In the 1700s, which type of facility provided care for the disabled or ill before hospitals existed?

• A. Almshouses
• B. Private Hospital
• C. Refugee
• D. Public Health Program

Answer: (A)

In the 1700s, care for people who were disabled or ill often came from almshouses—charity-run houses funded by parishes, churches, or private benefactors. Almshouses provided shelter, meals, clothing, and basic care to those with little or no means, including the elderly and chronically ill who might not survive without support. They functioned as the community’s safety net before formal hospitals became common. Private hospitals did exist in some areas, but they were typically for paying patients and not the primary place for care of the poor. A refugee is someone who flees danger, not a type of facility. Public health programs are modern efforts aimed at preventing disease and promoting population health, not direct individual care in the home or shelter. So the facility described, one that cared for the disabled or ill before hospitals existed, is the almshouse.