Miasma - GCSE History Definition

Miasma is a historical term used to describe the idea that diseases were spread through "bad air" or a noxious form of pollution. In the past, people believed that decaying matter like rotting plants or filth in the streets created a poisonous, smelly air that could make you sick. This theory was widely believed before the germ theory was published in the 1860s and people began to understand how diseases were actually transmitted. From Ancient times, throughout the Middle Ages and the Renaissance and up until the late 19th century, many people thought that diseases like cholera and the plague spread through miasma. Understanding miasma is important in history because it shows how people used to explain outbreaks and how this affected their approaches to public health and hygiene.