In the 1854 cholera outbreak, cases were already falling before the pump handle was removed on 8 September. A sceptic says the removal therefore proved nothing. Which evaluation is best?

Question

Accepted Answer

The decline alone cannot prove the removal worked, but Snow's spot map, with cases clustered around the pump, still supports spread by contaminated water

Answer

The sceptic is right: the removal had no effect and Snow's theory is wrong

Answer

The sceptic is wrong: the curve proves the removal ended the outbreak

Answer

The curve is irrelevant, because only laboratory tests can show the cause of an outbreak

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In the 1854 cholera outbreak, cases were already falling before the pump handle ...

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