Waste, water and worms: the sanitation and treatment of water and parasitic infections in York, England

Abstract

The history of public health is commonly seen as beginning in the 1800s after the industrial revolution, but archaeology has allowed for components of public health to be examined for populations that existed well before the 1800s. Waterlogged soil has led to deposits of organic material to be recovered from York, England-a site that has been occupied for over 6,000 years. Both the organic and inorganic artifacts along with the skeletal remains from the site have been used to reconstruct daily life which provides us with a window to examine past health issues. In particular, data from Roman, Viking, and Medieval occupations of the site have been compared in order to better understand the water supply and the treatment of parasitic infections during each different occupation. In order to assess changes in health and sanitation, data sets composed of both direct and indirect evidence allows for a comparative analysis between each occupation. The results from this study are used to evaluate the extent to which the state was involved in ensuring the health of the community, as well as the way parasitic infections were treated during the different occupations of the site. The information may then add to our understanding of public health today because we will be able to see how it differs from past views of state involvement in community health practices. We will also have more evidence suggesting that human health has been a concern of the state for thousands of years and should continue to be a concern of the state.