074— Epidemiological Analysis of 19th Century Cholera Outbreaks in Rochester, New York

During the 19th century, multiple cholera outbreaks quickly proliferated across Europe and North America. During that time, several of them made their way to Rochester, New York, and had serious impacts. With only theories about how the disease was spread, such as through “bad air”, these outbreaks left residents struggling to overcome the deadly symptoms and to determine their true cause. Years later, many of those outbreaks were able to be traced to specific public wells or streets. The goal of this research is to determine whether cholera spread from a specific area in Rochester by using information from Mt. Hope cemetery records. Additionally, this study will explore, through historical sources, how sanitation, or the lack thereof contributed to the spread of cholera in Rochester. This research will attempt to determine if the incidence and spread of cholera has correlations to specific areas in Rochester where the cholera victims lived. It is predicted that there will be correlations, in cases among people who lived on the same street or shared the same public well