Urbanization in 19^th century Britain was caused by the job opportunities within the city due to industrialization. One of the effects of urbanization was higher death rates. Due to overpopulation, overcrowding, and unsanitary living conditions people were dying of diseases like smallpox, diphtheria, typhus, cholera, and tuberculosis. Big cities like London were described as having heavy pollution that left smog and the scent of soot in the air. Edwin Chadwick believed that there was a connection between poverty. This resulted in the Public Health Act of 1848 which was created in order to improve sanitary conditions of cities in Britain. At the time of the acts passing there was an outbreak of cholera which was pressuring the government to act. The Public Health Act of 1848 was to help improve sewers, provide clean drinking water, and give every town a medical officer. It established the general board of health as well as local boards of health. The responsibility of general board of health was to give advisories and instructions to local boards on how to deal with epidemics and help remove causes for the spread of some communicable diseases.

 “The 1848 Public Health Act.” UK Parliament, www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/transformingsociety/towncountry/....

 “Public Health Act 1848 and the General Board of Health.” Policy Navigator, navigator.health.org.uk/theme/public-health-act-1848-and-general-board-health. 

 “The Rise of Cities in the 18th Century.” The British Library, The British Library, 22 Apr. 2015, www.bl.uk/georgian-britain/articles/the-rise-of-cities-in-the-18th-century.

 Robinson, Bruce. History - British History in Depth: Victorian Medicine - From Fluke to Theory. 17 Feb. 2011, www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/victorians/victorian_medicine_01.shtml.