Public Health Key People

Name: Edwin Chadwick

Time Period: Industrial Revolution

Lifetime: 1800 - 1890

What did he do?: Chadwick published a report, in 1842, about the living conditions in the poorer part of Britain. He thought that to improve public health would gain more money for the government and his findings about sickness and death rates shocked those who read it.

Legacy: Chadwick's report was one of the first to question the living conditions for the poor. His discoveries led to a Public Health Bill and, after a Cholera outbreak, the first Public Health Act.

Name: John Snow

Time Period: Industrial Revolution

Lifetime: 1813 - 1858

What did he do?: In 1853/1854, Snow noticed a link between those who contracted Cholera - the same water pump. He was able to link this water pump to the Cholera disease. Taking action, he removed the handle from the pump and carried out research. He discovered that, once the water pump was disabled, the outbreak ended. 

Legacy: Snow was one of the first to begin to show how diseases were spread and he proved that Cholera was in the water, which led to further discoveries on exactly how the water was contaminated.

Name: Octavia Hill

Time Period: Industrial Revolution

Lifetime: 1838 - 1912

What did she do?: Octavia Hill was aware of the poor living conitions for people living in poverty, so she wanted to take action on it. She came up with a proposal on better living conditions and set out to set these up.

Legacy: She was working basedon reports and her own findings and her proposals and plans led to some grand improvements in living conditions

Name: Florence Nightingale

Time Period: Industrial Revolution

Lifetime: 1820 - 1910

What did she do?: Nightingale believed that miasma caused disease. She was also part of the Crimean war, along with Mary Seacole, saving lives. Mostly, she improved the hygeine within hospitals, although she did not know why it was important.

Legacy: Her idea of better hygeine in hospitals lasted for a long time, especially after being reinforced by the Germ Theory, and is still present in hospitals today.

Name: Mary Seacole

Time Period: Industrial Revolution

Lifetime: 1805 - 1881

What did she do?: Seacole wanted to go into the Crimean War, but struggled as the Government refused to send her. Eventually, she paid for it and went on her own accord. In the Crimean, she set up hospitals and nursed sick soldiers, so much so that she was nicknamed 'Mother Seacole'

Legacy: While her hospitals and treatments were temporary, she set a great mark in the growing rights for women and she also played a part in the victory of the Crimean war

Name: Seebhom Rowntree

Time Period: 20th Century

Lifetime: 1871 - 1954

What did he do?: Rowntree carried out research into the living conditions of the poor and published his findings in a report. He and Booth both concluded that poverty was a result of low wages, sickness and old age, rather than laziness and drunkiness.

Legacy: Rowntree's report shocked people and persuaded David Lloyd-George to create the Liberal Social Reforms which, in a way, stayed for years after.

Name: Charles Booth

Time Period: 20th Century

Lifetime: 1840 - 1916

What did he do?: Booth published a report on the living conditions of the poor. His research showed that 1/3 of people in London lived in severe poverty, which shocked many people. With Rowntree, he concluded that poverty was a result of low wages, sickness and old age, rather than laziness and drunkiness.

Legacy: Booth's report, amongst others, allowed the Government to realise action needed to be taken to improve these conditions.

Name: David Lloyd-George

Time Period: 20th Century

Lifetime: 1863 - 1945

What did he do?: Lloyd-George created the Liberal Social Reforms which includes: sickness pay, unemployment pay, pension, free school meals, national insurance and more. He set it up to take action against poverty in London after the reports of Booth and Rowntree.

Legacy: Many of his Liberal Social Reforms have been maintained, to some extent, into the modern day,

Name: William Beveridge

Time Period: 20th Century

Lifetime: 1879 - 1963

What did he do?: Beveridge was an economist and social reformer who released the Beveridge Report in 1942 and he also helped Churchill to create a minimum wage in 1909. The Bevridge Report was highly influential and discussed the need for social security from 'the cradle to the grave'

Legacy: His report was highly influential and led to some necessary actions taking place within the Governent and the minimum wage concept has been kept even now.

Name: Aneurin Bevan

Time Period: 20th Century

Lifetime: 1897 - 1860

What did he do?: Bevan was the Labour Minister for Health and he introduced the National Health Service (NHS). He helped to introduce complusory National Insurance to help pay for the NHS. Doctors and Dentists were weary at first but were won over with fixed payments and the ability for them to still take private patients.

Legacy: Rowntree's report shocked people and persuaded David Lloyd-George to create the Liberal Social Reforms which, in a way, stayed for years after.