Cholera Outbreak and Sanitation Advances
Cholera in London...
Research has shown over the past 166 years that sanitation is in fact one of the most crucial innovations in history to prevent the overall spread of disease. Vaccines and medication have also had a positive effect on the prevention of spreading disease, but the root of disease tends to revert back to poor sanitation. While sanitation has been one of the most successful innovations, it still remains a problem in several developed countries and disease continues to spread. Actions were taken to improve sanitation, but another key component to this innovation was the understanding that disease can actually spread from poor sanitation.
Those credited with discovering the theory that disease is spread from poor sanitation the "champions of the sanitary revolution", John Snow and Edwin Chadwick. They became famous for their work during the cholera outbreak in 1831 London and the realization that cholera was water born illness that was spreading through London through contaminated water sources. The main water source for London citizens were the major pumps on several London street corners. However the issue was that the water in these pumps was coming from a specific location of the Thames River that was highly contaminated. The contamination consisted of solid human waste that had seeped into the river as Londoners had no proper disposal for their waste. Often times cesspools of waste would build up in their homes, contaminating those living in the house and also leak into their water and belongings which would sometimes end up in the water. Water from the Thames would then serve through the water pumps in town, spreading cholera. Cholera was spread through the ingestion of water contaminated with cholera infected waste.
Edwin Chadwick worked closely with John Snow, who was able to slow the spread of the disease by shutting off Londoners access to water from one of the pumps. His theory was proved true because the rate of cholera did decrease in that area closest to the pump. He took the handle off of the pump to no longer allow the use of the water for cooking. drinking or washing.
Chadwick was a firm believer of the Miasma Theory for most of if not all of his life. The Miasma Theory focused on the concept that disease was being spread through contamination in the air and poisons in the air. The theory became popular during the Black Death. It also focused on how diseases were spread due to environmental issues including poor sanitation which connects directly to this cholera outbreak. Believing this, Chadwick began to focus on improving sanitation through London. Chadwick’s plan was to give the Londoners a proper form of waste disposal through a pipe and sewage system. He came to the conclusion that drinking water should be piped to people’s homes to prevent any cross contamination and infection. He also is credited with the innovation of sewer use in London.
Those credited with discovering the theory that disease is spread from poor sanitation the "champions of the sanitary revolution", John Snow and Edwin Chadwick. They became famous for their work during the cholera outbreak in 1831 London and the realization that cholera was water born illness that was spreading through London through contaminated water sources. The main water source for London citizens were the major pumps on several London street corners. However the issue was that the water in these pumps was coming from a specific location of the Thames River that was highly contaminated. The contamination consisted of solid human waste that had seeped into the river as Londoners had no proper disposal for their waste. Often times cesspools of waste would build up in their homes, contaminating those living in the house and also leak into their water and belongings which would sometimes end up in the water. Water from the Thames would then serve through the water pumps in town, spreading cholera. Cholera was spread through the ingestion of water contaminated with cholera infected waste.
Edwin Chadwick worked closely with John Snow, who was able to slow the spread of the disease by shutting off Londoners access to water from one of the pumps. His theory was proved true because the rate of cholera did decrease in that area closest to the pump. He took the handle off of the pump to no longer allow the use of the water for cooking. drinking or washing.
Chadwick was a firm believer of the Miasma Theory for most of if not all of his life. The Miasma Theory focused on the concept that disease was being spread through contamination in the air and poisons in the air. The theory became popular during the Black Death. It also focused on how diseases were spread due to environmental issues including poor sanitation which connects directly to this cholera outbreak. Believing this, Chadwick began to focus on improving sanitation through London. Chadwick’s plan was to give the Londoners a proper form of waste disposal through a pipe and sewage system. He came to the conclusion that drinking water should be piped to people’s homes to prevent any cross contamination and infection. He also is credited with the innovation of sewer use in London.