Background:
2 cholera epidemics (1842 & 1848)
This was the height of the industrial revolution and workers were getting sick. It was not good for business or the economy.
Public Health Reforms:
1842 - Chadwick report
1848 - First Public Health Act
1853 - Compulsory vacc.
1854 - Central Board of Health is closed down
1858 - London Sewage system
1866 - Cattle Plague
1866 - Sewers are finished
1866 - Sanitary Act
1867 - Working class men living in towns were given the vote
● Since working class men were given vote, political parties improved living conditions to get more votes. E.g. Conservative Party 1874 won largely
due to working class votes. Therefore this is a very important reason as to why Public Health improved.
1875 - Artisans Dwelling Act (AKA Housing Act)
1875 - 2nd Public Health Act
General improvements:
Life expectancy increased
Better nursing and surgery techniques
Government takes more responsibility for public health state
Action What was What was it? How did this improve Public Health? Why was it inefficient? Which factors
taken: happening before? were
responsible for
this
improvement?
*Public Government had an In 1848, the 2nd They forced some areas to set up - Not compulsory
Health Act attitude of cholera epidemic their own ‘Local Board of Health’ in
1848 ‘Laissez-faire’, pushed the places with high death rates or E.g. towns such as
which meant they government to where 10+% or ratepayers ask for Liverpool, Sunderland and