Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

John Snow: the first hired gun?

D E Lilienfeld1

  • 1Bristol-Myers Squibb, Pennington, NJ 08534, USA.

American Journal of Epidemiology
|July 20, 2000
PubMed
Summary

Dr. John Snow argued against public health reforms in 1854, claiming factory fumes were not hazardous and that epidemic diseases spread via water, not air. His testimony influenced legislation favoring manufacturers.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Decreasing mortality from pulmonary embolism in the United States, 1979-1996.

International journal of epidemiology·2000
Same author

Mortality from primary pulmonary hypertension in the United States, 1979-1996.

Chest·2000
Same author

Sensitivity and specificity of a screening questionnaire for dry eye.

Advances in experimental medicine and biology·1998
Same author

How data influence third party payers.

ASHA·1998
Same author

'Best clinical practice': assessment of processes of care and of outcomes in the US Military Health Services System.

Journal of evaluation in clinical practice·1998
Same author

Disposal-related sharps injuries at a New York City Teaching Hospital.

Infection control and hospital epidemiology·1995

Area of Science:

  • Epidemiology
  • Public Health Policy
  • Occupational Health

Background:

  • The 1854 English cholera outbreak spurred public health legislation, threatening factories with closure due to hazardous fumes.
  • Dr. John Snow testified, arguing factory emissions were not harmful and workers' health was unaffected.

Discussion:

  • Snow presented 1854 cholera data to support his theory of waterborne disease transmission, extending it to all epidemic diseases.
  • He contended that factory fumes posed no public health risk, influencing parliamentary decisions.

Key Insights:

  • Snow's testimony influenced the revision of the Nuisances Removal and Diseases Prevention Act, favoring industrial interests.
  • This event highlights the historical tension between industrial development and public health regulation.
Keywords:
Bacterial And Fungal DiseasesCholeraDeveloped CountriesDiseasesEnglandEpidemiologyEuropeHealthHistorical SurveyInfectionsLegislationNorthern EuropePublic HealthUnited Kingdom

Related Experiment Videos

Outlook:

  • The episode underscores the importance of robust scientific evidence in shaping public health policy.
  • It provides a historical case study on the challenges of environmental health regulation and epidemiological evidence dissemination.