Question

Effective sanitation, better nutrition, control of sewage, and improved hygiene were more important than medicine in the decline of death rates prior to the twentieth century.

a. true
b. false

Answer 1

Effective sanitation, better nutrition, control of sewage, and improved hygiene played a crucial role in reducing death rates prior to the widespread use of modern medicine.

Step-by-step explanation:

It is true that effective sanitation, better nutrition, control of sewage, and improved hygiene were more important than medicine in the decline of death rates prior to the twentieth century. The rise in life expectancy during this period can be attributed largely to three primary factors:

1. Systems for providing clean water and disposing of human waste helped to prevent the transmission of many diseases.
2. Changes in public behavior, such as handwashing and food protection, significantly advanced health.
3. Medicine did play a large role, particularly with the development of immunizations and antibiotics, but these were more prominent in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Before these medical advancements, improvements in public health infrastructure and social practices played a critical role in reducing death rates.