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Lilly Knuth's avatar

I had read before about the cholera outbreak and John Snow but you delved much deeper into the story and presented facts I did not know. Thank goodness that his work got accepted. Seems science always has detractors but finally saner heads prevail. Thanks for a great article.

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Alexander Verbeek's avatar

It was fascinating to delve into this history, but I had to leave out some parts about how filthy people lived in those days...

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Louisa's avatar

Great article! It was interesting to learn that John Snow came from York. I have had family there and will need to learn more about this next time I visit.

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Alexander Verbeek's avatar

John Snows' great-great-nephew attended four years ago the unveiling of a monument for John Snow in York. I also came across one of those typical blue signs that you see in the UK, indicating the house in York where he was born. This is an interesting article: https://yorkcivictrust.co.uk/home/john-snow-memorial/

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Evelyne Luethy's avatar

I love learning new things. I knew who John Snow was, but not all those details. Thoroughly enjoyed reading this. Thank you!

And, I think I need to go to that pub as well when we're allowed to travel again. I'd probably have a tea ;-)

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Alexander Verbeek's avatar

or enjoy some distilled water ;-)

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Marian Noë's avatar

🦠🦠🦠

I love this history article of John Snow, thank you Alexander (-:

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Alexander Verbeek's avatar

As a scientist, he would be so amazed to see how much science progressed since his death in 1858, just as he would be amazed in the persistence of human folly.

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W. Slifko's avatar

Very interesting article. This reminded me of a book I read by Simon Winchester, The Map that Changed the World, a story about the father of geology, William Smith. He also came from humble beginnings in the latter part of the 18th Century. Both he and John Smith are very inspiring people and helped shape the world we live in today.

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Alexander Verbeek's avatar

I heard about it but never read it yet. You may also like the book 'the fourth part of the world,' it is the history of the Waldseemüller map. After I read it, I went to Washington DC to see it in the Libary of Congress

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くまさん's avatar

疫学の創立の父:ジョン・スノーのすばらしい記事(多くの人々を救った)面白く拝見できました。人間の愚かさに気づきました。歴史は繰り返すですね。

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Alexander Verbeek's avatar

Thank you, and yes, human folly in history keeps repeating itself

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May 21, 2021
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Alexander Verbeek's avatar

I wonder what kind of man Snow was. Suppose he would walk into the John Snow pub; would it be a nice man to talk to? I would instantly recognize him and would ask him to join me for a cup of tea, but would the conversation go anywhere else than about germs? He was never married, looks a bit weird (but all men did in those days, and I'm sure he would say -or at least think - the same of me), and I have not yet detected a sense of humor in any of his writings or actions. We will never know.

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