Celebrating a century and a half of progress - and the enduring impact of environmental health professionals in protecting our communities.
Passed in response to dire public health conditions in 19th-century Britain, the Public Health Act 1875 was a landmark law that formalised the state's responsibility for sanitation, housing and the health of its citizens. It consolidated earlier legislation and required local authorities to appoint medical officers of health and sanitary inspectors - marking the birth of the environmental health profession.
The act laid the foundations for many of the protections we rely on today, from clean water and safe housing to the regulation of waste and pollution. Its principles continue to guide environmental health professionals as they tackle modern challenges such as air quality, climate change, and public health emergencies. The act's legacy remains central to how we safeguard the health, safety and wellbeing of our communities.
Edwin Chadwick publishes The Sanitary Condition of the Labouring Population, exposing links between poverty, poor sanitation and disease.
The first Public Health Act passed, creating a national Board of Health and local powers to improve sanitation.
Dr John Snow traces a cholera outbreak in Soho to a contaminated water pump, proving the link between water and disease.
The Sanitary Act makes it compulsory for local authorities to improve sanitation and prevent health hazards.
The Public Health Act passed, requiring local authorities to provide clean water, sewage and waste disposal.
National Health Service established, building on decades of public health reform to provide care for all.
CIEH President Mark Elliott reflects on the enduring legacy of the Public Health Act 1875 and its relevance to today’s environmental health challenges.
Read moreDiscover how environmental health officers used the Public Health Acts of 1875 and 1936 to intervene in a severe hoarding case, protecting both individual wellbeing and community safety.
Find out moreJack Head, Researcher at the Health Determinants Research Collaboration for Greater Essex, explores the legacy of the Public Health Act 1875 and its relevance to today’s health inequalities.
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