A Hucknall History

Injecting Health Care

A brief historic background introduces the evolution of health care services which are eventually identifiable in Hucknall Huthwaite, to gain a basic understanding how their advancements would establish each modern specialist sector.

Deeper research could expose various worldwide discoveries and practices long before better recognising 19th century changes influenced by British Acts of Parliament. Private nursing, various medicinal remedies and rudimentary basic surgery are all long evident throughout ancient civilisations. But treating mass wartime injuries throughout the Middle Ages did encourage some last hope of surviving equally gruesome surgical practices, before British 16th century leadership began realising there were benefits in promoting care to keep a healthy population. It took around three more centuries before science could fully dismiss all mystical reasons for disease and infections, leaving spiritual faith to long claim a big part aiding recovery until well into the 20th century.

Barber, Dentist and Surgeon

A spiralling red and white striped pole traditionally once found displayed over most English barber shops, reflects way back to when barbers did more than just groom mens hair. The barbers pole symbolises blood and bandages of past surgeons on the battlefields and naval warships. And nearer home, they'd also perform bloodletting, with frequent use of leaches believing it drained away disease or cured illness. A good barbers chair was height adjustable, swivelled, and could be reclined. This design continued to aid shaving facial hair using a cut throat razor, having additionally proven useful for pulling teeth when barbers had also fulfilled the basic need for a dentist.

Apothecary Druggist Chemist Pharmacy

The apothecary developed from ancient spicer or pepperer trades all related to a Grocers Guild. They grew and used herbs also mixing various obnoxious ingredients in the preparation of rudimentary medicinal remedies. Apothecaries eventually formed their own Society having won recognition as a true medical profession. Freely examining patients realised a profit charging for their own uniquely prescribed medicines. Filling same general role before affording doctors and dentists next came qualified Druggists and Chemists. These saw out the hand mixed tablets and unregulated advertising of claimed miracle cures, as mass production of standardised and scientifically improved medicines started to breed a giant pharmaceutical industry. Pharmacists can now be seen largely dispensing pre-packaged prescriptions, although stocking, measuring and distribution of all drugs demands a highly regulated profession. And staff are qualified to offer personal medicinal advice when providing treatment for common illnesses.

Parish Poor Laws and Workhouses

National census confirmed rising population numbers when attention turned to the spiralling costs handed out in parish poor relief. Unemployment and poverty fed bad diets, and these poor farmlands of a Hucknall-under-Huthwaite hamlet struggled to support the most desperate agriculturally dependant workers.   Passing 19th century Poor Law Acts kept responsibility amongst each parish government to provide some form of suitable employment assisting cost of living. This restricted relocation between parish's if anyone was unable to prove they wouldn't transfer burden onto other tax payers. Smaller rural parishes like Sutton-in-Ashfield had difficulty financing such necessity, before further Acts granted rights for larger Union Workhouses suiting greater numbers of destitute cases termed as inmates. Amongst frail elderly and severely disabled, many could be identified suffering mental illnesses.

999 Emergency Line

The General Post Office established this nationally recognised emergency telephone number June 1937, which could automatically trigger an operators alarm prioritising all emergency services. This was about four years after Sutton Urban District Councillors took possession of their first motor ambulance, and some years before recognising our nearest Accident and Emergency Department in the vastly extended Mansfield General Hospital. Adding wider coastguard and mountain rescue services to Ambulance, Police and Fire Brigade requests realised the numerous BT call centres in 2012 handled a weekly average of 597,000 emergency calls. TV programmes have since dramatised how its become hugely abused, plus the strain placed upon underfunded emergency services.