Compare historical and current features of public health - M1
There are many differences and similarities between the public health
measures in the 19th and 20th centuries compared to the present day.
These include changes in: illness and diseases, housing, health care,
lifestyle choices, medicine, surgery, pollution, education and jobs.
A similarity between public health measures in the past and today is that
we still have free education available. In Britain introduced free education
in 1870. 80% of children would leave education after primary education,
which was until the age of 14. Then in 1944 the Education Act introduced
secondary education. This has been beneficial in society in the past and
present because having an education can make it easier to get a well
payed job. They aso provide more complex curriculums in the present as
well and health issues are covered regularly to make people aware at
young ages.
A second similarity from the past and to the present day, is we still have
free health care through the NHS. The structure of the NHS in England
and Wales was established by the National Health Service Act was 1946
and the new arrangements were launched on 5 July 1948 and this is
provided through general taxation. Before the NHS was introduced there
was private health care service but had to be paid for if you were to use it
and there is still an option in the present to opt for private health care if
you want to. However there wasn’t free health care in the 19th century
and the only type that was available were doctors or surgeons that had to
be paid for but they were expensive. If someone couldn’t afford the pricey
medical care that was available then they would go to a chemist/druggist
and cheaper options were provided. For example, people believed by
‘cleaning’ their blood and keeping their bowels empty that they would
avoid illnesses. For this they took tonics which were usually toxic but it
was not required by law to list the ingredients on the remedies packaging
so they were allowed to contain all sorts of toxic ingredients that could
end up doing more harm than good.
Additionally another similarity is that air pollution can kill. In the early
1800s, coal came into large scale usage due to industrialisation. This was
during the industrial revolution and resulted in smog and soot, creating
serious health impacts on the residents of growing urban centres.
Breathing the tiny particles caused coronary heart disease, asthma,
bronchitis, and many other respiratory illnesses. According to
http://www.history.com/topics/water-and-air-pollution many premature
deaths were directly related to soot in the environment in the 19th
century. Air pollution can still kill due to the emission of small particles
from power plants, factories, vehicle exhausts and from the burning of
coal and wood and most of the deaths related to these are occurring in
the developing economies of China and India and is therefore similar to
There are many differences and similarities between the public health
measures in the 19th and 20th centuries compared to the present day.
These include changes in: illness and diseases, housing, health care,
lifestyle choices, medicine, surgery, pollution, education and jobs.
A similarity between public health measures in the past and today is that
we still have free education available. In Britain introduced free education
in 1870. 80% of children would leave education after primary education,
which was until the age of 14. Then in 1944 the Education Act introduced
secondary education. This has been beneficial in society in the past and
present because having an education can make it easier to get a well
payed job. They aso provide more complex curriculums in the present as
well and health issues are covered regularly to make people aware at
young ages.
A second similarity from the past and to the present day, is we still have
free health care through the NHS. The structure of the NHS in England
and Wales was established by the National Health Service Act was 1946
and the new arrangements were launched on 5 July 1948 and this is
provided through general taxation. Before the NHS was introduced there
was private health care service but had to be paid for if you were to use it
and there is still an option in the present to opt for private health care if
you want to. However there wasn’t free health care in the 19th century
and the only type that was available were doctors or surgeons that had to
be paid for but they were expensive. If someone couldn’t afford the pricey
medical care that was available then they would go to a chemist/druggist
and cheaper options were provided. For example, people believed by
‘cleaning’ their blood and keeping their bowels empty that they would
avoid illnesses. For this they took tonics which were usually toxic but it
was not required by law to list the ingredients on the remedies packaging
so they were allowed to contain all sorts of toxic ingredients that could
end up doing more harm than good.
Additionally another similarity is that air pollution can kill. In the early
1800s, coal came into large scale usage due to industrialisation. This was
during the industrial revolution and resulted in smog and soot, creating
serious health impacts on the residents of growing urban centres.
Breathing the tiny particles caused coronary heart disease, asthma,
bronchitis, and many other respiratory illnesses. According to
http://www.history.com/topics/water-and-air-pollution many premature
deaths were directly related to soot in the environment in the 19th
century. Air pollution can still kill due to the emission of small particles
from power plants, factories, vehicle exhausts and from the burning of
coal and wood and most of the deaths related to these are occurring in
the developing economies of China and India and is therefore similar to
