The making of an epidemiologist: John Snow before the episode of the Broad Street pump.

This book is the result of his further research into Snow’s early life, incidentally correcting several of the inaccuracies recorded b y S n o w ’s f i r s t b i o g r a p h e r, Richardson3, and perpetuated or compounded since Richardson in other accounts of Snow.

Abstract

In 1831 a young surgical apprent i ce in Newcas t le ‘ w i l f u l l y d i s t u r b e d t h e congregation’ at a religious meeting by letting off a firecracker1. This 17year-old firebrand became the punctil ious, but sti l l at t imes pugnacious, Dr John Snow (18131858), who made such brilliant contributions to epidemiology and to anaesthesia that he is claimed as the father of both. A search on the internet now produces 70 or more pages of sites mentioning Dr John Snow, most ly in re la t ion to epidemiology2. Eponymous lectures, societies, organisations and buildings reflect his iconic status and Snow’s influence extends from medicine to mapping, with water science and sanitation also staking a claim. Most students of epidemiology are familiar with the story of the Broad Street pump and its investigation by Snow dur ing the cho lera epidemic in London’s Soho in 1854. Many are also aware that at the time of this epidemic, Snow was an established physician with a large anaesthetic practice, including the first anaesthetic given at a royal birth. Few know anything about the ear ly years tha t shaped th i s extraordinary man. Now Spence Galbraith has written the definitive account of Snow’s life before the Broad Street pump1. Dr Galbraith, t h e f i r s t D i r e c t o r o f t h e Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre, was inspired by Snow’s work to take up a career in public health and epidemiology. He gave one of the early ‘Pump Handle Lectures’ for the John Snow Society in 1994 and the book is the result of his further research into Snow’s early life, incidentally correcting several of the inaccuracies recorded b y S n o w ’s f i r s t b i o g r a p h e r, Richardson3, and perpetuated or compounded since Richardson in other accounts of Snow. What do these new insights into Snow’s development tell us about