ASB 301 MODULE 6 DISCUSSION: Health in the City

This assignment involves exploring the health challenges of 19th-century industrial New York as portrayed in the BBC documentary “Filthy Cities: Industrial New York.” Imagine being an inhabitant of a specific occupation, describe your daily activities and associated health risks, and reply to other peers’ posts by suggesting ways to reduce these risks.

Watch the assigned documentary video by BBC titled “Filthy Cities: Industrial New York.”

Watching the Documentary

To start the ASB 301 Module 6 Discussion, we’ll watch the BBC Documentary on Health in the City. 

• Find the Documentary: Find the BBC documentary ‘Filthy Cities: Industrial New York’ on a streaming site or on the link provided.
• Observe: Keep an eye on the living conditions, occupation, and health problems that are drawn.
• Take Notes: Record important points of various occupations and health risks in industrial New York.
   

Example

After watching the BBC documentary “Filthy Cities: Industrial New York” gave me a vivid understanding of abject conditions in 19th century New York City (BBC, 2017). During this period I was imagining myself as a politician and was very much aware of the challenges and health risks that defined daily life.

Imagine you are an inhabitant of 19th-century industrial New York. Describe your occupation (e.g., slum landlord, politician, butcher, carriage driver, etc.) and your daily activities that pose potential health risks to yourself or others.

Imagining Life in 19th-Century Industrial New York

After we watch the documentary, we will analyze and get to understand the video.

• Contextual Understanding: Use the documentary and the supplementary readings to understand the broader context of industrial New York.
• Visualize Daily Life: Thinking about daily New Yorker experiences at that time will highlight the state of the environment, social conditions, and general health risks.

Example

During 19th century, in industrial New York, all I can do as a politician, is interact with the public, handle civic problems, and maneuver the labyrinth of American politics to impose laws and policies. I arise early and start my day in noisy, stuffy, open air settings with meetings of the numerous stakeholders with whom I am in contact each day such as businesses, fellow politicians and my constituents. Such interactions mostly take place in unsanitary environments and thereby further spreads diseases.

My main task is addressing the public’s fast growing concerns on sanitation and public health. Industrial New York suffers from problems with waste management, inadequate sewage and widespread pollution. This garbage is littered on the streets and in the air, for the factories give off a thick smoke which is very harmful to all of us, including myself. I get exposed to these unsanitary conditions that I’ve just described, as a politician in my daily commutes and public engagements.

Additionally, the poor living conditions, due to the over crowded nature of many tenements, serve as a health hazard. New Yorkers are crowded into cramped, poorly ventilated apartments without clean water or proper sanitation. These conditions conducive to spreading of the infectious diseases such as cholera, tuberculosis and typhoid fever. In my role as a public figure, I have visited these tenements repeatedly to make sense of my constituents’ plight and risk being infected with these sicknesses.

Describing Your Occupation

In this section of Module 6 Discussion, we will discuss the chosen occupation.

• Choosing an Occupation: Choose an occupation for 19th-century industrial New York (e.g., slum landlord, politician, butcher, carriage driver).
• Detailing Daily Activities: State what daily tasks and routines your occupation entails.
• Identifying Health Risks: Tell us what health risks these activities may pose to you or others. List in sanitation, exposure to pollutants, and living conditions.

Example

Very striking in the documentary was the focus on the rampant spread of diseases because of poor sanitation. There was not a lot of clean drinking water and industrial waste and human excrement contaminated water sources. An advocacy for improved sanitation systems – especially on how these wastes should be disposed of properly and a whole sewage system installed, is an important part of the work I can do as Politician. But these attempts are usually countered by powerful industrialists who put profit before public health, financial interests.

In addition, the documentary highlights occupational hazard health risks. Dangerous working conditions, such as long hours, few safety measures, and dangerous substances, plague factory workers, most of whom comprise my constituents. Therefore, in my capacity as a politician, I am duty bound to fight for reforms and better working conditions to preserve these vulnerable workers despite opposition from the factory owners.

To sum up, the 19th century industrial life for a politician in New York is a tight knit network of public health problems, political debacles and economic interests. Each time they expose themselves to everyday health risks, for instance to unsanitary conditions and to infectious disease. By advocacy and policymaking my aim is to address issues in relation to these challenges while improving the living standards for all New Yorkers, further contemplating the degree to which industrialization has damaged public health.

In your response posts, reply to the posts of two students with a different occupation than yours. In your reply, politely suggest ways to change their activities or behavior to diminish health risks to themselves or others.

Peer Responses

Responding to peers is one of the vital parts of the ASB 301 Module 6 Discussion: Health in the City. We should provide at least two peer responses. Lastly, I will give a single example post. The below points can help you write your peer responses.

• Analyzing Peer Posts: Choose two peers who have chosen an occupation different from yours and read their posts.
• Suggesting Health Improvements: In a polite way, suggest practical ways of changing their activities or actions to reduce health risks. 

Example

Response 01

Hey Max, nice post! It’s very insightful about the dire conditions 19th century New York’s politicians suffered. To reduce exposure to health risks and limit the spread of disease make the case for cleaner, well ventilated meeting spaces. On top of that, more regulatory policies on waste management and air pollution can enhance public health and reduce your chances of catching airborne diseases from poor sanitation while commuting to work or attending public events, as well.

Response 02

We’re supposed to write two peer responses. According to the given instructions, I have responded very well. After following these instructions, writing peer responses to Module 6 Discussion will not be a trouble for you.

Closing

In the ASB 301 Module 6 Discussion: Health in the City, you will discover the historical health problems in industrial New York and how various occupations influenced these issues. Getting involved with your peers will help you to understand how different experiences affected health outcomes and make you think critically about how health was improved in a historical context.

Following this How-To ASB 301 Guide will allow you to analyze and communicate the health risks of various professions in industrial New York, contributing to a greater understanding of historical public health issues.

References

BBC, A. M. (Director). (2017, January 13). Filthy Cities- Industrial New York-HD. https://vimeo.com/199364552