Summary

In June 1866, a husband and wife in East London fell ill with cholera and died a few days later. Their deaths were followed by a major cholera outbreak. By the end of August, 4,000 had died. William Farr thought of his old adversary, John Snow, and decided to emulate the investigative work that he did during the Broad Street epidemic. Farr discounted the miasma theory and focused on the water supply. He learned that the dead had been customers of the East London Water Company. He was certain that the water was contaminated. He had immediately ordered notices be posted warning that the water was contaminated and should not be drunk. In an address before Parliament about the epidemic, Farr lauded John Snow’s dedicated work in his development of the waterborne theory. Snow was also given credit for his work...