Explanations by 1800

In the early 1800s disease was still explained by two major ideas:

1. Disease was sent by God as a punishment;
2. Miasma - disease was spread by poisonous vapours;

The theory of the four humours was less accepted but some doctors still practised blood-letting.

In the early 1800s disease was still explained by two major ideas:

1. Disease was sent by God as a punishment;
2. Miasma - disease was spread by poisonous vapours;

The theory of the four humours was less accepted as people started to see a link between living conditions and disease, but some doctors still practised blood-letting.

Early microscopes enabled scientists to see germs (but not explain how they worked) so a new idea emerged, Spontaneous Generation, which argued that germs were the result of decay.

In the early 1800s disease was still explained by two major ideas:

1. Disease was sent by God as a punishment;
2. Miasma - disease was spread by poisonous vapours;

The theory of the four humours was less accepted as people started to see a link between living conditions and disease, but some doctors still practised blood-letting.

Early microscopes enabled scientists to see germs (but not explain how they worked) so a new idea emerged, Spontaneous Generation, which argued that germs were the result of decay.