A group of about a dozen readers met to discuss Stephen Johnson's The Ghost Map. We found many areas of interest in Johnson’s account of John Snow’s efforts to pinpoint the causes of a cholera epidemic in 19th century London. One obvious and widely shared response was a horrified awareness of the limits of 19th century sanitation and the dangers it posed to public health. Johnson also provided a wealth of accompanying detail on living conditions and popular ideas; in fact, some readers found the second half of the book overloaded with “scattershot” detail that interrupted the narrative. Others appreciated Johnson’s analysis of issues, such as his lively account of a cholera infection or his explanation of popular resistance to Snow’s claims because of the belief in miasma or poisoned air. One reader noted that we might have learned more about the media and transmission of information in this society, while others recognized Snow’s vivid demonstration in his map of fatalities near the Broad Street pump. Johnson also notes the persistent human tendency to blame the poor or lower classes for their own illnesses, as many believers in miasma did. The linkage of illness to “weak morals” has been documented in other places as well; Johnson gives a good account of the social dimensions of public health issues. We also discussed Johnson’s perhaps optimistic view of the possibilities of urban life; discoveries like Snow’s help to alleviate the risks of life in crowded urban areas, but public health efforts, as we know, face many challenges.
The next meeting, December 1, will focus on a work of fiction. The group selected Wallace Stegner’s Angle of Repose for this meeting. As we agreed in August, our February meeting will discuss John LeCarre’s memoir The Pigeon Tunnel. We will continue to meet on Zoom in December and we eagerly welcome new members. The Zoom link will be sent prior to the meeting, we open the link at 10:30 with the discussion beginning at 11 am Central Standard time. If you have questions or suggestions, please contact either Kathryn DeGraff or Helen Marlborough.
