Question 1

What is the difference between the Four Humours and germ theory?

Accepted Answer

The Four Humours was an ancient Greek theory that health depended on balancing four bodily fluids: blood, phlegm, black bile, and yellow bile. It was used by doctors like Galen and persisted into the Middle Ages. Germ theory, developed by Pasteur and Koch in the 19th century, proved that specific microorganisms cause disease. This was a major turning point because it led to vaccinations, antiseptics, and improved hygiene.

Question 2

Why was the Black Death so significant for medicine?

Accepted Answer

The Black Death (1348-1349) killed about one-third of Britain's population. It was significant because it challenged the authority of the Church and traditional medicine, as prayers and humoral treatments failed. It led to some improvements in public health, like quarantine measures, but also caused a labour shortage that improved living standards for survivors. In the long term, it weakened the feudal system and encouraged new thinking.

Question 3

How did the Industrial Revolution affect public health?

Accepted Answer

The Industrial Revolution (c.1750-1900) caused rapid urbanisation, leading to overcrowded slums with poor sanitation, clean water, and waste disposal. This resulted in epidemics of cholera, typhoid, and tuberculosis. However, it also prompted government intervention, such as the 1848 Public Health Act (after Chadwick's report) and the 1875 Public Health Act, which made local authorities responsible for sewers, clean water, and housing standards.

Question 4

What role did individuals play in improving medicine?

Accepted Answer

Key individuals include: Hippocrates (Greek, 'father of medicine' – clinical observation); Galen (Roman, dissected animals, influenced medieval medicine); Andreas Vesalius (16th century, corrected Galen's errors); William Harvey (17th century, discovered blood circulation); Edward Jenner (1796, smallpox vaccine); John Snow (1854, linked cholera to water pump); Louis Pasteur (germ theory); Joseph Lister (antiseptic surgery); Florence Nightingale (nursing reforms); and Alexander Fleming (penicillin). Each built on previous knowledge or challenged existing ideas.

Question 5

When was the NHS founded and why?

Accepted Answer

The National Health Service (NHS) was founded on 5 July 1948 by Aneurin Bevan, the Minister of Health. It was created to provide free healthcare for all, funded through taxation. The reasons included: the success of the wartime Emergency Medical Service, which showed that state-run healthcare could work; the Beveridge Report (1942) which identified 'disease' as one of the 'five giants' to be tackled; and public demand for better health after the war.

Question 6

How do I revise for this topic effectively?

Accepted Answer

Create a timeline of key events (e.g., 1348 Black Death, 1796 vaccination, 1848 Public Health Act, 1948 NHS). For each, note the factor for change (war, government, science, individuals) and its significance. Practice explaining how factors interact – for example, how war (Crimean) led to government reforms (Nightingale's work) and changes in nursing. Use past paper questions to practice source analysis and essay writing. Make flashcards for key people and their contributions.

Britain: Health and the people: c1000 to the present day

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