Amy Reed
IHM 52200 Public Health Perspectives
Professor Evers
Essay Assignment
During the 20th Century, some of the most influential contributions to Public Health were made. Advancements in areas that are essential to life were discovered during this time period. Food, shelter and water are the three things that we need to survive, and before the 20th century these conditions were very poor. The most important contribution was improving the water conditions. Other important contributions were regulating the standards of food and improving living conditions. All of these contributions ensure that we are able to survive in our day-to-day lives.
Safe drinking water was the most important contribution to Public Health during the 20th Century. The drinking water conditions were terrible before 20th Century. People were drinking water that had not been through any sort of filtration system. Drinking the contaminated water was detrimental to the health of many people.
English: Well Dressing 2008: The Wyche Spring No w...
English: child enjoying clean and safe drinking wa...
English: Mwamanongu Village water source, Tanzania...I cannot imagine not having access to clean water. I'm from a small, rural town, and we still use well water, but it is clean. We use water everyday. Taking a shower without clean water would defeat the purpose of even showering. I don't know what I would do if I couldn't shower with clean water. Also, without clean water we cannot do many things. Safe drinking water is something that we have access to in the United States, but not everywhere in the world. This contribution is something that is taken for granted. Other countries around the world still do not have this luxury readily available to them, and have to drink water that may carry parasites and diseases.
The Food and Drug Administration was established to help regulate what foods are okay to eat and what drugs are safe. The FDA plays an especially important role in our...