Public Health 1830

Public Health 1830-51
1. Problems

Sanitation - some cities had sewage heaps of up to 35,000 tons
Disease – often on epidemic scale eg cholera in 1832 and 1849, typhus in 1837, 1839, 1847.

2. Causes

Public Health Chronology

1831 Cholera epidemic in Sunderland – spread across country – 32,000 deaths : Local boards of health set up : Research by Charles Turner Thackrah
1832 Cholera Act : Work by Dr. James Kay
1837 Typhus epidemic : All births, marriages & deaths to be registered
1838 Commission of Enquiry to examine health conditions of the poor
1839 Typhus
1840 Select Committee on the Health of Towns
1842 “Report on the Sanitary Conditions of the Labouring Population of Great Britain”
1844 Report from Health of Towns Commission : Chadwick played major part in creation of Health of Towns Association
1845 Report from Health of Towns Commission
1847 Typhus : Town Improvement Clauses Act & Waterworks Clauses Act
1848 Public Health Bill ® General Board of Health in London, local health boards set up, appointment of medical officers

Provision for public health in towns haphazard and inadequate – several organisations dealing with different aspects of the problem
Ignorance – miasmatic theory dominated – no link between disease & poor sanitation

Impact of industrialisation ® severe overcrowding in towns & cities. Accommodation often completely inadequate

Condition of England – Revision

1) Public Health
Problem – Lack of fresh water & sewerage disposal

Absence of centralised system since end of Roman Empire è lack of central authority/lack of resources/lack of inclination
Problem made worse by industrialisation & all its consequences – disease rife in the 19th century + poor living conditions è low life expectancy
Situation continued well into second half of century before effective action was taken

Why did it take so long for something to be done?

Before Municipal Corporations Act (1835) many of new towns lacked central authority – in others power lay in hands of powerful property owners. Local authorities had little effective control over public health provision

Local authorities could levy rates for fresh water supply etc but this required Local Act of Parliament

Self-interest was big stumbling block – builders & water companies were in search of profit. Private landlords reluctant to spend money

Ignorance – link between germs & disease not established till 1870s

Civil engineering problems in providing fresh water and efficient sewers

Cost – sewerage not popular topic with politicians! Who was to pay?

Attempts to bring public health under one body èconflict

Perhaps biggest factor was debate over role of central government – opposed at local level

Opposition from vested interest groups + perhaps also because of Chadwick’s attempts to bring about reform – not popular!

NB There are common links between the problems of provision of education, poor relief, the reform of factory working hours and conditions and public health. These are

The prevailing belief in laissez-faire/debate over role of central government

The opposition of vested interest groups

Reluctance/inability of central government to allocate resources

Source: http://ww2.ecclesbourne.derbyshire.sch.uk/ecclesbourne/content/subsites/history/files/AS%20History/Public%20Health%20Chronology.doc

Web site to visit: http://ww2.ecclesbourne.derbyshire.sch.uk/

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Public Health 1830

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