Question 1: Describe the main belief about how diseases spread in the early 19th century. How did this belief influence medical treatments at the time?

Answer: Many people believed that diseases spread through miasma, or 'bad air.' This led to treatments such as draining swamps, using foul-smelling substances, or improving sanitation to keep the air clean.

Question 2: Explain who Florence Nightingale was and how she contributed to improvements in hospital care during the 19th century.

Answer: Florence Nightingale was a nurse who improved hygiene and sanitation in hospitals, reducing death rates during the Crimean War and setting new standards for nursing care.

Question 3: Identify two key inventions or discoveries in medicine during the 19th century and explain their significance.

Answer: The development of the stethoscope by René Laennec allowed doctors to listen to patients' hearts and lungs more accurately. The discovery of anaesthetics, like ether, made surgery less painful and more successful.

Question 4: Discuss how the work of Louis Pasteur impacted medicine and disease prevention in the 19th century.

Answer: Louis Pasteur proved that germs cause disease and developed vaccines for rabies and anthrax, leading to better understanding of infection control and the development of vaccines.

Question 5: Explain what the term 'public health' means and give two ways 19th-century governments tried to improve public health.

Answer: Public health refers to the health of the entire population. Governments improved it by building sewer systems and providing clean water supplies.

Question 6: Describe the differences between medical treatments used in the early 19th century and those used after the discovery of germ theory.

Answer: Early treatments focused on balancing humours and using herbal remedies, often with little scientific basis. After germ theory, treatments became more scientific, focusing on sterilization, vaccines, and preventing infection.

Question 7: Sketch a simple diagram showing the steps involved in a 19th-century surgical operation, including sterilization measures. Label each step briefly.

Answer: A correct sketch would show a patient on an operating table, with a doctor wearing sterilized gloves and tools, washing hands or sterilizing instruments, and the use of antiseptic solutions. Labels should include 'Sterilization of instruments,' 'Use of antiseptic,' 'Surgical operation,' and 'Post-operation care.'

Question 8: Explain how the discovery of chloroform as an anaesthetic changed surgery in the 19th century.

Answer: Chloroform allowed patients to undergo surgery without pain, making operations easier and more precise, and encouraging surgeons to perform more complex procedures.

Question 9: Describe one challenge doctors faced in improving medicine during the 19th century, despite the many discoveries and innovations.

Answer: One challenge was that many people still believed in old ideas like miasma and were skeptical of new scientific methods, delaying the adoption of new treatments.