The Health of Towns Association
The Health of Towns Association was formed in 1844 as a cross party political pressure group. its aim was simple. it wanted to put pressure on the government to introduce legislation that would improve the quality of public health in Britain’s towns and cities.
The association came about at a time when the government was investigating the conditions in towns. Chadwick had been comissioned to report on the conditions of the labouring classes within the 50 largest towns in the country. However there was still a reluctance within government to implement reform. The notion of laissez-Faire was one that many members of parliament firmly believed in.
The association placed pressure through use of its members political links. For example, they submitted 100 pages of comment on the findings of Chadwick. They then placed pressure on government to implement legislation that would require action to be taken.
Source 1
“I can assure hon. Members … if they read the accounts of the loss and waste of health, and life, and happiness and strength, which are going on—not within the portion of society possessed of the means of ease, or persons in the sphere in which we generally move, but persons whose lot is cast in hardships and privations—hardworking mechanics and labourers, living in toil and suffering—if hon. Members had the opportunities of ascertaining the sufferings of those persons from the want of sanitary regulations, they would not object.” Lord Morpeth. Hansard’s Parliamentary Debates 3rd series, 93 1847 Jun 18, 738-9. cited on http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1113797
Members of Parliament like Lord Morpeth were opposed though, for example:
Source 2
“The people were clever enough to manage their own affairs” “There was a mania now for sanitary measures. In fact, there was an insanity in sanity.” A Muntz. Hansard’s Parliamentary Debates 3rd series, 93 1847 Jun 18, 750. cited on http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1113797
The result of the Associations pressure, and the findings of Chadwick, were the 1848 Public Health Act.