Health and Education during the Industrial Revolution

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HEALTH AND EDUCATION DURING

THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

NAMAN SHAH VIII- C

HEALTH

The Industrial Revolution was the period of time from 1750 to 1900 where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, and transport had a profound effect on the socioeconomic and cultural conditions in the United Kingdom. The onset of the Industrial Revolution marked a major turning point in human history; almost every aspect of daily life was eventually influenced in some way or the other.

In 1750 the population of Britain was about 11 million at a time when it was not known that germs caused disease, and diseases like smallpox and diphtheria killed masses of people. The conditions were horrible and health and sanity was not up to the mark. The annual death rate was 28 deaths per thousand people according to, “Rediscovering Britain 1750-1900”, and many babies died before their first birthday. Even some simple operations could not be done as anaesthesia was not yet developed.

As more people died, doctors and scientists needed to come up with solutions, to end this problem. Dan Cruickshank of BBC said, “The Industrial Revolution made Britain rich but it also made them sick!” Forty years after the beginning of the Industrial Revolution British scientist Edward Jenner was the first man ever to develop a smallpox vaccine. This was Britain’s first success in the field of medicine. Many lives were saved thanks to Jenner’s vaccine. The death rate came down to 22 deaths per thousand people.

But 30 years later more people moved into the towns as they became cramped up. The population became double now to 20 million. Killer diseases like cholera, typhoid and tuberculosis spread rapidly due to infected water, dirty and congested living conditions, and poor diet. People still died of shock and infection as anaesthetics were not developed. Apart of the eradication of smallpox nothing much had been done. The average life expectancy of a man in 1800 was 36 years only compared to 78 today. The population increased day by day, and a great amount of work was needed to be done for the betterment and well-functioning of society in Britain. In the 1850’s Queen Victoria’s daughter Alice died due to diphtheria.  

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Scientists experimented and observed for the next 20 years. Louis Pasteur discovered that germs caused diseases. Thanks to his discovery scientists developed vaccines:  James Lind discovered the treatment for scurvy; Von Behring prepared a vaccine for diphtheria and one discovery led to another.  Local councils began to improve water supplies and sewers and this improved the health of people in towns.  

The Industrial Revolution introduced us to the discoveries and achievements of the likes of vaccine pioneer Edward Jenner, James Lind, Louis Pasteur and William Withering, who is credited with introducing digitalis to medical science. Doctors in the 18th ...

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