard of health?standard of health?

Low life expectancyLow life expectancy – in the 1840s the – in the 1840s the average Scot would live until their early 40s.average Scot would live until their early 40s.

High infant mortalityHigh infant mortality – in the 1850s 120 – in the 1850s 120 children out of every 1000 died before they children out of every 1000 died before they reached the age of five.reached the age of five.

Existence of killer diseasesExistence of killer diseases e.g. 1831-1833 e.g. 1831-1833 __________ epidemic killed 10,000 Scots.__________ epidemic killed 10,000 Scots.

Key QuestionsKey Questions

What are the main causes of poor health?What are the main causes of poor health?

Slum HousingSlum Housing Poor diet/lifestylePoor diet/lifestyle Lack of medical careLack of medical care PovertyPoverty Poor sanitationPoor sanitation Lack of clean waterLack of clean water Size of familiesSize of families

All of these problems existed in the 1800s therefore All of these problems existed in the 1800s therefore people had a very poor standard of health and were people had a very poor standard of health and were often at risk from catching killer diseases.often at risk from catching killer diseases.

Killer Diseases – Group Killer Diseases – Group ChallengeChallenge

You will be divided into groups of 3 or You will be divided into groups of 3 or 4.4.

Each group will have to investigate Each group will have to investigate one of the killer diseases that existed one of the killer diseases that existed in the 19in the 19thth century (1800s) century (1800s)

You will have two periods to complete You will have two periods to complete this task.this task.

You will then present your findings to You will then present your findings to the class.the class.

Killer Diseases in the 19Killer Diseases in the 19thth CenturyCentury (1800s) (1800s)

CholeraCholera – caused by dirty water. Symptoms included – caused by dirty water. Symptoms included cramps, diarrhoea, sickness. Coma/death in 50% of cramps, diarrhoea, sickness. Coma/death in 50% of casescases

TyphoidTyphoid – caused by contaminated water and food. – caused by contaminated water and food. Symptoms included fever, diarrhoea, rash. Possible Symptoms included fever, diarrhoea, rash. Possible death.death.

TyphusTyphus – caused by body lice, overcrowding. – caused by body lice, overcrowding. Symptoms include fever, headaches. Possible death.Symptoms include fever, headaches. Possible death.

Consumption/TuberculosisConsumption/Tuberculosis – caused by – caused by overcrowding, bad diet, poor ventilation. Symptoms overcrowding, bad diet, poor ventilation. Symptoms include coughing, spit up blood, fever. Possible include coughing, spit up blood, fever. Possible death.death.

Killer Diseases in the 19Killer Diseases in the 19thth CenturyCentury (1800s) (1800s)

The evidence clearly shows that the killer The evidence clearly shows that the killer diseases of the 1800s were directly linked diseases of the 1800s were directly linked to the poor living conditions.to the poor living conditions.

Housing conditions were poor in both the Housing conditions were poor in both the countryside and the town but in the towns countryside and the town but in the towns overcrowding was greater and diseases overcrowding was greater and diseases spread rapidly.spread rapidly.

Cholera was the main killer affecting both Cholera was the main killer affecting both rich and poor.rich and poor.

Killer Diseases - TasksKiller Diseases - Tasks

Copy the table on Housing and Copy the table on Housing and Disease from page 57 of your Disease from page 57 of your textbook.textbook.

Copy the key words from page 57 Copy the key words from page 57 into your glossary.into your glossary.

Now complete Task 31 on page 24 of Now complete Task 31 on page 24 of the workguide.the workguide.

Improvements in Public HealthImprovements in Public Health

AimsAims::

Identify the main improvements in Identify the main improvements in public health by the 1930spublic health by the 1930s

Cities like Dundee on the east coast of Scotland were breeding grounds for disease.

Dundee

A ‘Cholera Magnet’

Dung heaps close to

public wells

Animal waste in streets

Refuse dumped in streets

Rotting meat dumped in

streets

Shared outdoor privies

Overcrowding

Cholera in GlasgowCholera in Glasgow

Glasgow with its Glasgow with its vastly overcrowded vastly overcrowded housing also faced housing also faced major problems with major problems with cholera.cholera.

Most people relied Most people relied on the River Clyde on the River Clyde and public wells for and public wells for their water supply.their water supply.

However water was However water was often contaminated often contaminated with sewage and with sewage and industrial waste.industrial waste.

Tackling the ProblemTackling the Problem People were becoming People were becoming

increasingly aware of the link increasingly aware of the link between dirt, disease and between dirt, disease and water.water.

Areas of Glasgow which had a Areas of Glasgow which had a cleaner water supply had cleaner water supply had fewer cases of cholera.fewer cases of cholera.

James Burns Russell one of James Burns Russell one of Glasgow’s medical officers Glasgow’s medical officers persuaded the council that persuaded the council that something needed to be done something needed to be done to clean up Glasgow’s water to clean up Glasgow’s water supply. The result was Loch supply. The result was Loch Katrine.Katrine.

Loch KatrineLoch Katrine Loch Katrine is a small loch Loch Katrine is a small loch

in the district of Stirling.in the district of Stirling. A major engineering project A major engineering project

took place to use Loch took place to use Loch Katrine to provide the people Katrine to provide the people of Glasgow with clean water.of Glasgow with clean water.

The water level was raised The water level was raised by 6 feet and two 26 mile by 6 feet and two 26 mile aquaeducts were built to aquaeducts were built to carry the water to a carry the water to a treatment works at treatment works at Milngavie.Milngavie.

Loch KatrineLoch Katrine Loch Katrine was opened by Loch Katrine was opened by

Queen Victoria in 1859.Queen Victoria in 1859. It is the primary water reservoir It is the primary water reservoir

for the city of Glasgow and for the city of Glasgow and delivers 50,000,000 gallons of delivers 50,000,000 gallons of water a day to the city.water a day to the city.

Providing people with clean Providing people with clean water virtually wiped out water virtually wiped out typhoid and cholera in Glasgow.typhoid and cholera in Glasgow.

This was a major step forward This was a major step forward in improving the quality of in improving the quality of people’s health.people’s health.

TasksTasks::

Complete Task 32 - Cholera in Complete Task 32 - Cholera in Scotland on page 25 of your Scotland on page 25 of your workguide.workguide.

For question 8 use this outline to For question 8 use this outline to help you.help you.

1847 1850 1859 1860

Public Health Improvements in Glasgow in the 1800s

Improving Public HealthImproving Public Health

In 1842 a civil servant, Edwin Chadwick In 1842 a civil servant, Edwin Chadwick published his ‘Report on the Sanitary published his ‘Report on the Sanitary Conditions of the Labouring Population of Conditions of the Labouring Population of Great Britain’.Great Britain’.

His report proved that life expectancy was His report proved that life expectancy was lower in the towns than in the countryside.lower in the towns than in the countryside.

Chadwick argued the government needed Chadwick argued the government needed to improve people’s lives by improving to improve people’s lives by improving sanitation and housing.sanitation and housing.

The government then passed two public The government then passed two public health laws – the 1848 Public Health Act set health laws – the 1848 Public Health Act set up local health boards but they had very up local health boards but they had very little powers.little powers.

Improving Public HealthImproving Public Health The 1875 Public Health Act was The 1875 Public Health Act was

much more successful.much more successful. Local authorities had to appoint Local authorities had to appoint

a a Medical OfficerMedical Officer – it was their – it was their job to deal with infections and job to deal with infections and take action to stop disease take action to stop disease spreading.spreading.

Local authorities had to the Local authorities had to the power to lay sewers, drains and power to lay sewers, drains and pavements, clean the streets, pavements, clean the streets, provide clean water and fire provide clean water and fire services.services.

Local officers were appointed to Local officers were appointed to check slaughterhouses and check slaughterhouses and destroy contaminated food.destroy contaminated food.

Other ImprovementsOther Improvements Better diet – due to the Better diet – due to the

railways fresh food reached railways fresh food reached the towns and cities.the towns and cities.

Cheap soap and Cheap soap and disinfectant – improved disinfectant – improved hygiene and reduced hygiene and reduced infections.infections.

Cheap cotton clothes – Cheap cotton clothes – were easy to clean and were easy to clean and improved hygieneimproved hygiene

Better medicines and Better medicines and hospitals but people still hospitals but people still had to pay for medical care.had to pay for medical care.

Other Improvements in HealthOther Improvements in HealthBetter Diet

Due to better transport fresh food reached the

cities more easily.

Soap and Disinfectant

These were cheaper to buy and helped to reduce infections

Better Medicines and Hospitals

Better treatment for those who were ill

Cheap Cotton Clothes

Easy to clean. This improved hygiene.

Medical Care in the 1800sMedical Care in the 1800s

AimAim::

Examine how advances in medicine Examine how advances in medicine helped to improve the health of helped to improve the health of Scottish people.Scottish people.

Medical Care in the 1800sMedical Care in the 1800s

The overall standard of medical care was The overall standard of medical care was poor for various reasons:poor for various reasons:

Doctors did not fully understand the causes of Doctors did not fully understand the causes of certain diseases e.g. cholera.certain diseases e.g. cholera.

People had to pay for treatment and many could People had to pay for treatment and many could simply not afford it – diseases were not detected simply not afford it – diseases were not detected until it was too late to treat them.until it was too late to treat them.

There were many other problems that needed to There were many other problems that needed to be tackled to improve health e.g. housing, be tackled to improve health e.g. housing, sanitation. This would all cost MONEYsanitation. This would all cost MONEY

However between 1830-1930 a number of medical However between 1830-1930 a number of medical discoveries were made which enabled doctors and discoveries were made which enabled doctors and nurses to treat people more effectively.nurses to treat people more effectively.

Medical DiscoveriesMedical Discoveries

1847

James Young Simpson discovered chloroform. This was used as an

anaesthetic in surgery and increased the

survival rate of patients

1864

Louis Pasteur discovered that germs and microbes were the

cause of disease. Made it easier for

others to find cures for diseases.

1867

Joseph Lister

Used antiseptics in surgery to clean

wounds and prevent the growth of bacteria

1882

Robert Koch

Discovered the germs that caused TB and

Cholera. This was the first step towards

finding a cure.

Medical DiscoveriesMedical Discoveries

1895

William Roentgen

Invented X-Rays allowing doctors to diagnose disease

1906

Calmette and Guerlin worked on a cure for TB. It became known as the BCG Vaccine

1928

Alexander Fleming

Discovered penicillin – an antibiotic that could

a wide range of bacterial infections

Medical Care in the 1800sMedical Care in the 1800s

YearYear DiscoveryDiscovery How This How This Improved Improved HealthHealth

The Liberal Reforms 1906-1914The Liberal Reforms 1906-1914

AimsAims::

Examine the main reforms (changes) Examine the main reforms (changes) introduced by the Liberal introduced by the Liberal government to tackle poverty and government to tackle poverty and improve health.improve health.

Why Were Reforms Needed?Why Were Reforms Needed? Despite some improvements by 1900 much more Despite some improvements by 1900 much more

needed to be done to tackle poor health in needed to be done to tackle poor health in Britain.Britain.

During the Boer War 1899-1902, one in three During the Boer War 1899-1902, one in three men who tried to join the army failed medical men who tried to join the army failed medical inspections.inspections.

Poverty investigations showed that around a third Poverty investigations showed that around a third of British people were living in poverty.of British people were living in poverty.

People began to argue that the government People began to argue that the government should be doing more to help the poor.should be doing more to help the poor.

With more of the working class having the right to With more of the working class having the right to vote, political parties had to do something to vote, political parties had to do something to attract their votes.attract their votes.

The Liberal Reforms 1906-1914The Liberal Reforms 1906-1914

In 1906 the Liberal party won the election. In 1906 the Liberal party won the election. Over the next few years they introduced Over the next few years they introduced several reforms which helped to tackle povertyseveral reforms which helped to tackle povertyand poor health.and poor health.

School meals 1906School meals 1906 School medical inspections 1907School medical inspections 1907 Old age pensions 1908Old age pensions 1908 Labour Exchanges 1909Labour Exchanges 1909 Unemployment and Sickness Insurance 1911Unemployment and Sickness Insurance 1911

The Liberal Reforms 1906-1914The Liberal Reforms 1906-1914

School Meals 1906School Meals 1906 – local councils had the power – local councils had the power to provide school meals.to provide school meals.

School Medical Inspections 1907School Medical Inspections 1907 – regular health – regular health checks for childrenchecks for children

Old Age Pensions 1908Old Age Pensions 1908 – over 70s given a weekly – over 70s given a weekly pensionpension

Labour Exchanges 1909Labour Exchanges 1909 – Helped unemployed – Helped unemployed people to find a jobpeople to find a job

Unemployment and Sickness Insurance 1911Unemployment and Sickness Insurance 1911 – – gave the unemployed and sick money to live on.gave the unemployed and sick money to live on.

Why Were These Reforms Why Were These Reforms ImportantImportant??

They tried to tackle some of They tried to tackle some of the key causes of poverty.the key causes of poverty.

The government was The government was accepting they had a accepting they had a responsibility to help the responsibility to help the poor.poor.

Tackling poverty would help Tackling poverty would help to improve people’s health.to improve people’s health.

But poor health was still a But poor health was still a problem and many working problem and many working class people could not afford class people could not afford to pay for medical treatment.to pay for medical treatment.

Improvements in Health 1918-Improvements in Health 1918-19391939

During the inter-war years a number of changes During the inter-war years a number of changes took place which improved the nation’s health. took place which improved the nation’s health. There were improvements in:There were improvements in:

Public healthPublic health HygieneHygiene Family PlanningFamily Planning HousingHousing Medical CareMedical Care DietDiet

Despite all of this the cost of medical care was still Despite all of this the cost of medical care was still one one

of the key reasons why British people had poor health.of the key reasons why British people had poor health.