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

Elementary Education (School Attendance) Act (56&57 Vict., c.51) raised the school
leaving age to 11 years. See 1899.
Elementary Education (Blind and Deaf Children) Act (56&57 Vict., c.42) enabled the
provision of special schools for blind and deaf children. See 1944.
Married Women’s Property Act (56&57 Vict., c.63) assimilated the rights of married
women to ownership of property to that of unmarried women.
Select Committee of the House of Commons recommended state regulation of
midwives and of the practice of midwifery. See 1902.
Women factory inspectors introduced.
Outbreaks of cholera were widespread in Europe, but only small outbreaks occurred in
the eastern counties of England involving 287 persons, of whom 135 died.
The Bertillon (Jacques Bertillon 1851-1922) classification of the causes of death
adopted by the International Statistical Institute (previously Congress) at its meeting in
Chicago. See 1900.
University of Wales founded.
The West London Postgraduate College founded at the West London Hospital. See
1937.
“Healthy Hospitals”, by Sir Douglas Galton (1822-1899, engineer and former director
of
1893 Cont - 1895
1893 cont public works and buildings), published.
First performance in London of “A Public Enemy” by H Ibsen (1828-1906, Norwegian
playwright), a play about the conflict between a medical officer of health and the vested
interests of leading people in the town.
1894 Local Government Act (56&57 Vict., c.73) created elected urban and rural district
councils which took over the duties of the sanitary authorities; created parish councils;
enabled more women to become members of boards of guardians; and advocated the
appointment of visiting committees to poor law infirmaries. See 1899.
Local Government (Scotland) Act (57&58 Vict., c.58) established the Local
Government Board for Scotland which replaced the Board of Supervision; introduced
changes in local government; and required the appointment of a medical officer to the Board,
a post to which JB McLintock (1835-1901) was appointed. See 1919.
Housing of the Working Classes Act (57&58 Vict., c.55) amended a clause in the 1890
act about the borrowing powers of local authorities. See 1900.
Diseases of Animals Act (57&58 Vict., c.57) consolidated previous acts; restricted the
movement of, and introduced compensation for, the slaughter of animals suffering from cattle
plague, foot and mouth disease, pleuro-pneumonia or swine fever. See 1937.
Report of the Royal Commission on the Amalgamation of the City and County of
London, C.7493.
AEJ Yersin (see 1888) reported his discovery of the plague bacillus; and A Rennie
(1859-1940) demonstrated the transmission of plague by rats. See 1897.
Chartered Society of Physiotherapy founded.
Death duties introduced by Sir William Harcourt (1827-1904, Chancellor of the
Exchequer) with a graduated tax; a method applied to income tax in 1909 by Lloyd George
(1863-1945).
Manchester Ship Canal opened allowing ocean-going ships to reach Manchester.