The Modern Age runs from 1750 to the present day. The Nineteenth century was a time of rapid change in all areas. The Industrial Revolution quickly brought new inventions and ideas, but also made life for ordinary people difficult and dangerous. They lived short hard lives in polluted disgusting slums, but were richer than at any other time in history.
Over-crowded cities and towns like Keighley grew at a phenomenal rate:
- 1801 5,745
- 1851 18,259
- 1901 41,564
Killer epidemics of Cholera, Typhoid and Scarletina struck modern cities and towns with frightening speed and a large death toll.
Advances in technology and transport increased the speed of travel, trade and the spread of global ideas, and the availability of new discoveries and inventions for treating disease.
Education has became increasingly important in fighting all manner of modern ills. The pace of advances in all areas of modern life continue to bring a heavy cost to people’s health, the environmental landscape and the other species we share the planet with.
NEW ACTIVITIES | 2010FightingGerms | 2010ModMed_TF | 2010ModernMedicineTF |
Important Events
These timelines should help you to place your learning into context.
| Fighting disease | Public Health | Surgery | |
| 1750-1800 | 1799 Jenner discovers Vaccination | ||
| 1800-1850 | 1842 Chadwick writes report on poverty 1848 Public Health Act |
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| 1850-1900 | 1861 Pasteur discovers Germs 1895 Roentgen discovers X rays |
1854 Great Stink in London 1875 Public Health Act 1867 Artisans Dwellings Act |
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| 1900-1950 | 1900s Chemicals used to kill germs – Magic bullets 1928 Fleming discovers Penicillin1932 Domagk produced Prontosil magic bullet to |
1906-11 Liberal Govt allow Free school meals, National insurance, Pensions, school nurses, milk to drink, Slum houses cleared 1948 NHS set up by Bevan |
1901 Landsteiner discovers blood groups |
| 1950-2000 | 1942 Mass production of Penicillin
1953 Crick & Watson discovered the DNA structure 1990 Human Genome was mapped |
Govt five-a-day campaigns | 1967 Barnaard successfully completes the first heart transplant |
To look up more on these important individuals read their Biographies.