How was public health reformed?

Some of the biggest industrial cities took their own initiatives, getting local acts passed by Parliament authorising them to raise local taxes to pay for improvements. First Leeds Improvement Act of 1842. Further Act in 1848 to build sewer system. Manchester Police Regulation Act of 1844 strengthened the power of the citys corporation over public health. Obtained further 10 Acts before 1858 to build a system of sewers. Liverpool Sanitary Act of 1846 effectively made the corporation a health authority and allowed it to appoint an engineer, an Inspector of Nuisances and the countrys first medical officer in health most successful. London in 1848 followed suite to have medical officer of health, Control over public health was, in these authorities, kept firmly in local hands.

Awakening political interest The creation of the Poor Law Commission in 8=1834 and the office of RegistarGeneral in 1837-8 resulted in national startistical evidenceon the issue of public health Lord John Russell, the home secretary, asked the Poor Law Commission for comments on the links between disease and environment in the worst areas of London.