Final answer:
Dr. John Snow, through his research during the 1854 London cholera epidemic, demonstrated that cholera was spatially associated with certain contaminated wells and not caused by miasma or other theories of the time. His efforts in removing the Broad Street pump handle curbed the epidemic and were foundational to modern public health.
Step-by-step explanation:
Dr. John Snow, a British physician, is recognized as the father of epidemiology due to his significant contributions during the 1854 cholera epidemic in London. After careful investigation, Dr. John Snow found that cholera cases in London were spatially associated with certain public wells, notably the Broad Street pump. Refuting the prevalent miasma theory of disease, Snow hypothesized that cholera was transmitted through a fecal-oral route, and his meticulous mapping of cholera cases provided powerful evidence that the disease was spread by contaminated water sources.
Snow's research was groundbreaking and led to the removal of the handle from the Broad Street water pump, an act that greatly reduced the spread of the epidemic. His work laid the groundwork for modern public health practices and the understanding of disease transmission, particularly highlighting the importance of clean drinking water in controlling the spread of such illnesses.