Almost all reforms are caused by a desire to improve society, but they cannot be free from the impact of the community. It is valid for the turn-of-the-century United States, where people understood that specific germs and bacteria resulted in diseases. That is why medical professionals invested much in the prevention of illness. However, the prejudices that existed in American society in the late 19th-early 20th centuries stipulated that the health reform implied various outcomes for the poor, immigrants, and African Americans.
To begin with, one can state that the population mentioned above was associated with a disease menace. Terence Powerdly, commissioner-general of immigration, sees a connection between the tide of immigration and the spread of Favus or Trachoma in America (The gospel of germs: Microbes, strangers, and habits of the home, 1880-1925, 2001). Thus, he insists on the necessity to control the inflow of the immigrants and the poor.
Consequently, it was prohibited in Europe and Asia to sell steamship tickets to people suffering from either Favus or Trachoma. In addition to that, it was identified that African Americans were more subject to tuberculosis. Here, Allen, a physician, indicates that “the negro health problem is one of the white man’s burdens” (The gospel of germs: Microbes, strangers, and habits of the home, 1880-1925, 2001, p. 250). The physician explained that it was necessary to draw more attention to the health of African Americans to protect whites from the disease.
In conclusion, no one can deny that reformers try to make the world better and safer. However, their intentions can have adverse consequences, which is caused by the prejudices that exist in society. When it comes to the turn-of-the-century US, the health reform was significantly influenced by lofty contempt to the poor, immigrants, and African Americans. However, the change was negative for the poor and immigrants, who could not reach the US if they have some diseases and positive for African Americans, who faced more attention to their health.
Reference
The gospel of germs: Microbes, strangers, and habits of the home, 1880-1925. (2001). In J. H. Warner & J. A. Tighe (Eds.), Major problems in the history of American medicine and public health: Documents and essays (pp. 159-195). Houghton Mifflin.