April 27, 2010 - The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Brontë by Syrie James

The world of the early 19th century was much different than what it is today. I just finished reading a section describing the deaths of Maria and Elizabeth, Charlotte's sisters, both of whom died of consumption (tuberculosis) while at boarding school. The conditions in the boarding school caused many illnesses due to poor hygiene, especially during the handling and preparation of food. The girls were fed very little to begin with so they were often close to starvation. On top of this, what little food they were given was deplorable. They were expected to walk miles to church in frigid weather and then sit for many hours in wet and freezing boots during the lengthy services. All this was done in the name of religion, the founder and director of the institution, Reverend Carus Wilson, believing that "the intent of this institution is not to pamper the body, or accustom you to habits of luxury and indulgence; it is devoted entirely to your spiritual edification, for that is the route to the salvation of your immortal soul."

It is no wonder that most of the girls became ill, six of them dying after an outbreak of typhus. Emily and Charlotte somehow avoided the illness. When Elizabeth died shortly after her sister Maria, also suffering from consumption, their father finally realized what a dangerous environment his children were in and brought them home. It was this experience that inspired Charlotte to write the novel Jane Eyre, placing the motherless heroine in a similar institution in her early life.

We are very fortunate today to have a much better understanding of what causes certain illnesses. Often, hygiene is a big factor and we still see contamination of food or water supplies such as the outbreak in Walkerton caused by the E. Coli bacterium. Medical advances have eradicated many diseases that used to cause serious epidemics. In the 1800's, many children did not live into adulthood and often women did not even make it through childbirth. Although we have our own issues today and some problems still persist, overall people can enjoy a longer, healthier life than their relatives of the past.