HealthIn the

19th century

By Isha and Hollie

Report by John Snow

Genre – reportAudience – public/upper class medics.Purpose – to inform

Lexis

Grammar

The people believed that ‘bad smells’ caused disease. Doctor John Snow proved that Cholera was a water Bourne disease caused by contamination. In Broad Street 500 fatal attacks of Cholera in 10 days.

The slum houses were so closely compact that disease could spread fast. The most afflicted streets were deserted by more than ¾ of their inhabitants in less than 6 days of the outbreak.

Slum prostitutes would spread Syphilis to the men who would then pass it on to their wives.

CONTEXT

With such high rate of disease spreading, children were lucky to make it to the age of 5.

Children's nurseries were plagued by diseased such as measles, mumps, diphtheria, scarlet fever and rubella.

Women were continually pregnant. Right up until menopause, childbirth was very risky and painful.

Middle class men might have lived to an average age of 45. Workmen and labourers life would have been half that age.

Cholera was highly infectious disease and often fatal, killing over 22,000 people in the 19th century.

Symptoms started as an attack of violent vomiting followed by intense cramps in the arms, legs and abdomen. Thirst and fever were also common. After about three to twelve hours, symptoms continued rapidly, the skin became dry and a hazy blue or purple in colour. The persons eyes sank in their sockets, their pulse was almost impossible to feel, and their voice became very hoarse. Death usually took place within a day sometimes a few hours

Housing contributed to the fast spread of disease, poorly built, overcrowded, damp with no ventilation.