The Broad Street Pump

The Broad Street Pump became famous during the 1854 cholera outbreak in London. It was a water pump on Broad Street (now Broadwick Street) that many residents relied on for drinking water. Dr. John Snow investigated and discovered that cholera cases were concentrated around this pump, suggesting contaminated water as the source of infection. He removed the handle to stop people from using it, which helped end the outbreak. This was a key moment in public health history, demonstrating that contaminated water, not miasma or bad air, spread cholera. It helped establish the importance of clean water and sanitation measures.