A Chronology of State Medicine, Public Health, Welfare and Related ...

1854 Corrupt Practices Prevention Act (17&18 Vict., c.102) introduced small fines for
bribery, cheating and the use of undue influence and intimidation of voters; and candidates
were required to produce itemised accounts of their expenditure for examination by an
election auditor. See 1883.
Scottish Registration Acts (17&18 Vict., c.30 and 18&19 Vict., c.29), introduced
registration in Scotland as from 1855. For England see 1836.
Oxford University Act (17&18 Vict., c.81) nominated commissioners to alter the
statutes and regulations and to enlarge the powers of the University.
The General Board of Health (see 1848) was reconstituted following accusations that
the Board was seeking to exercise a dictatorial influence over local authorities and boards,
and was too impetuous and peremptory in matters of local and personal concern. Most of the
attack was aimed at Edwin Chadwick, who with Southwood Smith and the Earl of
Shaftesbury left the Board. John Simon considered the main achievements of the 1848-54
board had been the detailed advice it gave on sanitary engineering and the financial aspects of
sanitary reform, and its campaign against district uncleanliness. The new board continued
under successive renewals
1854 Cont - 1856
1854 cont until 1858.
Report of a Select Committee on Medical Poor Relief. Much of the evidence given to
the Committee favoured extending the medical services of the Poor Law to a much larger
section of the population through such schemes as free dispensaries. See 1856.
Sir Benjamin Brodie (1783-1862, physician at St George's Hospital, London)
advocated Parliamentary grants to the voluntary hospitals in respect of treating poor patients
as inpatients or outpatients.
Cholera outbreak around Broad Street, Golden Square, London, led to John Snow's
famous investigations set out in the second and much enlarged edition of "On the
Communication of Cholera" (see 1849) in 1855.
Foundation of the Royal Hospital for Incurables at Putney.
Florence Nightingale (1820-1910) arrived in the Crimea in November and worked
there until 1856. See 1859.
1855 Influenza pandemic.
Nuisances Removal and Diseases Prevention Act (18&19 Vict., c.121) consolidated
the acts of 1846 and 1848; enlarged the definition of nuisances; dealt with the sale of meat
unfit for human consumption; and with offensive trades. The act made obligatory the
employment of one or more "sanitary inspectors" (previously inspectors of nuisances) by
each authority or jointly with other authorities; defined their powers of entry; introduced the
concept of overcrowding as being dangerous or prejudicial to health; and authorised the Privy
Council to declare the act in force in any part of England affected by or threatened with any
formidable epidemic of contagious disease, and thereby for the General Board of Health to
issue regulations for house-to-house inspections, provision of medicines and internment of
the dead. See 1856 and 1860.
Metropolis (Local Management) Act (18&19 Vict., c.120) created 48 District Boards in
London, each of which was required to appoint a "medical officer of health" and an
"inspector of nuisances". See 1889 and 1899.
Charitable Trusts Act (18&19 Vict., c.124) amended some details of the 1853 Act.
Friendly Societies Act (18&19 Vict., c.63 established the Registrar of Friendly