Fighting Cholera, 1854

Question 1

which year was the 3rd cholera outbreak in Britain

Answer 1

1854

Question 2

what did most people and the government believe cholera was caused by

Answer 2

miasma + spontaneous generation

Question 3

how did people / gov try to prevent the spread of cholera at first

Answer 3

• keep homes clean
• local councils cleaned streets + clear rubbish

Question 4

Who was Snow

Answer 4

Surgeon, moved to Soho London

Question 5

was Snow well-respected and popular, if so why

Answer 5

Yes
- gave Queen Vic chloroform during birth of Prince Leopold, 1851

Question 6

what did Snow do when cholera broke out in 1854

Answer 6

mapped deaths in the area around Golden Square + Broad Street

Question 7

what did Snow find after mapping deaths out

Answer 7

number of deaths seemed to be centred around water pump on Broad Street

Question 8

what happened after Snow removed the handle from the water pump

Answer 8

number of deaths fell dramatically

Question 9

what leaked into the water supply

Answer 9

cesspit

Question 10

what was the short term impact of Snow (give 4)

Answer 10

• immediate impact on residents on Soho Square
• many did not believe his theory - had **no scientific evidence* to prove cholera was transmitted in water
• work rejected by The General Board of Health –> too expensive to replace all water systems
• presented findings to gov, but did not act straight away

Question 11

why was another reason Snow’s findings were not accepted

Answer 11

• Germ Theory not yet published (7 yrs after)
• 30yrs before Koch isolated bacterium

Question 11

what was the long-term impact of Snow (give 2)

Answer 11

• combined with ‘The Great Stink’ gov built a new London sewer system - finished in 1875
• Snow’s work helped make the link between dirty water and disease –> leading to Public Health Act 185 when city authorities were finally forced to proved clean water