Medicine - John Snow and Cholera Flashcards
Why was John Snow different to other Scientists?
He believed Cholera was a water-borne disease while others believed it was caused by miasma
How was John Snows theory about Cholera being water-borne proved right?
When he shut down the pump deaths went to almost zero.
How did John Snow find it was the Broad Street Pump causing the deaths from Cholera?
He found that the people who lived near the Broad Street Pump and therefore using the Broad Street pump were the people who were dying
Where did his findings lead him?
To a large cesspit 1 metre away from the pump where a baby’s nappies, who had died from Cholera, were. It was leaking into the water.
What does Snow conclude?
That Cholera is caused by dirty water.
What were the positive outcomes of this?
He proved that Cholera was water-borne caused by dirty water.
Why wasn’t it a significant discovery?
A public second Health act wasn’t published for another 21 years. Snow hadn’t worked out why dirty water caused Cholera. Some scientists still believed in miasma.
