Who Was John Snow and How Is His Work Relevant Today?

Posted by freedomforall 2 days, 5 hours ago to Politics
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Excerpt:
"John Snow is a bona-fide hero of science. ... Snow might be one of the most famous doctors in the great pantheon of famous historical epidemiologists. Epidemiologists often celebrate Snow as the crowning example of the triumph of scientific reasoning and “medical detective work.” But that is rank revisionism. Snow IS a hero, but he’s definitely not Science’s hero.

Science appropriated John Snow after he died penniless and forgotten, whitewashing their culpability. But Snow was never one of their own. He was opposed by Science at every step.

Cholera has plagued mankind since the dawn of history. It is still plagueing us. Just a handful of years ago in 2010, UN Peacekeepers set up a camp in Haiti to “help” those unfortunate citizens recover from a devastating earthquake. The Peacekeepers needed to evacuate their sewage somewhere; a local river seemed like a good spot. And so the cholera epidemic created by the United Nations condemned 10,000 Haitians to horrible deaths and sickened countless more.

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In 2016, after six years of lawsuits, the UN finally admitted responsibility. Sorry, Haiti. The checks are still in processing.
...
But perhaps the most significant and enduring story out of all the many cholera stories is the true story of how John Snow, a “simple anesthesiologist,” single-handedly — against all odds — saved humanity from remaining mere playthings for the disease. Despite science’s revisionist efforts to claim him for themselves, John Snow was a free thinker. He rejected “scientific consensus,” and thought for himself.

And they destroyed him for it."
SOURCE URL: https://www.coffeeandcovid.com/p/no-consensus-friday-october-17-2025


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  • Posted by mccannon01 1 day, 10 hours ago
    Interesting article. The phrase "snow job" comes to mind. The establishment was accusing Snow of snowing the public all the while the consensus was the snow job. Hmmm, now where have I seen such antics in today's world...
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  • Posted by tonay 2 days, 3 hours ago
    I apologize but this is absolutely not true. Snow did not die penniless and forgotten. He was a well respected anesthesiologist. His cholera work was contentious upon publication but ultimately accepted by major scientific figures during that time such as by Farr, and Simon. Who had enabled Snow's investigations by gathering much of the data necessary. The source of the early skepticism was due to Snow making a rather incomplete argument in his South London study, but Simon recognizing the kernel of genius within it, replicated Snows work correctly.
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