Victorian Novels Highlight Fragility of Public Health
Victorian-era novels reveal the shockingly high child mortality rates from infectious diseases, underscoring the fragility of public health today. The article highlights that in the first half of the 19th century, 40-50% of children in the U.S. died before age 5, with similar rates in UK slums. Tuberculosis, smallpox, and diphtheria were major killers. However, advancements in sanitation, regulations (food safety), and medicine (vaccines, antibiotics) have drastically reduced child mortality. Victorian novels, with their poignant depictions of grief over lost children, serve as a cautionary tale: the progress made is not guaranteed and complacency regarding public health measures, such as vaccination rates, could lead to a resurgence of deadly diseases.