After 1750, the relationship between food and state was innovative. As animals settled in London for closer distance to shops and consumers, many conflicts arose. A great concern of exchange of diseases between human and animals emerged. In Hardy’s scholarship, Pioneers in the Victorian province: veterinarians, public health and urban animal economy, it presented various factors of improving public health. With the presence of veterinarians, and meat inspectors, they seek to control the diseases threatening to attack the immune system, leaving humans vulnerable and sickly.
Animals were part of daily life in the cities. There were dairy cattle for milk, horses for transportation, pigs, dogs, rabbits, pigeons for protein, and cattle, poultry and sheep for slaughterhouses and to the market. London had all these animals because of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. This acted as protection for the animals from violence which made some of them wander freely around without fear. Except for the animal proteins sold in the market, this act does not apply. Due to these daily routines with animals, suspicions of correlation of the health between humans, animals, and state went down the drain. Even with the devastating cattle plague in 1865-66, closed attention to diseases transferring from animals to humans did not happen until the end of the century. Diseases, such as glanders and rabies were transmitted by openings from an infected wound and abrasions on the skin with the saliva from a rabid dog. Anthrax was acquired by infected hides and hair and rarely through consumption of infected meat. However, these diseases can be obtained accidentally and can greatly be prevented by thorough care and attention in the surroundings. It was in London that initiated the rise of public health campaigns. An unexplainable fever broke out among the poor in London. While this incident was investigated by Edwin Chadwick, an important activist for public health and first medical officer, he connected this to the sanitary condition of the work force. During this time was the era of the Industrial Revolution. One of the known cons of the Industrial Revolution was the unsanitary environment the workers worked in. Wastes were scattered in the streets, factories created uncleaned air, and workers worked for long hours. This resulted in the creation of the “first extensive health organization” in London in 1855-56. The organization, managed by the Metropolis Local Management Act, 48 medical officers of health. London set an example for the rest of cities to follow suit. At first, provincial cities rejected the laws administered. It was a while until they finally accepted it. However, it was in the great provincial cities that elevated public health reforms. Numerous things were going on in London which did not allow them to fully focus on the development of public health. The great provincial cities surpassed them in this aspect and took the lead in “expanding administrative concerns” and further extending the municipal public heath responsibilities. With diseases that greatly affected the population negatively were typhoid, diarrhea, scarlet fever, measles, and whooping cough. These resulted in many casualties every year. Apart from controlling these diseases from spreading in the community, the Public Health Act of 1872 was administered to control adverse consequences of unregulated urban growth. As stated previously, although concerns for public health arose during the 1830s, it was not until the 1870s that the attention turned towards the animals …show more content…
Bacteriology, study of bacteria, dispelled the blindness of the animal diseases. Although, it was long known that animal products such as meat and milk could causes illness, it only pertained to the process of decomposition not the actual animal itself. Bacteriology discovered the specific agents that connected animal and humans diseases. This took a while to uncover because contaminated animal food was stealthily brought into consumption. Sick animals were treated with preservatives, which produced toxins that harmed the human system without any obvious change to the taste and texture of the product. Benjamin Richardson, public health campaigner, drew attention to these dangers which gave George Buchanan, Chief Medical Officer, the impetus to declare the system of inspection of animals before slaughter in
Animals were part of daily life in the cities. There were dairy cattle for milk, horses for transportation, pigs, dogs, rabbits, pigeons for protein, and cattle, poultry and sheep for slaughterhouses and to the market. London had all these animals because of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. This acted as protection for the animals from violence which made some of them wander freely around without fear. Except for the animal proteins sold in the market, this act does not apply. Due to these daily routines with animals, suspicions of correlation of the health between humans, animals, and state went down the drain. Even with the devastating cattle plague in 1865-66, closed attention to diseases transferring from animals to humans did not happen until the end of the century. Diseases, such as glanders and rabies were transmitted by openings from an infected wound and abrasions on the skin with the saliva from a rabid dog. Anthrax was acquired by infected hides and hair and rarely through consumption of infected meat. However, these diseases can be obtained accidentally and can greatly be prevented by thorough care and attention in the surroundings. It was in London that initiated the rise of public health campaigns. An unexplainable fever broke out among the poor in London. While this incident was investigated by Edwin Chadwick, an important activist for public health and first medical officer, he connected this to the sanitary condition of the work force. During this time was the era of the Industrial Revolution. One of the known cons of the Industrial Revolution was the unsanitary environment the workers worked in. Wastes were scattered in the streets, factories created uncleaned air, and workers worked for long hours. This resulted in the creation of the “first extensive health organization” in London in 1855-56. The organization, managed by the Metropolis Local Management Act, 48 medical officers of health. London set an example for the rest of cities to follow suit. At first, provincial cities rejected the laws administered. It was a while until they finally accepted it. However, it was in the great provincial cities that elevated public health reforms. Numerous things were going on in London which did not allow them to fully focus on the development of public health. The great provincial cities surpassed them in this aspect and took the lead in “expanding administrative concerns” and further extending the municipal public heath responsibilities. With diseases that greatly affected the population negatively were typhoid, diarrhea, scarlet fever, measles, and whooping cough. These resulted in many casualties every year. Apart from controlling these diseases from spreading in the community, the Public Health Act of 1872 was administered to control adverse consequences of unregulated urban growth. As stated previously, although concerns for public health arose during the 1830s, it was not until the 1870s that the attention turned towards the animals …show more content…
Bacteriology, study of bacteria, dispelled the blindness of the animal diseases. Although, it was long known that animal products such as meat and milk could causes illness, it only pertained to the process of decomposition not the actual animal itself. Bacteriology discovered the specific agents that connected animal and humans diseases. This took a while to uncover because contaminated animal food was stealthily brought into consumption. Sick animals were treated with preservatives, which produced toxins that harmed the human system without any obvious change to the taste and texture of the product. Benjamin Richardson, public health campaigner, drew attention to these dangers which gave George Buchanan, Chief Medical Officer, the impetus to declare the system of inspection of animals before slaughter in