Edinburgh and Vibrio cholera in the 19th Century

Abstract

The battle against cholera in various British towns as well as the terror from this disease has been the topic of multiple, academic papers and books. All provide historical accounts of the varying efforts both to understand and ultimately stop the dreaded epidemics that seemed to elude medicine, science, society and government. However, many of these historical works may not fully appreciate the complexities of the disease of cholera and the causative bacterium Vibrio cholera. Particular amongst these are the full extent of Vibrio’s abilities to change, hide and adapt; the subsequent effect on understanding the varying theories of cholera infection that were present in the 1800s; questions about the methods used by doctors and if they were, indeed, ‘quackery’ or actually effective; societal changes regarding an understanding of the poor and their role in assisting the poor for the betterment of all and, finally, governmental efforts to contain and/or avoid the disease via public health measures. This thesis will address theses matters with a more thorough examination of the complex biology of Vibrio cholera, a better understanding of ‘infection’ and how it fostered these theories, a re-thinking of the medical principles behind the various treatments, an appreciation for the cause for and history of an altered attitude by the upper classes regarding poverty and the emergence of both governmental powers but also the will to use them in increasing public health efforts. While focusing on Edinburgh’s fight against cholera including an indepth look at the 1866 epidemic that struck the city, this thesis will also attempt to readdress the question asked by all the preceding authors: what actually helped to stop cholera epidemics in Edinburgh as well as the rest of Britian and most of the rest of the world?