Epidemics Vs Cholera

Epidemics such as Black Death and Cholera have significantly changed the way public health operates in modern society. Many of the ideas developed during the black death years has been transformed and underwent multiple progressions in order to assist the greater good and potential of society. However, there have also been many similarities and old age ideologies that have stuck around and shaped our practices as well. Moreover, it is imperative that one knows the social, political, and cultural practices that were in place during both epidemics. Leading to the point, changes in public health were informed by transformations of the role of religion and the increasing influence of sanitation. Changes of public health can be seen through …show more content…
During the Black Death there was no official public health committee or office, in fact ideas were just beginning to happen. During the black death epidemic Slack mentions “All this necessitated the growth of local administrative machines and an expansion pf state of power, the invention of ‘medical police’ in fact.” (Slack 1988, 434). During the black death the states started to develop mechanisms in order to control the spread of disease. People who ran temporary public health were priests and therefore had a bias point of view in relation to how and why disease was spread such as sin. “There were restrictions on movement, bills of health, quarantine regulations for travelers and shipping… All of this necessitated the growth of local administrative machines and an expansion of state power” (Slack 1988, …show more content…
The push for more public health cautions, pushed the doctors who were on the committee to urge the imperativeness of sanitation. Sanitation as seen in cholera was the most influential way of how public health was able to become more permanent. As mentioned before, during cholera the officials were determined to find the source of infection and not only through religion as a source but a contagion. Knowing that the disease thrived in poor areas, they came to the conclusion that it was due to uncleanliness, therefore saying “Shown that Cholera could be prevented not with only prayer and fasting, but through disinfection and quarantine” (Rosenberg 1987, 213). Thus showing how much public health transformed from the black death to cholera. Cholera has three waves of epidemics, from 1832, to 1849 and 1866. Alderman and the boards of health underwent tremendous renovations, such as being ad hoc, to informal and corrupt to be largely ineffective. Through the board of health they were able to push for reform and allow for more preventative measures to ensure safety of the public. “The statistic gathered by a generation of public health workers had convinced Americans of the necessity for sanitary reform” (Rosenberg 1987, 214). The state was more involved in public health and a separation of church and state began to become more