Topic (1.1) The Fieldwork That Changed the World

By the end of this topic you should be able to:

explain the terms: hypothesis, cesspool, cholera, sewage system, fieldwork, data;
state the hypothesis for Dr Snow’s fieldwork;
explain how Dr Snow used a map to test his hypothesis;
explain why Dr Snow deduced that the Broad Street Pump was the source of the cholera.

In this first topic you will learn all about Dr John Snow and how his fieldwork led to millions of people being saved from death by cholera.

Complete all the ‘Your turn’ activities on Page 7 of geog 2.
John Snow’s work was all about correlation – finding and showing the relationship between two or more factors. Can you explain the possible correlations (relationships) between the following: a) weight and calorie intake? b) distance from town and form of transport used? c) population density and average rainfall?
Imagine you are Dr Snow - what advice would you give the authorities about how to deal with the cholera outbreak?

CHECK – Your Turn Answers