The Ghost Map




« back to classes page
ClassGraphic In the nineteenth century, cholera was a terrifying disease. It killed quickly and horribly. Entire families were dead within days of showing symptoms. How could this devastating killer be stopped when the causes and cures of so many illnesses were still a mystery? Public officials in London favored the miasma theory of the spread of disease. In examining the 1854 outbreak of cholera, The Ghost Map (Riverhead Books, 2006) by Steven Johnson lays out the setting and the clues, then tells the story of the investigator who methodically tracked the source of the contagion, the local curate whose own investigations ultimately confirmed the evidence, and the public health officials who were finally convinced to take action. All this happened two decades before Pasteur and Koch's germ theory of disease was developed. As The Washington Post states, “The Ghost Map is both a medical thriller and detective story.” Our study group will read this engrossing story of a forgotten event and consider, in our discussions, the links between science, public health, and urban planning that are still so relevant today.

Class Details

4 Session(s)
Weekly - Wed

Location
TBD

Instructor
Multiple

Tuition: 

$0.00

Closed Send to Friend »

Schedule Information

Date(s) Class Days Times Location Instructor(s)
1/21/2026 - 2/11/2026 Weekly - Wed 09:45 AM - 11:45 AM TBD Martha Bills  ; Jean Olsen 

You may also be interested in these classes

Recommended Classes