Hospital infections in Birmingham, England, in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries

Abstract

The eighteenth-century Midlands Enlightenment saw the sudden emergence of the English city of Birmingham at the forefront of worldwide developments in science, technology, medicine, philosophy, and natural history. This was the beginning of a massive growth in population that continued through to the twentieth century. The population of 24,000 in 1750 grew to 73,000 by the end of the eighteenth century, to 140,000 by 1841 and to more than 500,000 by the end of the nineteenth century [ [1] Upton C. A history of Birmingham. Phillimore & Co., Stroud, UK1993 Google Scholar ]. This population growth led to overcrowding, poor sanitation and an increased need for hospitals, particularly in the industrial areas. However, hospitals built during this period often proved inadequate for the requirements.