Snow's Hypothesis

Snow's Hypothesis, proposed by John Snow in 1854, suggests that cholera spreads through contaminated water rather than directly from person to person. He believed that certain water sources, like specific public wells, were responsible for transmitting the disease. By removing the handle from a contaminated well in London, he demonstrated that reducing exposure to polluted water could control cholera outbreaks. This hypothesis shifted the understanding of disease transmission towards water pollution, highlighting the importance of clean water supply and sanitation in preventing illness.