General Medical Care
The Victorian Era saw great improvements when it came to medical care. At the beginning of the Victorian Era, primary care was fairly rough. Doctors often suggested changing air, used leeches, bleeding, and prayer as forms of preventing or curing diseases. However, medical advancements began to take over British culture during this time period. The stethoscope was invented in 1816, and became mandatory by 1865. Other tools used for inspecting ears, eyes, and throats were also at medical professionals’ disposal. Some higher-end practitioners even had microscopes to observe blood and urine samples. One of the largest breakthroughs during this time period came from Louis Pasteur, and his “discovery” of germs. This new information allowed medical professionals to drastically change how they performed surgery and other medical procedures.
Surgical Practices
Victorian surgical practices were gruesome, filthy, and deadly. Speed was considered to be more important than skill. Surgery was quick, painful, and infectious, resulting in many deaths. In fact, hospitals would charge a fee for burial costs prior to surgery. Medical professionals believed these infectious were not caused by their dirty, blood-stained garments and tools, but instead from “bad air.”
To prevent the spread of infections, hospitals would air out rooms and hallways in an attempt to rid the area of the infectious air. Later developments in medical tools and equipment offered sharper and more precise incisions, helping to alleviate the excrutiating surgical pains. However, the infectious conditions continued to claim lives throughout the Victorian era.
