All About Viruses and Bacteria

Flith Theory

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Flithy Street in a Crowded Part of a City
   Filth theory was a theory that was highly believed back in the 1800's. Filth theory was the theory that filth and general all around dirtiness caused disease. One reason this theory gained so much popularity was because back during that time people lived in poor, crowed unsanitary places. There was no indoor plumbing for cities and no garbage pick-up. Horses that were used to pull carriages did their 'business' all over the streets and no one would clean it up. Filth was everywhere in the city. It is true that filth can cause more bacteria to grow, such as E. coli, but filth is not the cause of disease. People everywhere though, began to believe in the filth theory. No one knew of bacteria or germs at that time. Because of fear of sickness and disease governments even began making laws to help prevent the disgusting conditions found all over cities. Massive clean ups began in an attempt to improve the heath of people to live in cities. As the germ theory of disease began to develop though, many arguments begin about the true source of disease. Whether people believed the filth theory or not, it started a national movement to clean up cities and improve health.