Advances in Health

Public Health

The 1875 Public Health act forced local Authorities to provide adequate sewerage, drainage and water.

Infectious diseases had to be reported to the Medical officer for Health.

Clean water

Better water and sewerage schemes reduced the spread of typhus and typhoid and wiped out cholera.

New discoveries

Medical knowledge improved. Chloroform was used as an anaesthetic. Vaccination against smallpox was made compulsory. Louis Pasteur discovered germs Antiseptics were used in surgery

Medical care

Training for nurses improved More doctors and nurses were provided New hospitals were built and others renovated. Fever hospitals were built.

Diet

The diet of ordinary people improved.

Fresh food was brought to towns by rail

Refrigerated ships brought cheap meat and dairy products.

Cooperative shops sold cheap quality food.

Poor people still lived on porridge, bread, jam and potatoes

Hygiene

Soap and disinfectant became widely available Cotton clothes were easier to wash. Public baths and wash houses made it easier

to keep clean.

Living conditions

As better working and living conditions improved people’s health improved also

Reforms

The liberal government 1906 introduced reforms which benefited people’s health

1906 Free school meals for children

1907 Medical inspections in schools

1911 National insurance act which gave free medical treatment to insured workers

Further improvements 1919 the Ministry for health was set up to raise standards Doctors worked on a cure for TB X rays were used to diagnose illness

1929 penicillin was discovered by Alexander Fleming.

Death Rates decline

Treatment for Ricketts!

However

Poor health was still a problemMany died of illnesses like diphtheria,

whooping cough, scarlet fever and TBWorking class families on low wages

could not afford medical fees.