Historic Public Health Advocate and the Advocate’s Accomplishments

by | Mar 3, 2025 | Essays

 

 

Describe a Historic Public Health Advocate and the Advocate’s Accomplishments

Throughout history, public health advocates have played pivotal roles in shaping the health and well-being of societies, often driving significant changes in public health policy and practice. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, advocates like Florence Nightingale and Lemuel Shattuck helped lay the foundations for modern public health by highlighting the importance of sanitation, hygiene, and data collection in preventing disease. During the 20th century, figures such as Dr. Edward Jenner, who pioneered the smallpox vaccine, and social reformers like John Snow, who investigated the cholera outbreak in London, advanced scientific understanding and promoted interventions that saved countless lives. Public health advocates have also been at the forefront of campaigns to reduce tobacco use, improve maternal and child health, and address the social determinants of health. In times of crisis, such as during the HIV/AIDS epidemic or the COVID-19 pandemic, public health advocates have been essential in disseminating accurate information, challenging misinformation, and ensuring equitable access to care. Through these efforts, public health advocates have played a fundamental role in improving the health outcomes of populations, often advocating for marginalized communities whose needs might otherwise have been overlooked.

Choose one of the famous public health advocates. Research the advocate and prepare a 5-minute power-point presentation about the advocate’s accomplishments. Share PowerPoint slides with a video about the advocate.

Sample solution

Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell. 

In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.


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God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.

Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.

To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.

 

References

Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.

Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.

Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.

Alright, let’s focus on John Snow, a pivotal figure in public health history.

John Snow: The Father of Epidemiology

PowerPoint Presentation Outline (5 Minutes):

Slide 1: Title Slide

  • Title: John Snow: The Father of Epidemiology
  • Image: Portrait of John Snow
  • Your Name

Slide 2: Introduction

  • Title: Who Was John Snow?
  • Content:
    • Brief overview of John Snow (1813-1858).
    • His background as a physician in Victorian London.
    • The context of frequent cholera outbreaks.

Alright, let’s focus on John Snow, a pivotal figure in public health history.

John Snow: The Father of Epidemiology

PowerPoint Presentation Outline (5 Minutes):

Slide 1: Title Slide

  • Title: John Snow: The Father of Epidemiology
  • Image: Portrait of John Snow
  • Your Name

Slide 2: Introduction

  • Title: Who Was John Snow?
  • Content:
    • Brief overview of John Snow (1813-1858).
    • His background as a physician in Victorian London.
    • The context of frequent cholera outbreaks.
  • Speaker Notes: “John Snow was a brilliant physician who lived in a time when understanding of disease transmission was limited. Cholera, a deadly disease, was rampant, and the prevailing theory was that it was spread by ‘miasma,’ or bad air.”

Slide 3: The 1854 Cholera Outbreak

  • Title: The Broad Street Outbreak
  • Content:
    • Description of the severe cholera outbreak in London’s Broad Street area.
    • Snow’s methodical approach to investigating the outbreak.
    • His mapping of cholera cases.
    • The identification of the Broad Street pump as the source.
  • Speaker Notes: “Snow didn’t just treat patients; he investigated the outbreak like a detective. He meticulously mapped the cases, noticing a cluster around the Broad Street pump.”

Slide 4: Snow’s Findings and Actions

  • Title: Proving Waterborne Transmission
  • Content:
    • Explanation of Snow’s findings that cholera was waterborne.
    • His removal of the Broad Street pump handle.
    • The subsequent decline in cholera cases.
    • His statistical data that supported his claims.
  • Speaker Notes: “Snow’s data was compelling. He showed that people who drank water from the Broad Street pump were far more likely to contract cholera. He took a bold step by having the pump handle removed, which helped stop the outbreak.”

Slide 5: Legacy and Impact

  • Title: A Lasting Impact
  • Content:
    • Snow’s contribution to the development of epidemiology.
    • His influence on public health practices, including sanitation and water treatment.
    • His role in shifting the understanding of disease transmission.
  • Speaker Notes: “John Snow’s work revolutionized public health. He demonstrated the power of data and observation in understanding and preventing disease. His methods are still used today.”

Slide 6: Video and Conclusion

  • Title: John Snow’s Legacy
  • Content:
    • Embed a short video (e.g., from YouTube or a documentary) about John Snow.
    • Briefly summarize his accomplishments.
  • Speaker Notes: “To further illustrate John Snow’s impact, let’s watch this brief video. His legacy continues to inspire public health professionals worldwide.”

Video Suggestions:

  • Search YouTube for “John Snow Cholera” or “John Snow Epidemiology.” There are many short documentaries and animations available.
  • Consider using clips from historical documentaries about public health or Victorian London.

Key Accomplishments to Highlight:

  • Pioneered the use of data mapping and statistical analysis in epidemiology.
  • Demonstrated that cholera was transmitted through contaminated water.
  • Influenced the development of modern sanitation and water treatment systems.
  • Laid the groundwork for evidence-based public health practices.
  • Showed the value of field epidemiology.

Tips for the Presentation:

  • Keep the slides concise and visually appealing.
  • Use clear and simple language.
  • Practice your delivery to ensure you stay within the 5-minute time limit.
  • Ensure the video is embedded and plays smoothly.
  • Make sure to speak clearly within the video.

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