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Period: to
19th Century Medicine
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Edwin Chadwick
Edwin Chadwick argued that disease was the main cause for poverty, and that preventing disease would improve death/illness rates. -
Chloroform
James Simpson discovered chloroform. -
Semmelweis
Semmelweis cut the death of his patients by washing his hands as he strongly believed this was what was spreading disease. He made the other doctors wash their hands in calcium chloride solution before treating their patients. -
First Public Health Act / Chlorera epidemic
The first Public Health Act was introduced due to an epidemic of cholera, however it wasn't all compulsory. -
Smallpox Vaccine
The vaccination against smallpox was made compulsory and this was especially helpful for poor families. -
Pasteur's Germ Theory
Louis Pasteur discovered that germs caused disease by using different flasks and studying the air. This led to pasteurisation of milk, which prevented it from going sour by killing the germs and sealing it from the air. The death of his two daughters pushed Louis to try harder with his work. (FACTOR: Social/Personal genius) -
Joseph Lister and Carbolic Acid
Jospeh Lister cut the death rate of his patients by spraying instruments and bandages with a 1-in-20 solution of carbolic acid. -
The Second Public Health Act
The second Public Health Act was introduced, this time with compulsory laws to do with things like clean water, slum clearance, provision of sewers. -
Robert Koch
Robert Koch discovered how to stain and grow bacteria, this allowed many other discoveries to do with germs and bacteria to be made. The rivalry between Koch and Pasteur meant that more discoveries could be made (FACTOR: War) -
Charles Chamberland + Viruses
Charles Chamberland discovered organisms even smaller than bacteria that caused disease, these were viruses. -
Lansteiner and Blood Groups
Landsteiner discovered blood groups. Transfusions had been tried before but usually killed the patient because of clotting. Matching blood groups stopped this happening. -
Magic Bullets
Ehrlick reasoned that if bacteria could be stained then maybe certain chemicals could kill them. Along with his team he made several Magic Bullets - compounds that would have a specific attraction to a disease and it would target them and kill them. 'Salvarsan' was the most succesful, this treated syphilis.