Who Was John Snow?

John has been called the father of modern epidemiology for his efforts in finding the source of the cholera out break in London during the 1850’s. From an early age, Snow was interested in medicine and spent much of his time studying and working as an apprentice to different surgeons. He first encountered cholera at a young age. He was sent to treat some of the sick when one of the physicians, he was working for, could not make it around to every patient. Along with attending different colleges to increase his medical knowledge, Snow contributed to the founding of the Epidemiological Society of London following the cholera outbreak of 1849. He spent a lot of his early efforts as a M.D. developing anesthetics.

            The common theory of disease causes around this time in history was that pollution in the air was spread, and then infected those who contracted diseases such as cholera and the bubonic plague. Snow thought that many of these diseases were actually caused by tiny invisible parasites. His research of diseased miners led to this discovery. He realized that many of these miners were working in close proximity underground, and that the parasites were likely spread on the miner’s hands. This happened because they had no means for washing their hands in the mines.

            When cholera struck London in 1849, Snow wanted to do anything he could to trace the source of the outbreak. Due to the digestive symptoms of the disease, Snow looked into possible ways for the water and food sources to become contaminated. He used his own funding to publish a pamphlet including all information that supported his theory. After using this theory, that a contaminated water source is to blame for the spread of cholera, Snow was able trace the water supply to discover the source.