John Snow (geographer)

John Snow was a pioneering British geographer and epidemiologist known for mapping disease outbreaks. In the 1850s, during a cholera epidemic in London, he plotted cases on a map, revealing a cluster around a specific water pump on Broad Street. His analysis showed that contaminated water, not air or miasma, was the source of the disease. Snow's work helped establish the importance of spatial analysis in public health, laying the foundation for modern epidemiology and disease control practices. His approach demonstrated how geographic information can uncover hidden patterns, saving lives and improving health strategies.