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UNIT 1& MEDICINE

Government action
Public Health Act, 1848
This set up a General Board of Health with Chadwick as one of three commissioners. The Act allowed, but did not force, town councils to: set up their own local Board of Health appoint a local medical officer organise the removal of rubbish build a sewer system. Only one third of towns set up a Board of Health. Even fewer appointed a medical officer. The Act was only temporary and the General Board of Health was abolished in 1858.

JolmSnow Snow was a doctor and surgeon who had a theory that cholera was spread through water, not 'bad air' (as most people believed). When cholera broke out again in 1854 h mapped all the deaths in one area d e found a strong link to an B one water pump on road Street. He removed the hand! f m ;he pump so people couldn't COllect;a:r a~~r:fiietllandrd the ~umber of deaths in that amatlCalJy. His k prove there was a b wor seemed to cholera, but still nothing etweednwater and was one.

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Steps to action

- -- - ---------------------------John Snow's investi'3ation of the Broad Street water pump showed that .death rates varied accordinq to where different water companies qot their water from. (This is an example of the importance of individuals and of a scientific approach to solvinq problems of public health.) London's 'Great Stink' (1858) persuaded the Metropolitan Board of Works to build an expensive new sewer system. (This is an example of the importance of technoloqy in improvinq public health prOvision.)

William Farr studied the statistics on births and deaths the '3overnment had been collatinq since 1837. He published details of death rates and causes in different places. (This is an example of the importance of individuals and of a scientific approach to solvinq I problems of public health.)

Pasteur's qerm theory published in 1861showed how disease was really spread and how important hyqiene was. (This is an example of the importance of scientific knowledqe in . solvinq problems of public health.)

In 1867 most workinq-class men in towns qot the vote and wanted politicians to take action. (Thisis an exampleof the importance of the role of qovemment in improvin'3public health.)

Central qovernment passed laws, and local authorities funded and carried out chanqee that improved conditions. By 1875 local councils had to ensure that: clean water was provided streets were paved rubbish was collected sewers were built slum housin'3was demolished food in shops was of '3ood quality.

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( NoW try this

Give two ways in which Edwin Chadwick was influential in changing public health provision and two ways in which he made little difference.