Less than Splendid Isolation: An Exploration of the Rise and Demise of England’s Fever Hospitals
Start Date: 3 June 2026 4:00 pm
End Date: 3 June 2026 5:30 pm
Location: Wheeler Building CRV012
| Professor Elizabeth Mason-Whitehead, University of Chester Our interest in the 1918-20 flu pandemic (Spanish flu) would re-emerge a century later when we turned back to history to seek ways to overcome another global pandemic. Improvements in housing and sanitation, immunisation and antibiotics have all contributed to the decline in infectious diseases, but for previous generations, death from fevers was not uncommon, and fever hospitals were built throughout the country. In 1914 there were 755 fever hospitals in the UK treating and nursing up to 3000 patients with a variety of infectious diseases including tuberculosis, diphtheria, smallpox, typhus and from Spanish flu. This paper explores the rise and demise of fever (latterly known as isolation) hospitals, the people who worked there, patients and the surrounding communities, including Cheshire and the city of Chester. All are welcome to attend these in-person talks. Booking is encouraged for refreshment and seating purposes and in case there are any last-minute changes (contact details below). Please check the event listings for updates to the programme: www.chester.ac.uk/events (scroll down to see the individual events). Access to the event venue is via a flight of steps. For those with limited mobility, there is an accessible route and please pre-book to arrange this access. fhsc.histsoc@chester.ac.uk or 01244 512963. |
