Hopkinson, Deborah
The Great Trouble, 247 pgs. Alfred A. Knopf, 2013. $16.99. Language: G (O
Swears), Mature Content: G, Violence: PG.
Eel
is an orphan and mudlark in the vast city of 1854 London. He works hard
to collect sellable items out of the dirty waters of the Thames to support his
younger brother. A menacing step father is always on his trail, but he slips
away like his name suggests. Luckily, he
also does odd jobs for Dr. John Snow, a forerunner in epidemiology. When
Eel learns about his neighbors death due
to Cholera, he joins forces with Dr. Snow to understand and find the source of
the disease. With Eel’s help, Dr. Snow
convinces the city to close off an infected well, thus saving many lives.
This enjoyable, but contrived version of the
discovery of the cause of Cholera elucidates not only the epidemiology of
Cholera, but the method of epidemiology itself.
Historical extracts and history are an added bonus to this instructive,
yet entertaining read.
EL, MS-ADVISABLE, Reviewer: MOMMAC
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