One of the pleasures of exploring York is the often unexpected and intriguing discovery of something interesting and decidedly unusual. One such object can found in North Street Gardens by the banks of the River Ouse. On first sight there appears to be a Victorian water pump stationed amongst the flower beds. On closer inspection it turns out indeed to be a water pump but there is no handle! The question arises as to why should this be. And, the answer lies in the story of one of York’s unsung heroes, Dr John Snow.
John Snow was born in North Street on 15th March 1813 and baptised in the nearby All Saints Church. (This church is definitely worth a visit to admire the profusion of its magnificent Medieval stained glass windows.) Snow was the eldest of nine children and the son of a labourer who worked in the nearby coal yard. Despite his poor background, at the age of 14 Snow obtained a medical apprenticeship with a surgeon in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. He went on to follow a very distinguished career in the field of medicine, being a leader in the development of anasthesia and medical hygiene.
For the purposes of our story we will concentrate on Snow’s studies of cholera for which he is particularly remembered. Cholera was a dreadful disease which claimed the lives of many people especially those living in the poorer districts of towns and cities. It was extremely infectious and spread like wildfire. York, for instance, suffered a cholera outbreak in 1832 and 185 people died. Many of the victims were buried in the Cholera Burial Ground which can found opposite York Railway Station.
In 1854 an outbreak of cholera struck in London in the vicinity of Broad Street. John Snow was not convinced that the cause of the disease was foul air, a view held traditionally by the medical profession. He, therefore, embarked on his “Grand Experiment” to disprove this theory. After talking to residents in the Broad Street area, he traced the source of the outbreak to the public water pump. On examining the water, it was found to be contaminated with sewage. The untreated water was being pumped direct from the one of the sewage polluted sections of the River Thames. Against great opposition, Snow ordered the water pump to be disabled by removing the handle. The result of this action was an immediate drop in the number of casualties in the Broad Street locality. Snow’s findings eventually led to massive changes in the structures of the public sewage and water supply systems in London. This in turn influenced a major advancement in the provision of public health services worldwide.
John Snow died from a stroke in 1858 at the early age of 45. He is buried in Brompton Cemetery, London. On the 15th of March 2017 a monument in his memory was unveiled in North Street Gardens, York, close to his birthplace. It is a model of a Victorian water pump with no handle!
Article contributed by Jenny Denton – https://yorkshiresbestguides.co.uk/project/jenny-denton/
