The Ghost Map

Synopsis

The work covers the 1854 Broad Street cholera outbreak. The two central figures are physician John Snow, who created a map of the cholera cases, and the Reverend Henry Whitehead, whose extensive knowledge of the local community helped determine the initial cause of the outbreak. John Snow was a revered anesthetist who carried out epidemiological work in Soho, London. Around the mid-1850s Snow figured out the source of cholera contamination to be the drinking water from the Broad Street pump.

Reception

The New York Times reviewed The Ghost Map, stating that there was "a great story here". A review posted in the International Journal of Epidemiology was largely favorable, stating that "the single weakness of this book is a bewildering final section which attempts to apply John Snow's work to a long list of contemporary problems. But for the reader prepared to put the book down at page 217, Steven Johnson has written a comprehensive, diversely sourced and insightful blockbuster account of a cholera outbreak in Victorian London." ;Reviews

References

References

1. Prusak, Larry. (2007-03-22). "The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson". Harvard Business Review.
2. Quammen, David. (2006-11-12). "The Ghost Map By Steven Johnson - Books - Review". The New York Times.
3. Metcalfe, Chris. (2007-08-01). "The Ghost Map. Steven Johnson.". International Journal of Epidemiology.