Heroes of Visualization: John Snow, H.W. Acland, and the Mythmaking Problem | | Peachpit
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#John_Snow, Movie Star
John Snow’s myth is one of a rebel scientist of humble origins fighting against ingrained prejudices. I won’t bore you with the details of his tale, as it has been beautifully narrated elsewhere3. Let me just offer a brief summary: In the nineteenth century, cholera was a disease that killed many thousands a year. Today, we know that cholera is caused by a bacteria—Vibrio cholerae—which has been shaped by evolution to spread itself in a devilish manner: It provokes severe vomiting and diarrhea. If its victims live very close to each other and they don’t have access to adequate sanitary conditions, it is likely that the fluids they release will contaminate sources of water or food.