John Snow Public House, London

On Monday, 16 June 2008, a Chemical Landmark plaque was unveiled by the Rt Hon Alan Johnson, Secretary of State for Health, to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the death of Dr John Snow. 

John Snow was a leading pioneer in the development of anaesthesia in Britain and chemist, and founding father of epidemiology. In 1854, he linked deaths in the London cholera outbreak to the water pump near in Broad Street (now named Broadwick Street) which determined that cholera was transmitted by contaminated water disproving the 'miasma' (bad air) theory.  He immediately removed the pump handle preventing further deaths. The original pump was located close to the 'John Snow' public house but has now been removed and replaced by a pink granite kerbstone.  In 1992 a replica pump was installed a few yards away.

The anniversary event, which was organised jointly with the charity WaterAid, was held in the upper room of the John Snow public house which is the meeting place of the John Snow Society and home to memorabilia of the famous epidermiologist.  

RSC President, Professor Jim Feast and Chair of WaterAid, Jeremy Pelzcer, led the celebrations with speeches about their respective organisations, with Mr Pelzcer highlighting the plight of 2.6 billion people who still do not have access to safe and clean water and sanitation even in 2008, the International Year of Sanitation. Dr Ros Stanwell-Smith of the John Snow Society gave an excellent talk about John Snow and how his discovery has led to the clean water we now take for granted in the western world.

Following the speeches, the Secretary of State for Health proposed a toast to John Snow to which all the assembled guests responded by raising glasses of water. John Snow himself was a teetotaller. The plaque will be erected on the exterior of the John Snow pub close to the site of the original pump.

Amongst the guests attending the ceremony were many people by the name of 'Snow', some distant relatives, who were interviewed on camera. See the link below for the press release and video.