Emmanuella

Before the 20th century the average life expectancy for a man was 37-39 years old. This was due to the elimination of death from infectious diseases. Dramatic changes began in the 18th century, with life expectancy increasing to 41 .By the early 20th Century it was 50 years old. During the 18th Century death rates decreased because of discoveries like Edwin Chadwick and his public health act. By finding the cause of Cholera which was dirty water people acted and there were cleaner water supply. And the growth of wealth, based on trade and industry created the money to spend on medical research and public health. Development in technology led to medical machines such as the X-ray. This allowed doctors and surgeons to see inside their patients.
Between the 19th century and the 18th century the average life expectancy was 37-39. As the years went this increased because there were big medical improvements, and the discovery of vaccination helped cure and prevent killer diseases like smallpox. Medical technology had increases there new equipments like the X-ray this led to the understanding of atoms and the splitting of the nucleus of the atom., the invention of microscopes helped scientist learn more about germs and micro-organisms. All of these thing helped the average life expectancy increase because with a new understanding of medicine people were healthier and lived longer. But one thing that made the average life expectancy decrease was war. Millions of people died each day. But as the war ended it increased again.
Cramped houses caused people to catch diseases easily In 1890 the Housing Act was made. It made sure local councils to provide decent accommodation for local people. Things gradually improved, but conditions remained bad until the 20th century. By 1911 a Public Health Act enforced to build new houses that were spacious but after a while they became cramped again and a provision of sewers and clean water, and the removal of rubbish and dirt. When a house was crowded people caught infectious diseases easily and died quicker. Poor people usually lived in these type of conditions.
In 1952 London suffered a terrible smog which was a kind of air pollution caused by large amounts of coal being burnt. Chance weather conditions caused dense, smoke polluted . In 1952 4000 people died of respiration illness making it the worst health disaster. So by 1952 the life expectancy for an average person decreased. But by 1971 smoke pollution reduced by 65% due to the drastic actions of the government.
With the outbreak of the second world war in 1939 the government knew there had to be effective medical service to cope with the large numbers of deaths. So the government came up with the NHS. This allowed people to get medically treated without paying. This increased the life span because people were now able to get treated without paying as for before they had to pay and most people couldn’t afford it and died.
In conclusion I think all of theses factors have helped increase life expectancy because without spacious houses people will catch diseases easily and more people will die. And with air pollution people wouldn’t have all the oxygen the need and will cause weathering and the world will come to an end. The NHS has really helped us a lot because not all people can afford medical treatment and will help people live longer.