Dressing for Health in the Tropics: Brewer's Revolutionary Ideas - Essay Sample

Introduction

While people have long recommended clothing as a tool for staying healthy in the tropics, Brewer's recommendations for clothing reflect new ideas about the relationship between the environment and health. Brewer notes that during this period, the physicians believed that the weather had a direct effect on the development of the disease. He argues that during this era, most of the infections resulted from the prevailing heat within the tropical areas inhabited by the Europeans (Brewer 3). Hence, he recommends that appropriate dressing is essential to facilitate the stability of the physiological functions of the body. Brewer notes that at the beginning of the 20th Century, the health of the Europeans was mostly influenced by the harmful chemical emissions and heat experienced within the tropical regions. He suggests that a particular mode of dressing was to be developed to emulate a tropical possession and protect the Europeans from harmful sun rays and the harsh weather conditions within the tropical region.

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Individuals believed that most illnesses resulted from the humoral imbalance of an individual. However, Brewer's idea demonstrates that most of the infection in the tropical region resulted from failure to observe sanitation standards. The understanding denotes that beyond the humoral composition of the individuals, other factors such as the hygiene of the food consumed considerably affects the rate of infection of the individuals. This factor correlates with an aspect of the older understanding that diseases were influenced by the food consumed. Brewer argues that in most parts of the tropical areas, sanitation was not crucial, and hence several infections were manifested in the area (Brewer 15). Consequently, he recommends that initiating sanitation measures, like boiling water for consumption, in these areas would facilitate the reduction of germs arising from contamination.

Mostly, infections in human beings were associated with their feeding behavior. However, Brewer's recommendations demonstrate that individuals can contract diseases by interacting with animals in tropical areas. Brewer suggests that Europeans should elevate their houses to keep away animals. Brewer notes that buildings should be developed away from stagnant waters to prevent mosquitoes from infesting the area. Additionally, he argues that tropical regions are warmer, and hence to maintain an equilibrium, a home should be well ventilated to allow a more refreshing environment. Conversely, Brewer argues that human-to-human interactions can foster disease transmission (Brewer 28). Hence, he suggests that the European settlers should ensure that their servants maintain cleanliness standards to minimize incidents of human to human disease transmission.

While people have regarded that maintaining sanitary in one's surrounding guarantees protection from several infections, Brewer recommendations for the sanitation of the surrounding demonstrates that waste residing in the surrounding poses a health risk. Brewer acknowledges that interaction with waste can trigger infections. The man regards tropical areas as unsanitary and unhygienic. Hence, there a growing need to manage waste effectively. He suggests that proper disposal of excretions can minimize the possibility of infections as well as reduce contamination of water reservoirs. As a result, Brewer recommends that the Europeans settlers in the tropical areas should develop technologies such as water carriages, privies, pail system, pit latrines, and adopt the brush system (Brewer 35). These technologies aim at preventing spills of excreta to the environment and minimize the access by the scavengers.

One of the causes of infection in a human being is the environment. However, environment-inspired diseases are propagated by factors such as contamination or an environment functioning as a reservoir for disease-causing germs. Brewer notes that tropical areas are highly associated with mosquitoes, which transmits malaria. Hence, Brewer recommends that as Europeans relocate to the tropical regions, they should embrace the use of large nets to prevent mosquitoes' bites. Additionally, he suggests that the white settlers can use repellants such as the pennyroyal oil and the oil of lavender to keep away mosquitoes (Brewer 15). Besides, Brewer notes that installing wire gauzes within the ventilations of a house can help in controlling the mosquitoes.

How Old Technologies Reflect Older Understanding

In the newer understanding, Brewer notes that the health of an individual mainly depends on the environment, disease transmission vectors as well as contaminations from waste. He recommends that some technologies, such as the use of mosquito nets, can considerably enhance control of the disease. This factor correlates with the older understanding, which suggested that the health of an individual mainly depended on the humoral system. The older understanding provides for that a human body contains fluids that facilitate body processes. The theory indicates that individuals who became sick could only be cured through attaining a humoral balance ("Lecture Notes on Older Understanding of Health, Illness, and Place" 1).

Brewer explains that the health of Europeans was hugely associated with prevention from the disease-causing germs and a considerable level of hygiene. His recommendations correlate with the older understanding, which emphasizes that the health of individuals was primarily influenced by the type of foods they consumed and that avoiding excessive consumption of foods and drinks guaranteed health for an individual. However, Brewer argues that prevention from factors influencing the health of an individual acted as a practical approach for disease control. For example, Brewer recommends that Europeans should minimize their interactions with animals, which can spur the development of the diseases. Furthermore, he urges the Europeans to adopt technologies such as installing wire gauzes in the windows to prevent mosquito bites.

Brewer notes that external environmental factors can impact the health of the individuals. He argues that changes in climate might influence the health of an individual. Hence, he recommends that the Europeans should prepare for the climatic changes experienced in tropical areas. Brewer recommends that the Europeans should wear a type of clothing that will enable them to emulate a tropical possession and hence protect them from the harsh weather conditions within the tropical region. Additionally, Brewer recommends that Europeans should ensure that their houses demonstrate a relieving experience. This factor correlates with the older understanding, which provided that good health mostly depended on the humoral balance and the seasonal changes.

Some of the similar ideas between older and newer understanding are that the feeding habit and environment hugely influence the health of an individual. However, all these ideas are drastically changing. Hence, the health of individuals tends to rely on the level of hygiene, presence of disease-causing germs, vector transmissions as well as contamination from wastes. To enhance the health of an individual, Brewer recommends that an individual should ensure that they wear clothes that provide for protection against infections resulting from the environment. Finally, Brewer suggests that Europeans should enhance their level of sanitation to prevent diseases, which might result from contamination with disease-causing germs.

How Analysis of Historical Context of Global Health Can Help Us Understand Changes in Medical Idea

In the old understanding, the health of a human being depended on the balance of the humors. Illnesses were observed in cases where an individual's humoral balance was impaired. Some of the causes of the humoral imbalance included feeding behavior, weather changes, and lack of exercise. These ideas inspired Brewer to develop ideas that will ensure that Europeans were safe and free from the disease in tropical areas. Brewer understood that the health of the Europeans is critical for them to dwell in the tropical. He realized that due to shifts in the environment and lack of sanitation, Europeans were susceptible to contracting diseases in the area. Hence, he recommended several technologies that could be developed in the tropics to guarantee the health of the Europeans.

Individuals can learn a lot about some of the health problems people faced when traveling to tropical regions. However, to manage these problems, Brewer makes several recommendations that would enhance the health of travelers in the tropical area. Some of the technologies suggested by Brewer include clothing, water, dwellings, disposal of excreta, as well as the prevention of disease. From these technologies, it is evident that in a historical context, conditions were hugely influenced by poor disposal, mode of clothing, water management, and housing. Brewer's recommendations for clothing reflect new ideas about the relationship between the environment and health. Besides, the technologies reveal that malaria infections are one of the disease pandemics in the area. Brewer was primarily concerned with the transmission of disease between humans and animals at this time and therefore stressed sanitation heavily for disease prevention.

Works Cited

Brewer, Isaac Williams. Personal Hygiene in Tropical and Semitropical Countries; a Popular Manual, written for the Use of Foreigners Residing in the Philippines, Cuba, and Other Portions of the Tropics. Davis, 1908.

Lecture Notes on Older Understanding of Health, Illness, and Place