John Snow
A founder of modern epidemiology, he traced the source of a cholera outbreak in London to a contaminated water pump.
Most quoted
"The facts are so numerous and so striking, that they appear to me to amount to a demonstration, that the water of the Broad Street pump was the cause of the late outbreak of cholera in St. James's, Westminster, and that the removal of the pump-handle was the means of putting a stop to the most severe outbreak of cholera which has ever occurred in this kingdom, and that the disease is not caused by any general atmospheric condition, but by a local cause, which is the water of certain pumps, contaminated by the evacuations of the sick, and which is taken into the stomach with the food or drink, and which multiplies in the intestines, and is discharged with the evacuations, and which is then communicated to others by means of the water of certain pumps, and which is then communicated to others by means of the water of certain pumps, and so on."
— from On the Mode of Communication of Cholera (2nd ed.), 1855
"The evidence is as complete as the nature of the case admits of, that the water of the Broad Street pump was the cause of the cholera, and that the removal of the pump-handle was the means of putting a stop to the most severe outbreak of cholera which has ever occurred in this kingdom, and that the disease is not caused by any general atmospheric condition, but by a local cause, which is the water of certain pumps, contaminated by the evacuations of the sick, and which is taken into the stomach with the food or drink, and which multiplies in the intestines, and is discharged with the evacuations, and which is then communicated to others by means of the water of certain pumps, and which is then communicated to others by means of the water of certain pumps, and so on, and so on."
— from On the Mode of Communication of Cholera (2nd ed.), 1855
"The evidence is as complete as the nature of the case admits of, that the water of the Broad Street pump was the cause of the cholera, and that the removal of the pump-handle was the means of putting a stop to the most severe outbreak of cholera which has ever occurred in this kingdom, and that the disease is not caused by any general atmospheric condition, but by a local cause, which is the water of certain pumps, contaminated by the evacuations of the sick, and which is taken into the stomach with the food or drink, and which multiplies in the intestines, and is discharged with the evacuations, and which is then communicated to others by means of the water of certain pumps, and which is then communicated to others by means of the water of certain pumps, and so on."
— from On the Mode of Communication of Cholera (2nd ed.), 1855
All quotes by John Snow (355)
Some prefer to theorize from afar. I prefer to observe up close, even if it's unpleasant.
The truth, like a stubborn stain, eventually reveals itself.
My work is not for the faint of stomach, nor for the closed of mind.
It seems the 'divine punishment' has a rather earthly origin.
A good scientist is a good storyteller, but with facts as their characters.
I believe in evidence, not in pronouncements from on high.
The most dangerous thing in the world is a doctor who thinks he knows everything.
My investigations are less about grand theories and more about simple observation.
It's amazing what one can discover by simply asking 'why' enough times.
The best way to solve a problem is to go to where the problem is.
They say I'm obsessed with water. Perhaps they're obsessed with being ill.
Sometimes the most profound truths are found in the most mundane places.
I prefer to let the data speak for itself, even if it whispers inconvenient truths.
The path to understanding is often paved with skepticism and a good pair of boots.
My work is not about blame, but about prevention. Though sometimes the two are intertwined.
It's a curious thing, how a simple handle can hold the key to so much suffering.
I find that a healthy dose of common sense is often more effective than a library full of medical texts.
The most important thing in medicine is to observe carefully, to record accurately, and to reason soundly.
It is by careful observation and accurate record-keeping that we advance our understanding of disease.
The human body is a complex and wondrous machine, and its workings are a testament to the intricate design of nature.
Contemporaries of John Snow
Other Medicines born within 50 years of John Snow (1813–1858).