The Apostles of Cleanliness was one of the largest groups that came about during the time period. While they were the group to create public health infrastructure, they didn't even believe in the theory that germs spread disease. This group was able to create change by spreading the word around metropolitan cities, giving persuasive arguments and pushing a health bill is the city government.
Despite what would be clear evidence to disease for health leaders now, many attempted to refute the idea of filth causing disease. Much blame went to insects, and the transmission of bug bites from mosquitoes. Another alternative was unfortunately to put the blame on other races, whether it was the native Americans or the new emigrating Irish.
At the end of the 19th century, much change was brought regarding sanitation. New York was able to design and install a comprehensive sewage system that allowed for people to not toss their feces out the window. Also, street cleaning and garbage collecting processes were implemented so that the reeking gutters and sidewalks would look as pretty as possible.
This post was helpful in explaining the causes of sanitation problems in the late 19th century as well as attempts to resolve these issues. I found it interesting that the Apostles of Cleanliness promoted a greater health infrastructure without knowing that disease was caused by a lack of cleanliness. How were they able to convince government leaders to implement new sanitation systems without using the fact that these systems would lead to a decline in disease?
ReplyDeleteThis post was really interesting! To me, it brought up the question of when Americans finally linked disease with germs and hygiene, and what actions were taken to help the situation. French chemist Louis Pasteur was the one who discovered that there were microorganisms everywhere, and that they could be killed with large quantities of heat. Also, German microbiologist Robert Koch created a scientific method (involving mice) to find out which bacteria cause disease. Both of these scientists operated in the mid-to-late 1800s. America responded with gradual hygienic improvements, such as replacing chamber pots with toilets, sewage systems, brushing teeth, and bathing more. Subsequently, more products (such as toothbrushes and better soap) came out to the American markets which addressed hygiene. Vaccines were also popularized, killing Polio, although they are becoming increasingly controversial today.
ReplyDeleteWilliam, the post was great at providing a basis at the basis of what urban sanitation was like during this period of growth. Often, we see industrialism and developing as strictly beneficial but we often forget that some part of society will be neglected and the harm is typically inflicted on the "normal" people. How different was American industrialism compared to the brutality of working during the Victorian era? How would the world have been different had there been no "American Dream" or JP Morgan to fund it all? Would America still be as powerful and influential as it is today? All of this is important to consider in correlation with the sanitation problems alongside the steady development of the nation.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.theusaonline.com/history/industrialization.htm
Drew, cool article. I thought you did a really great job highlighting the downsides of industrialization, and the impacts this had on the American people. I think it was interesting that a group of individuals came together, forming the "Apostles of Cleanliness". Were the people who were in this group doctors or just ordinary people? I thought it was also interesting how people outright denied any foundational aspect of the germ theory, and automatically blamed blacks, the Irish- or even just mosquitos. I was wondering, however, what prompted New York to change its sanitation facilities. Was it the pressure on the state government from the masses complaining about their poor living conditions, or the emergence of a better scientific theory? In the early 19th century, people believed in anti-contagionism- or the pre-germ theory idea that was "a qualified way of rejecting the application of the term "contagious disease" for a particular infection". (Wikipedia). How do you think this idea evolved with Louis Pasteur's discovery of the abundance of microorganisms?
ReplyDelete