1. These 4 items give you a clue about a key event in the History of Public Health in Britain – can you work out what it is?

2. Lesson Objectives
To identify and explain how John Snow identified the causes of cholera outbreaks
To explain and evaluate the significance of key individuals (John Snow and Octavia Hill) in Public Heath reform
To analyse the reasons why the first public health was mostly a failure
To evaluate whether or not Snow’s work was a turning point in medicine

3. What was the 1st Public Health Act – 1848?
In 1848 cholera struck again and MPs voted for the st Public Health Act.
Central Board of Health in London to sit for 5 years
Local Boards of Health could be set up in towns if 10% of ratepayers agreed. Boards could improve water supply and sewage disposal
Act was not compulsory. It was not fully applied across the whole country.

4. How significant was John Snow’s discovery?

5. How important was the work of John Snow in 1854?
Around your own copy of Snow’s cholera map write down
Who he was
What he discovered
Why his discovery was important
Which factors helped him?

7. What were housing conditions like in British cities?
Who was Octavia Hill?
What did she do?
Why was her contribution to
medicine important?
What factors helped her?

8. Did the work of Snow and Hill make a real difference?
What factors were necessary for real change to occur?