Public Health: Population rise and growth and conditions of towns

Population 1700 - 1850:

• In 1700 the population was 5.5 mill.
• Most people lived in the countryside
• Life expectancy was 38 years
• In 1851 population was 18 mill.
• Life expectancy was 55 years
• More people lived in towns and industrial areas

Where statistics come from:

• Gregory King in 1695 used parish registers, church records and tax returns to estimate population
• John Rickman in 1801 drew up first census - to be taken every 10 years

Why did population grow?

• Birth rate grew, due to better
  • living conditions
  • medicine
  • diet
• Death rate fell, due to:
  • changes in farming
    • less hunger
    • better quality
  • changes in transport
    • fresh food could be transported across the country
  • changes in industry
    • more work
    • higher wages
  • overseas buying and selling
    • cotton
      • easier t keep clean
      • cheaper
  • improvements in medicine
    • cure for smallpox
    • improved midwifery
    • more hospitals
  • drop in gin drinking
    • was made more expensive
• Immigration and emigration
  • people moved around the country for new jobs
  • attracted workers from Scotland and Ireland
  • attracted workers from colonies

Results of this…