John Snow

Biography

• Born March 15, 1813
• Died June 16, 1858

Medical Eponyms

John Snow Silver Medal (1946)

The John Snow Silver Medal was originally given to anaesthetists who had distinguished themselves and received awards for gallantry in the Second World War. 

In 1946 the first three recipients were the founder of the Association of Anaesthetists, Henry W Featherstone OBE; Leslie G Morrison MC; and Professor Edgar Alexander Pask OBE.

Now awarded to UK and Irish anaesthetists who have held high office in, and provided exceptional service to the Association; or eminent UK and Irish anaesthetists of great distinction

Key Medical Attributions

Anaesthesia

The first classification system for general anaesthesia was proposed in 1847 by John Snow as the 5 stages of etherization (narcotism); and furthered by Francis Plomley in the Lancet in the same year. Guedel later proposed a four stage classification system to assess the depth of general anesthesia in 1937. This was designed for use with a single inhalational anesthetic agent (ether), in patients premedicated with morphine and atropine.

Controversies

Major Publications

Anaesthetics

• Snow J. On the inhalation of the vapours of ether. 1847
• Snow J. On the Inhalation of the Vapour of Ether in surgical operations; containing a description of the various stages of etherization, and a statement of the result of nearly eighty operations. 1847
• Snow J. On the discussion respecting chloroform. 1849
• Snow J. On the fatal cases of inhalation of chloroform. 1849
• Snow J. The alleged employment of chloroform by thieves. London Medical Gazette. 1850; 45
• Snow J. On narcotism by the inhalation of vapours. 1851 (parts 8-16) (Parts 17-28)
• Snow J. On the cause and prevention of death from chloroform. 1852
• Snow J. On chloroform and other anaesthetics: their action and administration. 1858

Epidemiology

• Snow J. On the pathology and mode of communication of cholera. London Medical Gazette. 1849; 44
• Snow J. On the mode of communication of cholera. 1849
• Snow J. On continuous molecular changes, more particularly in their relation to epidemic diseases. 1853
• Snow J. The Cholera Near Golden Square, and at Deptford Medical Times and Gazette 1854; 9: 321-22
• Snow J. On the mode of communication of cholera. 1855
• Snow J. Report on the cholera outbreak in the Parish of St. James, Westminster. 1855
• Snow J. Cholera and the water supply in the south districts of London. 1856

References

Biography

• Frerichs RR. Life and times of Dr. John Snow (1813-1858). UCLA
• Maltby R. John Snow. Notable Names in Anaesthesia. The Choir Press. 2013: 205-208

Eponymous terms

• Bynum W. In retrospect: On the Mode of Communication of Cholera. Naturev 2013; 495: 169–170
• Nickson C. Just Read the Map. LITFL
• The John Snow Silver Medal. Association of Anaesthetists