edwin chadwick
Edwin Chadwick
Poor Law
Public health
Success failures
Able bodied poor should be kept in workhouses. This way, only the desperate would ask for relief
Commission of enquiry; he was a committed benthamite.
Commissioners devised three different questionnaires. Questions were badly phrased, were they seeked the response they wanted.
He was seen as a tireless investigator who insisted on seeing for himself the effects of poverty and the operation of the poor laws.
Chadwick was made secretary commissioner, but he had hoped to be a commissioner. Wanted to implement the law himself.
Criticised assistant commissioner – lack of order, cleanliness and ventilation.
He used the Andover scandal to criticise his employers.
Believed that poverty an ill health were connected. So he began to press for public health reform.
In 1842, published the “survey into the sanitary condition of the labouring classes in great Britain” which led to the public health act of 1848.
Appointed member of the general board of health, where he has considerable impact.
‘Smell is disease’ he said disease was spread because of the poisonous gases, which were carried from person to person.
Later, Chadwick changed the emphasis to water supply and sewerage.
In 1839, Chadwick was asked by parliament to undertake a survey covering the whole of the country
Worked on an investigation to study the connection between environment and disease
He chose 3 doctors: Neil Arnott, James Kay and Southwood Smith
His report attacked water supplies and drainage systems, linked public health and poor law, stressed connection between overcrowding, epidemics and death
His report ranged from anger to wholehearted acceptance.
Chadwick embarked on a propaganda campaign to raise public awareness because the reports published did not move the public.
Failure: He was made secretary commissioner instead of commissioner for the poor law act.
Failure: He believed in the miasma theory.
Poor Law
Public health
Success failures
Able bodied poor should be kept in workhouses. This way, only the desperate would ask for relief
Commission of enquiry; he was a committed benthamite.
Commissioners devised three different questionnaires. Questions were badly phrased, were they seeked the response they wanted.
He was seen as a tireless investigator who insisted on seeing for himself the effects of poverty and the operation of the poor laws.
Chadwick was made secretary commissioner, but he had hoped to be a commissioner. Wanted to implement the law himself.
Criticised assistant commissioner – lack of order, cleanliness and ventilation.
He used the Andover scandal to criticise his employers.
Believed that poverty an ill health were connected. So he began to press for public health reform.
In 1842, published the “survey into the sanitary condition of the labouring classes in great Britain” which led to the public health act of 1848.
Appointed member of the general board of health, where he has considerable impact.
‘Smell is disease’ he said disease was spread because of the poisonous gases, which were carried from person to person.
Later, Chadwick changed the emphasis to water supply and sewerage.
In 1839, Chadwick was asked by parliament to undertake a survey covering the whole of the country
Worked on an investigation to study the connection between environment and disease
He chose 3 doctors: Neil Arnott, James Kay and Southwood Smith
His report attacked water supplies and drainage systems, linked public health and poor law, stressed connection between overcrowding, epidemics and death
His report ranged from anger to wholehearted acceptance.
Chadwick embarked on a propaganda campaign to raise public awareness because the reports published did not move the public.
Failure: He was made secretary commissioner instead of commissioner for the poor law act.
Failure: He believed in the miasma theory.