Industrial Revolution flashcards
(32 cards)
Why had they stopped reading Galen in the nineteenth century?
New scientific discoveries (e.g. germ theory) proved Galen wrong; medicine became more evidence-based.
What did Lady Mary Wortley Montagu discover?
She observed inoculation against smallpox in Turkey and introduced it to Britain.
Who was Edward Jenner?
A country doctor who discovered vaccination using cowpox to protect against smallpox.
How did Edward Jenner discover Smallpox Vaccination?
He noticed milkmaids who had cowpox didn’t get smallpox; he tested this on a boy named James Phipps.
What was opposing Smallpox Vaccination?
People didn’t understand how it worked, thought it was unnatural, and doctors lost money from inoculations.
Who was Florence Nightingale?
A nurse who improved hospital hygiene and care during the Crimean War; promoted sanitation and training for nurses.
What was Louis Pasteur’s germ theory?
He proved that microorganisms caused disease, replacing the miasma theory.
Who was Robert Koch?
A German doctor who identified bacteria that caused specific diseases (e.g. TB, cholera).
How was the Chicken Cholera Vaccine discovered?
Pasteur’s team accidentally used old bacteria, which protected chickens — leading to the concept of weakened vaccines.
What problems faced surgeons in 1800?
Pain, infection, and blood loss.
How was the problem of pain during surgery overcome?
Anaesthetics like ether and chloroform were discovered.
What different ways was the problem of pain during surgery overcome?
Ether (early but dangerous), chloroform (effective but controversial), laughing gas (weak).
What were opposing reasons to anaesthesia?
Risky to use, religious objections, some believed pain was necessary.
How was anaesthetics finally accepted?
Queen Victoria used chloroform during childbirth in 1853, boosting acceptance.
How was the problem of infection overcome?
Antiseptics (Lister) and aseptic surgery reduced infection rates.
How did Joseph Lister create antiseptics?
He used carbolic acid to clean wounds and instruments, reducing infections.
What were the reasons to oppose Lister’s discoveries?
Carbolic acid was unpleasant; doctors resisted change; some doubted germ theory.
What was aseptic surgery?
Preventing germs from entering the body during surgery by sterilising everything.
What were the methods of Aseptic Surgery?
Sterilised instruments, steam cleaning, masks, gloves, antiseptic dressings.
Why were early blood transfusions ending up in disaster?
Blood groups hadn’t been discovered yet; transfusions often failed.
What were public health problems in the early 1800s?
Overcrowded housing, dirty water, poor sewage, disease outbreaks (e.g. cholera).
What is laissez-faire?
The idea that the government should not interfere with people’s lives.
What was Edwin Chadwick’s Report?
A report on the poor living conditions of the working class and their link to disease.
What did Chadwick’s report say to do for industrial towns?
Improve drainage, remove rubbish, provide clean water, appoint medical officers.
