About
English doctor and epidemiologist notable for recognizing that infectious diseases are contagious. He studied cholera and typhoid fever in particular, identifying that water is a source of transmission for typhoid fever. He is credited with decreasing the cholera deaths in Bristol from 2,000 to 29 in just 17 years.
Before Fame
He studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh.
Trivia
Support for his idea that water is a source of infection for typhoid fever gained support after he investigated an outbreak in a group of farm cottages that sourced their water from the same stream. A few of his written bodies of work are in The National Library of Medicine.
Family Life
He was born and raised in Devon by Samuel Budd and Catherine Wreford. He had nine brothers, six of whom also went into medicine. His father was a surgeon.
Associated With
Other notable alumni of the University of Edinburgh include Charles Darwin.
