Unmasking Cholera | John Snow & the Broad Street Pump

Game of Thrones fans, prepare to be disappointed as Kevin Hicks explores the story of an altogether different and far more important John Snow. Dr John Snow made a huge contribution to fighting cholera when he was able to demonstrate a link between cholera and contaminated drinking water in 1854. His actions at the Broad Street Pump in London were instrumental in proving his theories and he basically stopped a cholera epidemic in its tracks.

#JohnSnow #DrJohnSnow #Cholera1854 #Cholera #CholeraOutbreak1854 #BroadStreetPump

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[floydstowe]

Can't even imagine how many lives Doc Snow saved and the changes that were made because of the one man

[Desjardins]

Nicely done, Kevin! I am a spatial epidemiologist and this is such an important and most famous example of using "spatial thinking"/analysis to study disease. Just made my pilgrimage to the pub last year.

[rockstarJDP]

Dr Snows legacy does live! When I did my first year of nursing one of the first things we covered naturally was infection control, hygiene and investigative nursing and his findings were the opening example to the module, particularly as at the time the NHS were doing a drive towards recognising and diagnosing sepsis. It's amazing how much of "old" medicine still has its place in modern practice, please do more of these Kevin, great job as ever! 🙂

[gregkral]

Thank God for Doctor John Snow. He sure did due diligence and true scientific examination. Thank you.

[jodieg]

Some of the best boots-on-the-ground work I’ve ever read in this story. It’s always amazed me what things we take for granted now we’re such major problems for people living in towns in any period of history; sanitation, water supply, fire, all major problems and solved in some very ingenious ways.

[DracoYT]

The sewer projects in the aftermath of the 1830 Vienna cholera epidemic and the 1850s Broad Street outbreak were some of the most important developments in public health in the modern era. Reliable sanitation infrastructure has since doubtless saved tens of millions of lives around the world. John Snow out here doing God's work.

[rebelchaplain]

While viewing this I was immediately reminded of the conditions at the Elmira Civil War Prison Camp in Elmira NY.
The Confederate prisoners wrote home saying that the water from the wells was very sweet, the best water they ever had. Sadly, the wells were dug very near the sinks (latrines). This, coupled with the stagnant Foster's Pond, that ran through the Camp contributed to the near 3, 000 deaths during the camp's one year existence from 1864-1865.
Another fascinating film about England's illustrious history. 🇬🇧

[alexsitaras]

With having studied John Snow's work in multiple epi and public health courses. This was probably the most approachable way I've seen it taught.

[severinjones]

I bloody love your channel! (The arrowhead episode is what pulled me in). This is how you make history interesting! I'm recommending this channel to all my friends that enjoy history like this! 💜

[garygalt]

Thanks for the refresh. On this as a avid history buff since childhood I had been taught about this. But memories fade with age. But your telling of the subject’s are far more entertaining and memorable. I think channel 4 and bbc missed out on a great presenter in yourself. I know your a happy immigrant in Canada but you will always have a home and hearth Back in Blighty. Keep up the great work. I have just applied to my local archery club and asked about teaching disabled they are looking into my stupid illness to see if it’s possible. Thanks to your videos giving me the urge to shoot again. To build some fitness. I had a kids bow for my son and spent many hours in the garden with him growing up. Instead of actually gardening for my old man. Now he’s gone (covid) and I actually enjoy pottering around his garden. When my strength allows. I wish ide listened to him more for his knowledge on the garden. Like you he had a great deal of knowledge. It was him taking me around every castle in north Wales Lancashire and many in Yorkshire ancient burials, that gave me my love of history. DIY so that we could do any job in are own homes. But gardens well that skipped me. Your story’s put down on tape. Are like listening to my old man. But they are truly there to play back
And so are extremely important. Thank you.

[BleedEaglesGreen]

I just wrote my C of Q to become a licensed plumber this week. Proper water treatment and waste treatment is integral to keeping people safe and eliminating disease. Thanks for another great video Kevin.

[chocolateenima]

I could listen to your stories all day what a phenomenal explanation

[patrickhebdo]

that revelation was more terrifying than most horror movies i’ve seen. imagine that being a movie and seeing peoples reactions to learning they were drinking DILUTED CHOLERA SEWER WATER AND THAT WAS THE TASTE EVERYONE MISSED

[rizmark]

Ripper Street TV show featured in an episode called The King Came Calling where a suspected outbreak of cholera came from a public hand pump but in the end it was ergot poisoning from a fungus.

[workaholica]

Dr. Snow not only invented track and trace, but also made one of the first thematic maps. And now over to Joseph Bazalgette.

[dumbluck]

Cholera epidemics plagued London decades before and after John Snow discovered contamination at the Broad St. pump. Large areas of south London were served by two water companies, Southwark and Vauxhall Water Company, and the Lambeth Waterworks Company. Both companies drew water from the River Thames and downstream of a large sewage discharge. In some neighborhoods both company's pipes were connected and many people got sick with cholera. But in 1852 the Lambeth Company moved its water intake up river and away from the sewage, and few people drinking Lambeth water got sick. John Snow wrote about it in "The Grand Experiment". In his book, On the Mode of Communication of Cholera (1855). Vibrio cholerae was discoverd in 1854 but wasn't fully studied until the 1880s. It also spread to the USA and killed many migrants on The Oregon Trail.

[phillipmatthews]

Wow Kevin, what a fantastic piece of detective work by Dr. Snow, very interesting, many thanks for doing this one Kevin!

[gloworm]

Amazing video Mr. Hicks. I'm sure the good Dr. is smiling down on you & saying "thank you, Kevin". 👍

[Aramis]

Where we go, "up the mountains", so to speak, is to a place called Barclay, Bradford County, Pennsylvania. It used to be a booming coal-mining town about the same time as Dr. Snow. USED TO BE - and I can't stress that enough. There was a cholera outbreak, and the cemetery there has headstones that simply read "Baby Mitchell 1856." or "Baby O'Brien 1856". These kids didn't have enough time to be baptized before they were buried beside their parents.

[TheEvertw]

You were on to something, John Snow!

Great story, thank you!