Diseases of the Industrial Revolution

Questions to think about….. What is considered a plague? What is considered an epidemic? How do both of these cause fear, panic, and paranoia?

Cholera Spread by drinking contaminated water Bacterial Infection of the small intestine Symptoms: profuse, watery diarrhea, vomiting, and dehydration. Cure: replenish fluids by drinking water, (today – antibiotics)

Byssnosis Common in textile mill workers Also known as brown lung disease. Caused by inhaling cotton and other fibers found in textile mills. Causes heart failure, emphysema, and cancer.

Black Lung Common for workers in the mines Caused by breathing in coal and mineral dust. Causes heart failure, emphysema, and cancer.

Smallpox A viral disease spread through saliva droplets, bed sheets and clothing After 7 to 17 days, flulike symptoms begin: include high fever, body aches, and fatigue. Within a few days a body rash develops that quickly evolves into pus-filled blisters, or pustules. By the second week the pustules form crusts, which dry out and turn into scabs. After a week or so the scabs fall off, leaving deep and often disfiguring scars Today: Virus has been wiped out due to past vaccinations.

Typhoid Caused by ingesting drinking water or food contaminated with the bacteria It is common in areas of poor sanitation, where sewage may mix with drinking water, or flies may carry the bacteria from feces to food. The early symptoms are fever, headache, weakness, appetite loss, a tender abdomen, constipation, and confusion. As the illness progresses, red spots appear on the chest and belly, and the spleen and liver enlarge. The illness usually lasts about four weeks with treatment of antibiotics. If traveling to Asia, South America, or Africa a vaccine against the disease is recommended.

Typhus Bacterial infection spread by lice, fleas, or ticks infected with bacteria Symptoms: headache, chills, fever, pains, toxic substances in blood, and rash; heart failure may cause death vaccine for it discovered in 1940s

Tuberculosis (TB) The greatest killer of the Industrial Revolution. Bacterial Disease The disease caused a wasting of the body with the lungs being attacked. The lungs attempt to defend themselves by producing what are called tubercles. The disease causes these tubercles to become yellow and spongy and coughing fits causes them to be spat out by the sufferer. TB affected those who had been poorly fed and were under nourished. It also affected those who lived in dirty and damp homes. TB can be spread by a person to person through the air Though accurate records are difficult to acquire, it is believed that TB killed one-third of all those who died in Britain between 1800 and 1850.

Conclusion Which of these diseases is common today? How did culture change because of these diseases? How can we learn from the mistakes of the past?