Before doctors discussed germ theory, medicine was part guesswork and part superstition.This course addresses 'Changes in Health and Medicine in Britain' (Option 11) thematic study. The course is found on Section B of Paper 1 for the Edexcel exam board. This is part three of four.
Germ theory fundamentally changed the way people looked at medicine. The idea that microscopic organisms could alter the health of something as robust as a human had seemed bizarre to many until Pasteur proved them wrong.
Alexander Gordon was among the first to notice the correlation between poor hygiene and the spread of disease. Until this time, some had believed that cold water could prevent an illness. The right idea but for the wrong reason.
This mindmap shows the number of endowed hospitals that mushroomed in industrial England. Guy's hospital and Addenbrooke's hospital were among many medical institutions that received funds from wealthy patrons.
During the 19th century, other aspects of health care improved. Florence Nightingale was a pioneer of utilitarian hospital design as well as increasing the standard of professional nursing.
Because the Victorians were such efficient record keepers, we know a lot about the Victorian era. The mortality rate for children under five in 1842 was a staggering 57%. Cholera and typhoid were rampant as well many other diseases.
As the industrial age began to take hold, there was a mass migration from the countryside to the cities and towns of England. Edwin Chadwick was a member of the Poor law Commission. He worked to improve conditions for workers.
These flashcards will help you remember what we have learned in this course. Key figures such as Pasteur, Koch, Ehrlich and Jenner are revisited as well as some of the major medical breakthroughs of the age.
Take the test and discover how much you know about industrial era medicine. There are twelve questions here. This is a good way to revise for an exam. Take the test or create your own.
