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

Societies, and enabled trade unions to register as friendly societies.
The Northcote-Trevelyan Committee on Civil Service Reform recommended that the
service be divided into a higher and a lower grade; that both grades should be recruited by
open competitive examinations; and that promotion should be by merit and not seniority.
Subsequently the Civil Service Commission was established. See 1870.
John Simon (see 1848) appointed medical officer to the General Board of Health.
First report on occupational mortality published by the Registrar General.
"The Great Stink" of London, caused by the sewage pollution of the Thames
1856 Nuisances Removal (Scotland) Act (19&20 Vict., c.103) dealt with the removal of
nuisances, control of epidemics and the inspection of common lodging houses. See 1867.
County and Borough Police Act (19&20 Vict., c.69) made obligatory the maintenance
of local police forces, under the supervision of the Home Office.
The Metropolitan Association of Medical Officers of Health founded, with John Simon
as president. In 1869 "Metropolitan" was dropped from the title and in 1873 "Society" was
substituted for Association.
"Essays in State Medicine", by Dr Henry W Rumsey (1809-1876, surgeon and
general practitioner in Cheltenham) published. The book set out a system of state medicine
and
1856 Cont - 1858
1856 cont stressed that public health was a specialty of medicine.
Poor Law Medical Reform Association formed with Richard Griffin (1808-1869, an
outstanding leader in the campaign to reform the Poor Law medical services) as the first
chairman. See 1860.
The Medical Faculty of Durham University established.
"Recherches sur la Putrefaction" published, in which Louis Pasteur (1822-1895, French
chemist) postulated a "germ theory" of fermentation and putrefaction.
EH Greenhow (1814-1888, physician in Tynemouth and then London) started a course
of lectures on public health at St Thomas' Hospital, the first such course in London. In 1858
Greenhow demonstrated that one of the reasons for variations in mortality rates between
regions was the presence or absence of certain occupations. In 1861 Greenhow was appointed
lecturer in public health and medical jurisprudence and assistant (later full) physician at the
Middlesex Hospital, London.
1857 Lunacy (Scotland) Act (20&21 Vict., c.71) followed the report of the Royal
Commission on Lunacy in Scotland (1855-7), Cd.2148, established the General Board of
Commissioners in Lunacy for Scotland, which took over duties from the Board of
Supervision. The act laid down conditions for certification and, unlike the English acts,
provided powers to keep a patient under observation for six months without certification and
to board out harmless lunatics with private persons. See 1913.
Smoke Nuisance (Scotland) Abatement Act (20&21 Vict., c.73) attempted to abate
nuisance arising from the smoke from furnaces in Scotland.
Matrimonial Causes Act (20&21 Vict., c.85) allowed civil divorce without the need for
a private act of Parliament. See 1913.
Police (Scotland) Act (20&21 Vict., c.72) set out to "render more effectual the police in
counties and burghs in Scotland". See 1892.
Ladies National Association for the Diffusion of Sanitary Knowledge (Ladies Sanitary
Association) founded, and distributed tracts on pregnancy and child rearing.