Proposal For:
John Snow and His Influence on Public Health
Monica Rodgers
PU120 Section 1
Professor Nicole Heim
Unit 2 Assignment

Thesis:
John Snow formulated a theory on the transmission of cholera, improved the mode of administration of anesthetics, and made advancements in resuscitation. He is considered a father of epidemiology, even though many of his concepts were not accepted until years after his death. Among those who have left their mark on the development of public health is John Snow, a man who is considered a father of modern epidemiology. However, many of his concepts were not accepted until after his death. John Snow worked hard and published many great works. In this paper, I will briefly discuss John Snows background, his works, and the outcome of those works. John Snow was the son of a humble laborer in York, England. Snow’s father eventually became a farmer and landlord after acquiring a sufficient amount of property. Snow on the other hand took a different path in society, becoming an apprentice to William Hardcastle. After obtaining an education from several schools, Snow became a licensed apothecary, surgeon, and physician. John Snow first encountered cholera in 1831-32 in Newcastle. It was in the London epidemic of 1848-49 that Snow proposed that cholera entered the body through the mouth. In 1849, Snow wrote “On the mode of communication of cholera”. It was dismissed for lack of data. In 1841, Snow published his first work, entitled “Asphyxia and the resuscitation of still-born children.” He made the premise that respiration was essential to life. He observed that lower temperatures enhanced survival. Snow’s experience showed him that one in twenty newborns died at birth. Snow created a modified device to get air into and out of a newborns lung. In 1846, Snow heard about the use of anesthetics in America. Anesthetics