Clean Living Movements

Over the past 200 years a health reform movement has emerged about every 80 years. These clean living cycles surged with or were tangential to a religious awakening. Simultaneously with these awakenings out groups such as immigrants and/or youth were seen to exhibit behaviors that undermined society. Middle class fear of these dangerous classes and a desire to eliminate disease crime and other perceived health or social problems led to crusades in each of the three reform eras against alcohol tobacco drugs certain foods and sexual behaviors. A backlash began to emerge from some segments of the population against reform efforts. After the dissipation of the activism phase laws made during the reform era often became ignored or repealed. With a few exceptions during the 30 to 40 year ebb of the cycle the memory of the movement disappeared from public awareness.The desire for improved health and social conditions also led to campaigns in favor of exercise semi-vegetarian diets women''s rights chastity and eugenics. Engs describes the interweaving of temperance women''s rights or religion with most health issues. Factions of established faiths emerged to fight perceived immorality while alternative religions formed and adopted health reform as dogma. In the reform phase of each cycle a new infectious disease threatened the population. Some alternative medical practices became popular that later were incorporated into orthodox medicine and public health. Ironically over each succeeding movement reformers became more likely to represent grass roots beliefs or even to be state or federal officials rather than independent activists.