Health problems in Antebellum America. History Essay

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Health problems in Antebellum America
Introduction
Health care in antebellum America (the period before the civil war) was still poor mainly to the slavery that was rampant in the period. Slavery was the main factor that influenced social, economic and political aspects in that era. The society was characterized by heavy societal segmentation between the back slaves and the white holders; an effect that would reflect in the health statistics between the races. The medical situation and disease prevalence were more adversely dominant on the black slave population due to the dependence of black health on the white culture (Flannery 475-476). The paper seeks to identify different aspects that dictated the health situation during antebellum America. The article offers insights on the different causes and types of diseases during the period as well as the physician and medical practices. The paper summarizes different health issues during the antebellum period.
Maternal health is one of the first to be affected in the event of social problems. This is because of limited health access and the need to return to work for the mothers. Work was the main reason that led to many women return to work which greatly reduced the health vitality of infants due to reduced weaning periods and poor nutrition (Lambert). The position of a slave affected the services one would get from social welfare and pregnancy was no different as salve owners would dictate the times and access to medical care. The antebellum period included a time of medical inventions in terms of surgical procedures and therapies which were tested on black women for first-time use (Leavit). He also added that the perception of the blacks by the whites was the major reason for the treatment which reflected is effects on child mortality of the black slaves. This resulted in the period registering the worst health cases for infants and children below four years in the history of the United States (Lambert). The statistics of child mortality, according to Lambert, were 350 per 1000 infants while ages 1-4 registered a mortality rate of 200% which was two times that of the free population in America. Women’s reproductive health in the antebellum was affected mainly due to the lack of quality sanitary facilities for the slaves, proper nutrition, prenatal care and poor working conditions (Sullivan). Sexual exploitation and abortion were some practices that endangered the health of expectant mothers as they tried to stay productive in their places of servitude.
Poor working conditions led to deteriorated health for the slaves. The slave population working in the plantations was faced with hard labor and punishments in addition to poor nutrition and sanitation. The prevalence of malaria, especially in the swampy areas, led to the high mortality rates especially for children (Sullivan). The slaves' health was affected in every aspect due to the conditions of work, especially for pregnant women who were not excused from work. The poor sanitation and working conditions can explain the increased mortality from pulmonary and respiratory diseases like tuberculosis and influenza. These can be attributed to dampness and lack of exposure to the sun as a ...