Erin Brown, Sara Brown, Jasmin Diaz, Hannah Howerton, Melanie Lee

Taming the City

European cities had been centers of government, culture, and large-scale commerce.‐ congested, dirty, and unhealthy due to overcrowding

o Infectious diseases spread quickly• Widespread poverty, lack of urban transportation, lack

of medical knowledge, and overcrowding made it hard to improve the unsanitary conditions.‐ People in France and Britain began to worry about these

conditions.

Industry and the Growth of Cities

• Every scrap of land was used to its fullest extent. ‐ Parks and open areas were

almost non-existent.‐ Narrow houses (row houses)

were built wall to wall.‐ Buildings were built on the

smallest possible lots. o Many lived in extremely small,

overcrowded cellars or attics. • Toilet facilities were

undeveloped or primitive. ‐ Sewage overflowed into

cellar dwellings or became dunghills.

Cont.

Growing population and lack of public transportation were crucial factors.

The gov. in Great Britain was slow to improve sanitation and building codes.

The pre-existing housing conditions along with lack of public concern was most responsible.

Who was Responsible for This?

Was a Benthamite- a follower of radical philosopher Jeremy Bentham‐ Believed in solving public problems rationally

and scientifically Became convinced that disease and death

could be prevented by cleaning the environment‐ Collected reports on workers’ sanitation and

published his findings in 1842‐ Connected disease with filthy living conditions‐ His report became the basis for Britain’s public

health law and formed a national health board

Edwin Chadwick

Won support in the US, France, and GermanyCities were progressing towards higher health

standardsMiasmatic Theory:

‐ Belief that people contract disease when they breathe the odors of decay and excrement

‐ Soon replaced by new medical discoveriesGerm Theory

‐ Developed by Louis Pasteur ‐ Stated that diseases were caused by germs ; could be

controlled in liquids through pasteurization (heating the beverage could kill the bacteria)

‐ Led to the development of effective vaccines

Public Health and the Bacterial Revolution

Antiseptic Principle‐ Developed by Joseph Lister‐ Showed connection

between bacteria in the air and wound infection

‐ proposed that a chemical disinfectant could destroy germs

‐ In response, German surgeons began to sterilize surgical equipment.

Decrease in mortality rates and diseases after 1880

Cont.

Urban planning was one of the keys to improving urban quality of life

France took lead in the role of Napoleon III‐ Believed that by providing employment, improving

living conditions it would successfully improve Paris

‐ Paris was transformed in 20 years with the help of authoritarian planner, baron Georges Haussman.o demolished old buildings to make boulevards

New streets promoted better homeso Parks were built

• Other cities followed Paris’s example

Urban Planning

Was of great importance to the improvement of urban living conditions

European countries developed the electric streetcar in 1890’s ‐ Were cheaper, faster, and dependable

‐ People used it more • Governments built new electric streetcar systems in early 20th century

‐ Better form of transportation allowed the middle class to move to better houses

‐ Allowed cities to expand

Public Transportation