There's a nip in the air. Changing seasons photos from Andy Deighton, heads down for drainspotting, #stillacyclist thoughts from Emily Chappell, and hello again River Sheaf.
Declaring an interest before commenting: I met Calvin on his Drainspotting walk for Heritage Open Days in 2022 and will be backstopping this afternoon’s walk. (Do say hi if you are coming along.).
I think it is at least possible that the city authorities were aware of Dr John Snow’s controversial theory that cholera was carried by water and the disease spread via infected drinking water. It was Snow who analysed a cholera outbreak in London proving to his own satisfaction that the all but one of the cases had a direct link to water drawn from an infected supply. The authorities were less convinced and he was subject to professional disciplinary proceedings for his pains ( and made to put the handle back on the pump where the infected water was drawn from). This incident is quite well known, but what is less well known is that Snow, although he became an eminent physician, came from a very poor background and grew up on the unbanked riverside in York. It seems to me unlikely that his theory about disease emerged simply from his London experiences and I have previously wondered whether he shared his views with selected open minded contacts in his native Yorkshire.
What an interesting thought Sue - it sounds very likely to me!
Not being the “right sort of person” makes you vulnerable to being snubbed, or even disciplined, which is an act that says more about those in power than the the person who comes up with a new explanation or solution.
Thank David, as always, and thanks to Andy for his super photos!
We had a damselfly at our pond the other day, and I got hilariously excited 😆. It landed on some stones at the side and curled itself up and touched a gap in the stones with its tail (?) (bottom?). I don’t know if it was laying eggs or something, or maybe just casing the joint for future reference. (Insect-specialist I am not!)
Declaring an interest before commenting: I met Calvin on his Drainspotting walk for Heritage Open Days in 2022 and will be backstopping this afternoon’s walk. (Do say hi if you are coming along.).
I think it is at least possible that the city authorities were aware of Dr John Snow’s controversial theory that cholera was carried by water and the disease spread via infected drinking water. It was Snow who analysed a cholera outbreak in London proving to his own satisfaction that the all but one of the cases had a direct link to water drawn from an infected supply. The authorities were less convinced and he was subject to professional disciplinary proceedings for his pains ( and made to put the handle back on the pump where the infected water was drawn from). This incident is quite well known, but what is less well known is that Snow, although he became an eminent physician, came from a very poor background and grew up on the unbanked riverside in York. It seems to me unlikely that his theory about disease emerged simply from his London experiences and I have previously wondered whether he shared his views with selected open minded contacts in his native Yorkshire.
What an interesting thought Sue - it sounds very likely to me!
Not being the “right sort of person” makes you vulnerable to being snubbed, or even disciplined, which is an act that says more about those in power than the the person who comes up with a new explanation or solution.
Thank David, as always, and thanks to Andy for his super photos!
We had a damselfly at our pond the other day, and I got hilariously excited 😆. It landed on some stones at the side and curled itself up and touched a gap in the stones with its tail (?) (bottom?). I don’t know if it was laying eggs or something, or maybe just casing the joint for future reference. (Insect-specialist I am not!)