The thesis shows that a decisive factor in the nature of Bradford's medical provision was the lack of established wealthy middle and upper classes, and the predominance of the working class in the town. Charitable institutions were set up comparatively late, and were financially unstable because of their dependence on middle class support, which was in turn largely dependent on the fluctuating worsted industry. Similarly the services provided by the Poor Law were restricted by their reliance on the rates paid by many small businesses and tradespeople whose income was affected by the condition of the town's staple industry. The working class, whose rn-health was exacerbated by the environmental conditions of a fast growing urban community, could not rely upon the inadequate charitable institutions. The poverty of the population, unable to pay for regular treatment, also contributed to a low ratio of medical practitioners. It enhanced the market for many irregular forms of treatment, a diversity which existed prior to the nineteenth century, and which continued into the twentieth century. The concluding chapters study five diseases present in Bradford during the nineteenth century, anthrax, cholera, scarlet fever, smallpox and tuberculosis, illustrating the contrasting approaches to the treatment of these particular diseases, and showing the inter-relationships between the people of Bradford and the various aspects of medical provision throughout the period.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:505512 |
| Date | January 1999 |
| Creators | Alvin, Christine |
| Publisher | University of Bradford |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
Page generated in 0.0025 seconds