By: Steven Johnson

The Ghost Map, by Steven

Johnson, was the mandatory
summer reading for all
incoming freshmen
at Marist College. Freshmen
will be required to write an
essay about the book during
the first week(s) of the
Freshmen Seminar course.

AUTHOR STEVEN JOHNSONS VIDEO

HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=3P8SHNNEX
B4

Dr. Snows
map of the
pattern of
deaths
from
cholera in
London

FOUR MAJOR
The city of Victorian London
The deadly cholera epidemic of 1854

Dr. John Snow

Reverend Henry Whitehead

 2 million people were living in

London

Extreme population density

Largest city of the time
Poor sanitation (Chapter 1)
Lack of clean water

LONDON IN
THE 1850S

 Ten percent of the neighborhood died in seven

days

Cholera causes dehydration leading to death

Debate over the actual cause of the epidemic

miasma theory vs. waterborne theory

Miasma = contaminated air

Waterborne = contaminated water

Most believed in the miasma theory

CHOLERA
EPIDEMIC OF
1854

DR. JOHN
SNOW
Local physician and researcher

in London anesthesiologist

Created a map of the pattern of

deaths due to cholera

Believed in the waterborne

theory struggled with

convincing people to accept his
theory

 Local religious leader

Connected to the community and

added insights into the cholera

epidemic and its causes

Initially, opposed Dr. Snows theory,

but later became convinced and

helped him

Helped Dr. John Snows waterborne

theory to be accepted by others

REVEREND
HENRY
WHITEHEAD

BROAD
STREET
In the 19th century, drinking water

was provided by public pumps.

Most of the water came directly out

of the polluted Thames River.

Many people used the Broad Street

water pump since it was mistakenly

believed that the water was cleaner.

Dr. John Snow identified the Broad Street water pump as the source of the cholera epidemic of 1854
and was able to get the water pump handle removed.

LESSONS
EPIDEMIC OF 1854
City living became more sustainable
People recognized the need to commit to public

health sanitary waste-removal, recycling, clean

water, and disease detection

Need to embrace the insights of science

environmental science

THREATS
EPILOGUE

URBANIZATION

Future epidemics Ebola

Nuclear attacks
Global warming

Terrorism chemical or biological weapons

USEFUL LINK
http://www.theghostmap.com/