How Eyam changed attitudes towards the prevention of disease

How Eyam changed attitudes towards the prevention of disease

1. Doctors realised the effectiveness of a quarantine zone; the spread of disease would be stopped from one settlement to another

2. Quarantine is a method commonly utilised today in farming to limit the spread of diseases such as foot and mouth

3. It was in the 19th century, under the work of Florence Nightingale, that patients with infectious diseases were isolated to particular wards. This was a process of adopting the methods pioneered at Eyam

4. Doctors became aware that methods could be used to lessen the risk of contamination

5. At Eyam, to limit the spread of disease bodies were disposed of quickly close to the immediate area of death. This kind of practice has been adopted in Africa with the Ebola epidemic

6. Mompesson ordered the burning of contaminated items. During the 19th century, this developed into improvements in hygiene and sterilisation of medical equipment