This course covers the medical revolution of the Victorian era. We discuss the work of visionaries such as Louis Pasteur and Robert Koch, the birth of sanitation and the sanitation of birth. This course covers the thematic study 'Britain: Health and people: c.1000-present'. This is found on Section A of Paper 2. The course is divided into four parts. This is part three.
In the 19th century, a new theory emerged which fundamentally changed our understanding of medicine. Germ Theory was championed by notable doctors Pasteur, Koch and Ehrlich. Their work helped rid the world of certain diseases.
The scientific method - observation and analysis - was crucial to changing attitudes to health. When doctors began to see patterns in the spread of germs, they could see ways to interrupt the spread. Sterilisation and anaesthetics came from this time.
In the Victorian era, the records they kept tell us a lot about that time. 57% of children never lived to see their 5th birthday. Young boys employed to clean chimneys contracted cancer and young girls 'Phossy Jaw' in match factories.
The industrial revolution placed Britain at the centre of the economic world. People flocked to the cities for employment. Buildings were severely overcrowded and public sanitation was poor. The Great Clean Up was enacted to stop the many deaths.
Many hospitals across Britain were now backed by wealthy patrons - often the very industrialists that needed their workers to remain healthy. Guy's hospital is one example of this philanthropy.
These flashcards are a handy way to revise the notable names and events that we have covered on this course. 'Salvarsan 60', for example, is an example of a 'magic bullet'. In medical terms, what does this mean?
Take this quiz to test your memory of what we have covered on this course. Which prince died of typhoid? What anaesthetic did James Simpson recommend for childbirth? More questions like these within.
