In 'Dr. Southwood Smith: A Retrospect' by Gertrude Hill Lewes, readers are taken on a journey through the life and work of Dr. Thomas Southwood Smith, a pioneering social reformer and public health advocate in 19th-century England. Lewes offers a detailed account of Smith's contributions to public health, focusing on his efforts to improve living conditions for the poor and his work in the field of sanitary reform. Written in a scholarly and engaging style, the book provides valuable insights into the literary and historical context of the era, highlighting the importance of Smith's work in shaping public health policies and practices. Through Lewes' meticulous research and compelling narrative, readers gain a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by Smith and the lasting impact of his legacy. Gertrude Hill Lewes, with her background in social history and public health, brings a unique perspective to the story of Dr. Southwood Smith. Her expertise in the field allows her to explore Smith's life and work with depth and insight, shedding light on his motivations and the cultural milieu in which he operated. Lewes' meticulous attention to detail and her passion for the subject make this book a valuable contribution to the study of public health history. I highly recommend 'Dr. Southwood Smith: A Retrospect' to readers interested in the history of public health, social reform, and 19th-century England. Lewes' insightful analysis and engaging storytelling make this book a must-read for anyone seeking to understand the role of individuals like Smith in shaping our modern concepts of public health and social welfare.

Thomas Southwood Smith (1788-1851) was an English physician and sanitary reformer. He entered the University of Edinburgh in October 1812, his first wife, Anne, with whom he had two daughters, having died that year. In June 1813 he began a course of fortnightly evening lectures on universal restoration which were published in 1816, earning him a literary reputation. He took his MD degree in 1816 and began practice in Yeovil, Somerset, then in 1820 moved to London. In 1824 Smith was appointed physician to the London Fever Hospital and began to write papers on public health. His post gave him the opportunity to study diseases of poverty and in the late 1830s he was one of the first doctors brought in to report to the Poor Law Commission. In 1842 he was one of the founders of an early housing association, the Metropolitan Association for Improving the Dwellings of the Industrious Classes, and from 1848-54 worked closely with Edwin Chadwick at the Central Board of Health. His reports on quarantine, cholera and yellow fever, and on the results of sanitary improvement, were of international importance, and his earlier work A Treatise on Fever (1830) became a standard authority on the subject. He had a son by his second wife Mary from whom he had separated by the late 1830s, living for the rest of his life with the artist Margaret Gillies.This illustrated retrospective written by his granddaughter Gertrude was published in 1898.

Excerpt from Dr. Southwood Smith: A Retrospect These two things - the intent, absorbed pur pose, and -'the' power of putting it aside to give himself up completely, with simple delight, to whatever he loved, whether to a child or to the beauty of nature - are the two that seem to me specially characteristic of him in all that later part of his life which comes within my remembrance. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

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