The Strange Case of the Broad Street Pump: John Snow and the Mystery of Cholera [Hardcover]

Sandra Hempel (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2007 | ISBN-10: 0520250494 | ISBN-13: 978-0520250499 | Edition: 1

In 1831, an unknown, horrifying, and deadly disease from Asia swept across continental Europe and North America, killing millions and throwing the medical profession into confusion. A killer with little respect for class or wealth, cholera ravaged the squalid streets of Soho and rocked the great centers of Victorian power. In this gripping book, Sandra Hempel tells the story of John Snow, a reclusive doctor without money or social position, who--alone and unrecognized--had the genius to look beyond the conventional wisdom of his day and uncover the truth behind the pandemic. She describes how Snow discovered that cholera was spread through drinking water and how this subsequently laid the foundations for the modern, scientific investigation of today's fatal plagues.
A dramatic account with a colorful cast of characters, The Strange Case of the Broad Street Pump features diversions into fascinating facets of medical and social history, such as Snow's tending of Queen Victoria in childbirth, Dutch microbiologist Leeuwenhoek's deliberate breeding of lice in his socks, Dickensian children's farms, and riotous nineteenth-century anesthesia parties. An afterword discusses the new threat of infectious diseases--including malaria, yellow fever, and cholera--with today's global warming.
Copub: Granta

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

"Meticulously researched and with a sophisticated approach to history, this is also an exciting and compelling story. After reading it, I dreamt about being lost and scared at night in the filthy lanes of Victorian London."--Andrew Cunningham, Senior Research Fellow in History of Medicine, University of Cambridge

"This book is one of those rare gems that thrills like fiction but is based on fact. It tells of the clear thought and quiet endeavour of a man who, without seeking honour or fame, persisted in overcoming prejudice and separating fact from fancy. john Snow discovered the way in which epidemic cholera was caught and nearly always killed us. By doing so he not only told the world how to prevent it, he laid the basis for the the prevention of all the world's medical ills--the science of epidemiology."--Dr. Mike Smith, Former NHS Director of Public Health (UK), and current 'resident' GP for Channel 5 News.

"This vivid book about the victories of science over ignorance provides insight as we head towards the next epidemic."--Dr. Paul Volberding, Director of the Center for AIDS Research, University of California, San Francisco

About the Author

Sandra Hempel is a journalist and copywriter. Her work has appeared in The Times, Sunday Times, Guardian, and Mail on Sunday, as well as many other leading publications.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 331 pages
• Publisher: University of California Press; 1 edition (January 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0520250494
• ISBN-13: 978-0520250499
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.8 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #167,850 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good, but a little scattered, March 8, 2007

By 

Squanto McButterpants - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Strange Case of the Broad Street Pump: John Snow and the Mystery of Cholera (Hardcover)

I generally liked this book, which does a nice job of telling the story of the cholera epidemics in Britain in the 1800s and John Snow's role in solving the mystery of how cholera is transmitted. However, this book is not just about John Snow's work --- there are many tangents to examine other prominent historical figures of the time, some of which I found forced and distracting, and the afterward on global climate change seemed like a hasty afterthought. Still, if you are interested in the origins of modern epidemiology you will like this book.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Book About John Snow and the Mystery of Cholera, April 24, 2007

By 

Charles J. Rector (Woodstock, IL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Strange Case of the Broad Street Pump: John Snow and the Mystery of Cholera (Hardcover)

Broad Street Pump is a good book about how the mystery of the Cholera outbreaks was solved by a determined doctor.


During the 19th Century, there were 3 great pandemics that killed large numbers of people in Asia & Europe. The primary killer was cholera, a disease for which there was no known cure.

One physician who sought a cure for cholera was John Snow who was a disciplined individual who suffered from the disdain of the British medical profession. Snow's research led him to the conclusion that cholera's spread was through contaminated drinking water.

In Snow's "grand experiment" he identified a contaminated pump and disabled it and by doing so began the defeat of the disease in London. Snow's work also furthered the development of germ theory and helped debunk the widely held theory of spontaneous generation of diseases.

This is a good book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting look at mid-1800s London and cholera, December 28, 2010

By 

Debbie (Harrison, AR United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Strange Case of the Broad Street Pump: John Snow and the Mystery of Cholera (Hardcover)

"The Strange Case of the Broad Street Pump" describes the waves of cholera that spread across the world from 1817 to 1866, what was done to treat it, and what was discovered about it. While many people and places were mentioned, we learned the most about John Snow since he made the greatest discovery about how cholera was spread and the main focus was on the cholera-related events in London, England. The book also described related topics like the medical and sanitary practices of the day, medical training, etc. Sometimes it felt like the author was wandering off topic, but these asides still gave an interesting look at the time period.

The author frequently quoted letters, journal articles, case notes, etc., from that time period They described what someone sick with cholera went through, the medical views on the spread and treatment of cholera, etc. There were also black-and-white illustrations: political cartoons and posters about cholera from that time period.

If talking about drinking water that contains feces and mentions of people throwing up grosses you out, then you might not enjoy the many vivid descriptions in this book. However, I found it an interesting, easy read from start to finish. The author clearly explained the (few) medical terms she used as well as any outdated phrasings in the quotes that might be confusing.

Cholera is another example of how the majority of scientists at that time were so sure of their own ideas about how sickness was transmitted that they couldn't see the truth even when John Snow clearly showed that they were wrong. Anyone who believes that "if most scientists say it then it must be true" should read books like this. :) Maybe they're right, maybe they aren't, but they aren't right just because they're in the majority.

In any case, I recommend this book to those who aren't easily grossed out who are interested in cholera and the advances in science that occurred while trying to fight it.